News and Resources

 
The Ensemble seeks to connect and inform all people who are committed to ensemble music education for youth empowerment and social change.

Exploring the Indigenous Sounds of Zimbabwe and Womanhood

06-16-2021

From the Motherland is an on-demand virtual concert experience hosted by Castle of Our Skins, a concert and educational series dedicated to celebrating Black artistry through music. The event explores “Zimbabwean cultural roots and a personal rite of passage into womanhood.” There is a “pay-what-you-like” donation associated with the series, which goes directly to supporting original works from artists such as Tanyaradzwa Tawengwa Nzou Mambano, who composed, directed, arranged, and performed the concert’s music. Ticket and program information can be found at castleskins.org.

Arts and Healing: A Call for Unique Voices

06-16-2021

Creative Generation is calling for stories about how the arts and arts education have helped people and communities heal. Their theme for June is “Healing,” which follows the previous month’s theme of “Protest Art.” Artists are asked to share their stories of recovery and community using whatever social media platforms they prefer. Use the social media handle @Campaign4GenC and #CreativityForGood to contribute to this global call.

Connect Your Students to Artists Around the World

06-16-2021

What is Classroom Connect? Created by Teach to Learn, it is a “customizable virtual classroom that uses live-streaming video to connect students and teachers in the United States to musicians from around the world.” Teachers who are looking for ways to expose their young musicians to international artists and genres should check out this offering of music and musicians from all over the world.

Second-Year Music Competition is Looking for New Talent

06-16-2021

The Sound Espressivo Competition is looking for instrumentalists of all ages to apply for the 2021 season! This online competition holds preliminary rounds during the final weekend of every month, with the next prelim taking place June 26–27. Prizes include performance opportunities, cash, masterclasses, publicity, and much more. Artists are able to choose from an array of genre, instrument (including voice), and age bracket categories. The submission fee is $100 USD. Find out more on their website.

Free Online Course Offers Tools for Community Peacebuilding

06-16-2021

Many teaching artists work in stressed or transitional communities. They may find a just-released online course in peacebuilding useful. Offered free from Peace Direct through August, it provides a practical toolkit for resolving conflict locally. If peacebuilding is a part of your program’s work, as is often true in projects for social development and democracy, “Conflict Transformation: your practical toolkit for peacebuilding” can support your work. The course includes eight modules (each lasting 10–15 minutes), with group discussions and a variety of real-life scenarios and case studies from across the world. Find out more via Peace Direct.

Big News from El Sistema Greece

06-16-2021

On July 5, the young musicians of the El Sistema Greece Youth Orchestra and Youth Choir will take the historic stage of the Herodion, tucked just under the Parthenon in Athens. Alongside Blend Mishkin and his reggae-soul band and other musicians, they will perform world-famous melodies at the Athens Epidaurus Festival, celebrating the songs that have most greatly impacted the modern music scene. After a year and a half without live performances, they can’t wait.

Sphinx Announces Illuminate Video Series and 2021 Grant Recipients

06-01-2021

The Sphinx Organization recently announced its partnership with the Illuminate Series, focusing on the stories from Black perspectives in classical music. The series was founded and curated by Sphinx programming alumni Steven Banks, Randal Goosby, and Anthony Trionfo. Conversations range from music education during the pandemic, intersectionality between race, identity, and sexuality, and artist activism.

Register for the 2021 YOLA National Symposium

06-01-2021

The 2021 YOLA National Symposium will be held October 20–23, 2021. Happening both in person and virtually, the Symposium will explore the theme of Embracing Change: how to “adopt a transformational approach to teaching, learning, and program design for a stronger future for our young people and communities.” The array of sessions will provide attendees with opportunities to collaborate, share, learn, train, and network. Registration opens on June 3, and the deadline to submit a proposal is July 15. Email yola@laphil.org with questions and visit the YOLA site to register and learn more.

The Lewis Prize for Music Opens Applications for 2022 Accelerator Awards

06-01-2021

The Lewis Prize for Music is now accepting 2022 Accelerator Awards applications. Accelerator Awards are open to Creative Youth Development (CYD) music organizations seeking to influence youth-serving systems so that all young people have access to learning, creating, and performing experiences that reflect their culture and identity. Applications are open until July 16, 2021, at 5 p.m. PST.

Americans for the Arts 2021 Annual Convention

06-01-2021

Mark your calendars! The Americans for the Arts Annual Convention takes place this year from June 8–11. The conference will remain virtual to ensure safety and maintain accessibility for the entire field, featuring core discussion topics such as: Equity in Creative Recovery, Improving Policies and Practices for the Creative Economy, the Creative Engines of Tomorrow, and Putting Creative Workers and Culture Organizations to Work. The conference requires a profile setup and there is a fee to attend. Learn more details on the Americans for the Arts Annual Convention webpage.

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