Performance

The Seventh Sistema Europe Youth Orchestra Residency was hosted this July by Urbino and Pesaro, Italy; the residency was held within the celebrations of Pesaro Italian Capital of Culture 2024. This event continued a bi-annual tradition that began in 2013: previous summer camps have taken place in Vienna/Salzburg, Austria; Istanbul, Turkey; Milan, Italy; Athens, Greece; Birmingham, U.K.; and Madrid, Spain.

This year’s gathering was more than a musical event; it was also a chance for young musicians to explore the connections between music and nature, guided by the theme “Song of the Earth,” which put a focus on questions of sustainability.

The Aaron Copland Fund for Music is accepting applications to fund professional performances of contemporary American concert and jazz music.

In a world that seems increasingly divided by our differences, a recent collaboration by international musicians shares an inspirational message of our shared humanity.

The Atlanta Music Project is in the midst of their first international tour.

The King School and Project Music just wrapped their Ninth Annual El Sistema Residency, hosting a cluster of east coast–based El Sistema USA programs for a weekend of musical exchange and performance.

Across the U.K., choirs are coming together to raise their voices for change.

A new music curriculum resource will soon be on its way to orchestral programs across North America.

It was not a promising time to be learning or teaching music in Lebanon. The Lebanese pound had depreciated by over 90%, making music lessons a luxury that few could afford. The National Conservatory of Music was mostly non-operational; schools had stopped music classes for lack of funding, and our country’s youth had no means to advance their musical education. In this challenging environment, Father Maatouk turned to the El Sistema model.

In January, Project Music faculty and Music in the Wood performed a concert as a gift to their students, celebrating our shared values of collaboration and artistic expression.

El Sistema Toronto students teamed up with award-winning Indigenous hip hop artist Cody Coyote and Juno-nominated Toronto rapper Saukrates to write and record “WAY: We Are Young,” a song that captures both the hopefulness and vulnerability of young people who are coming of age in a rapidly changing world.