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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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Sitting in the Student Seat at AIM’s Fire Up Residency

Olivia Romanet, Music Theory Teacher, MusicEnsemble, Conservatoire de Musique de Genève

10-01-2025

That first day, I felt like a teenager: somewhat defiant, hesitant to initiate, eager to observe, even mistrusting…but also wanting to chat, meet people, laugh, and share.

AIM knew what they were doing. We’d found ourselves on the other side of the classroom, sitting in the student chair. And in experimenting with ways to develop our own community and agency—our capacity for action—as educators, we found ourselves viewing students’ needs with new empathy.

New Guiding Pillars Amplify Our Collective Voice

Elizabeth Moulthrop, Executive Director, El Sistema USA

09-03-2025

Nearly two decades ago, a handful of United States programs that were inspired by El Sistema in Venezuela opened their doors. Since then, El Sistema USA® has become a network of more than 150 organizations—the largest such network in the world. Our members represent a diverse array of music programs from dozens of states, as well as international programs in adjacent countries from Canada to Haiti. Given the diversity and breadth of our network, it’s reasonable to ask: What is the common thread between these programs? And why does this collective work matter? Watching and helping this coalition grow and evolve, we have been able to isolate a few distinct qualities that unite us and affirm the power of our collective voice.

Teacher Learning through the Spark of Action Research

Francis Gagliardi, Program Director, Nucleo, London, England; member of first Firebird team at the Academy for Impact Through Music

09-03-2025

How can I contribute to making something that’s already great even better?

That was the question I asked myself when I took on the challenge of carrying out the first Academy for Impact Through Music (AIM) Chispa, in Caracas, Venezuela, in December 2024.

 

The Glenn Gould Foundation Hosts First World Congress on Social Impact of Music

09-03-2025

AI-Powered App Measures Creative Health Program Outcomes

06-04-2025

A research partnership between Kenji Health, Queen Mary University, and four arts organizations in London has reimagined how we can evaluate the impacts of arts and health programs in rigorous and engaging ways.

Peabody Institute Offers Arts in Healthcare Training

05-07-2025

Are you curious how you can use music to make a difference for patients, families, and caregivers in healthcare settings?

Agents of Change

Loukia Lazarou, Teaching Artist and Project Manager, Sistema Cyprus

05-07-2025

The idea of hosting volunteers had two purposes: one, the additional staff would be an immense help for our organization, and two, they would provide relatable young role models for our students—especially important for those from vulnerable backgrounds. We wanted to create a structure that nurtures leadership, social responsibility, and cultural exchange, both for the young people in our orchestra and for the volunteers.

The El Sistema USA 2025 West Coast Regional Gathering

Patrick Scafidi, Executive Editor, The Ensemble

05-07-2025

At events like these, it’s easy to think about the word “community” as the people in the room. But El Sistema USA’s nifty trick was to upend that idea. Rather than celebrate our professional community—the connections we form with colleagues—the ESUSA leadership team explored the ties that bind us to larger, more diverse communities—of families, of activists, of scientists, of lawmakers, and of the folks that lawmakers tend to ignore.

Students Take Over Big Noise Raploch

05-07-2025

Big Noise Raploch recently embarked on a big experiment…by handing over their jobs to students as part of their “Big Takeover.”

UNGA Healing Arts Week Call For Proposals

05-07-2025

Many of us have witnessed the arts’ positive impact on the health and wellbeing of our communities. The Jameel Arts & Health Lab invites you to share your experiences as a practitioner, educator, or researcher as part of their annual symposium “Re-Imagining Health Through the Arts” on September 22 at New York University.

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