Professional Development

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.

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

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.

At events like these, it’s easy to think about the word “community” as the people in the room. But ESUSA’s nifty trick was to take us outside. 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.

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

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.

When trying to renew an initiative that has existed for almost a decade, our great challenge is to find that precise balance between valuing tradition and proposing something new. At NEOJIBA State Nuclei for Youth and Children’s Orchestras of Bahia, this balance is fundamental to our continuous search for improvement—praising what already works, recognizing what can be improved, and having the tranquility to suggest something innovative without losing the essence of an idea.

It was in this spirit that in 2023, on a sunny afternoon during Bahia’s “eternal summer,” we began to redesign PROCEC, our collective teacher training program.

European musicians and music organizations are invited to attend the 13th annual European Forum on Music in Brussels (June 11–12) under the banner of “Celebrating Musical Diversity.”

El Sistema USA is hosting two regional gatherings this year, bringing together program leaders, teaching artists, and students from across the country for community-building and professional development.