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Case Study on Cultural Humility from Institute for Music Leadership

04-07-2020

Buffalo String Works in Buffalo, NY has worked with refugee students from Afghanistan, Burma, Eritrea, Iraq, Sudan, Somalia, and Syria. Though inspired by the international El Sistema model, the organization faced plenty of cultural hurdles in working to serve the diverse population. Eastman School of Music’s Institute for Music Leadership has written a case study examining the early years of BSW as it worked to adapt to the needs of the community. Read more to learn how they strived for “cultural humility” and musical excellence simultaneously—these lessons in inclusion can be applied to all programs, no matter their makeup.

Welcome Videos Provide Sense of Familiarity for Students at WHIN Music Community Charter School

04-07-2020

A sense of safety and connectedness is the foundation of successful student learning, but natural disasters can cause turmoil. The impacts of the current pandemic have upended all our familiar routines and rituals, so we must re-dedicate ourselves to these practices. New York City’s WHIN Music Community Charter School cleverly addresses the issues of familiarity and routine for their disrupted students in a video that welcomes them to their online classes.

Peace First’s COVID-19 Rapid Response Grants Open

04-07-2020

Have you heard good ideas from your students or young colleagues about ways they might engage in music-making with other isolated students? Now, there just might be a grant to support that idea for young people ages 13-25: Peace First’s COVID-19 Rapid Response Grants. Apply here.

Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation Scholarship Program Opens

04-07-2020

The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation Scholarship Program will award over 40 students attending a four-year college or university with scholarships from $10,000 to $25,000. Highly gifted musicians with an interest in Latin music genres are encouraged to apply. The deadline for consideration has been extended to April 13. Guidelines and application are available online.

Pro Bono Arts Management Consulting from the DeVos Institute

04-07-2020

Could your program use some high-powered consulting advice? Recognizing that U.S. arts organizations (including Sistema programs) will be hard hit economically by the current health crisis, the DeVos Institute of Arts Management at the University of Maryland (one of the nation’s leading training and consulting organizations) offers pro bono hourlong consultations for any U.S.-based non-profit arts or culture organization between March and June 2020. Contact them here.

The Awesome Music Project of Canada Raises Funds to Address Mental Health Issues

04-07-2020

The Canadian Awesome Music Project, which includes teaching artists in Sistema New Brunswick, raises funds to address mental health issues. They have created “The Awesome Music Project Canada: Songs of Hope and Happiness,” a compilation of intimate stories by Canadians from all walks of life and a tribute to the power of music to change lives. You can support their efforts here.

Music Haven Receives State Funding in Response to Community Outcry

04-07-2020

Since 2007, Music Haven, in New Haven, CT, has delivered strong learning outcomes through programs that primarily serve families living below the federal poverty level, 91% of whom are students of color. In achieving a 100% college matriculation rate, Music Haven built lasting community loyalty that led to it receiving $100,000 directly from state funds—very unusual in the U.S. However, without explanation, their state funding was eliminated from the adjusted 2021 state budget, a devastating blow. Read about what happened next. (Spoiler: the funding made it back into the budget. Community commitment made all the difference!)

Inspiring Film with Anthony McGill

03-03-2020

Here is an inspiring four-minute film with Anthony McGill, first African-American principal clarinetist with the NY Philharmonic, about how he got there. Share it with all your students.

A Blog Cites Trends in Philanthropic Giving

03-03-2020

A blog by Cynthia Adams of GrantStation cites trends in philanthropic giving, following up on her popular prediction blog from last year.

Grants for Growth and Development of Music Education from D’Addario Opens

03-03-2020

The D’Addario Foundation supports the growth and development of “high-quality sustainable music instruction programs on the frontline” to make music education more accessible for kids, helping them play early, frequently, and for as many years as possible. Grants average $2,500, and D’Addario awards product donations as well. Applicants should submit a letter of inquiry; invited grant applications will be due March 31, 2020.

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