Professional Development

 
The Ensemble seeks to connect and inform all people who are committed to ensemble music education for youth empowerment and social change.

Learning through Teaching with the AIM Firebirds

10-02-2024

This past July, the warmth of the Portuguese summer and the backdrop of the Lisbon sea welcomed a diverse group of teachers and young musicians from social action music programs across more than ten countries. Amidst varied accents and curious glances, a shared energy became palpable—the excitement of face to face meetings among people who had been able to interact with one another only virtually during their four months of preparation. There was also the shared enthusiasm of people doing what they love most: teaching and making music together.

EDITORIAL
Universal Design for Learning: A Natural Fit for El Sistema-inspired Programs

10-02-2024

Imagine that you are walking up a staircase that leads to a school entrance, and you notice a sign that says, “ramp located at the back door.” Okay, so the sign and the ramp make the building technically accessible—but a person who can’t use stairs has to go all the way to the back of the building, locate the ramp, and hope that the door is open.

What if, instead of a staircase in front and a separate ramp in back, the architect had created a walkway that incorporates stairs and ramps all in one place?

This is the foundational metaphor of Universal Design for Learning, or UDL.

New Opportunities from the International Alliance for Women in Music

09-04-2024

The International Alliance for Women in Music is offering two funding opportunities to help increase women’s representation in music performance and education.

The 2024 SEYO Summer Residency

09-04-2024

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 El Sistema USA National Symposium: A Report from a First-Timer

07-10-2024

As a first-time attendee at the El Sistema USA Symposium, an annual event that brings together people from across the U.S. who are involved in Sistema-inspired work, I didn’t quite know what to expect. But the experience was invaluable. It took place June 13-15, and I am still buzzing with inspiration and excitement about being part of the El Sistema community. 

Two International Grant Opportunities

07-10-2024

We know how hard it is to obtain funding for the work you do, so we’re eager to share two grant opportunities that support community-building and international cultural-exchange initiatives.

Attend the WAAE Summit

07-10-2024

What sounds better than a trip to Athens in October? How about the chance to meet and learn from arts educators from around the world?

Free Lesson Plans from Smithsonian Folkways

05-01-2024

Are you a music teacher looking to diversify your lesson plans? The Smithsonian Folkways website hosts a digital database of free music lesson plans from around the world.

Free Creative Youth Development Workshops

04-03-2024

The Lewis Prize for Music’s Creating Abundance Collaborative is hosting two virtual workshops to level up the field of creative youth development, with a focus on career-readiness and wellbeing.

Apply for the European Music Council Fellowship

02-07-2024

The European Music Council (EMC) Fellowship Programme welcomes early-career musicians seeking a professional development community.

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