Perspectives & Collective Action

 
The Ensemble seeks to connect and inform all people who are committed to ensemble music education for youth empowerment and social change.
 
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Free Report from Sound Diplomacy: “Why Impact Matters”

11-05-2025

To keep a music program running these days, it’s not enough to just believe in the work. We must be able to demonstrate our impact.

Calling All U.S. Artist-Activists

11-05-2025

We’ve seen throughout history how the arts can speak louder than words, particularly in places where civil rights are under attack.

EDITORIAL
The Power of Youth Voice

Ayde Diaz, El Sistema USA 2025 Youth Ambassador; YOLA Torres Student

11-05-2025

An instructor once told me, “When we listen to our students, we remember why we’re here. Their perspective makes us better.” That was the moment I realized our learning experiences aren’t a one-way street. In programs that truly value our voices, the impact extends far beyond the classroom. It reaches families, neighborhoods, and entire communities.

ClimateMusic Invites Streaming Partners for Interactive Digital Concert Series

11-05-2025

If you’re an artist who is curious about climate action and want to connect with others on the topic in a fun and engaging way, ClimateMusic is inviting people to join their free live-streamed concert EcoEcho on November 8 as a streaming partner.

BRAVO Families Affected by ICE Abductions

10-01-2025

On September 16, an ICE sweep in North Portland, Oregon, USA resulted in the abduction of several family members of BRAVO Youth Orchestras students, including Rafael Arriola Caballero, a father of six and resident of North Portland for over a decade.

300 Years of Classical Music in 18 Minutes

09-03-2025

Classical violinist Joshua Bell takes his audience through 300 years of classical music in his recent TED Talk.

Goalkeepers Event Showcases the Power of Music across Africa

07-09-2025

In early June, the Gates Foundation hosted its first Goalkeepers event in Lagos, Nigeria, bringing together global leaders, policymakers, and artists to address Africa’s progress in meeting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and showcase the power of music to unite people.

Suggested Reading: “Expanding the Path to Equitable Arts Funding”

06-04-2025

The Lewis Prize for Music Co-founder Dalouge Smith challenges funders to reconsider grantmaking priorities in a recent article for Grantmakers in the Arts.

GUEST PERSPECTIVE
The Courage to Create: Helping Students Sing through Fear

Meagan Mayne, Founder, Meagan Mayne Voice Studio

06-04-2025

Singing (really, any artistic act) is an act of vulnerability. Your voice is you—your breath, your body, your emotions, your story. When you sing, you offer all of that up; even after a lifetime of performing, I still feel that fear when I step on stage.

If performing can be scary for us educators, how much scarier must it be for teen students still discovering their identity—for whom “fitting in” can feel like the most important thing?

Playing the Changes Recounts Groundbreaking Jazz Education Program in Apartheid South Africa

05-07-2025

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