Student Voice & Leadership

 
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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Arts Educators in India Drop Old Habits, and Their Kids Flourish

Rathi, Director, Slam Out Loud

07-10-2024

In 2016, Jigyasa Labroo was teaching in the conflict area of Kashmir, India. She brought a poetry exercise to her class of 60 girls that called for them to express their emotions. Jigyasa expected the regular childhood emotions of joy, wonder, and friendship to emerge; what came out instead was mostly pain, anger, isolation, and sadness. The room that day held a great deal of tension and hurt—but also some catharsis. At the end of class, she realized how important it was to create spaces for children to express themselves safely through the arts.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, Kaupapa Leads to Connection

Hanna Wiskari, Cofounder and Musical Director, Ethno New Zealand; freelance musician & teacher

07-10-2024

I had known about Mixit for quite some time. Their work was not only fascinating from an artistic and pedagogical perspective but inspiring in its longevity; the organization has provided opportunities for young people from diverse backgrounds for the past 19 years. Still, I was curious to learn more. As a migrant myself, I had found there to be a lack of projects in Aotearoa New Zealand that use creativity and artmaking in intercultural, collaborative settings—despite the nation’s rich multicultural population.

YOLA Gives ‘Collective Composition’ New Meaning

Ensemble Editorial Team

07-10-2024

We know that many programs use collective composition as a creative boost for students. But an experiment at the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s YOLA Institute Children’s Orchestra was a new one for us at The Ensemble.

News from The Lewis Prize for Music

07-10-2024

Yesterday, The Lewis Prize for Music debuted four short films featuring stories of impact from Creative Youth Development organizations across the U.S.

Growing AIM’s Firebird Fellowship into an Alumni Program

Eric Booth, AIM Senior Faculty, with help from Director Fiona Cunningham and Alumni and Young Artists Program Manager Marco Chimini

06-05-2024

“Your alumni will become your best assets for your mission.” That’s what social entrepreneurs from Changemaker Fellowships told AIM’s leadership when we began in 2018. So far, we agree. 

At Manzil Mystics, Ancient Language Offers Timeless Truth

Anurag Hoon, Co-Founder and CEO, Manzil Mystics

06-05-2024

There are not many music programs in the world with the word “Mystics” in their name. But it serves us well. Like many Ensemble readers, we are a passionate group of musicians working toward creating social inclusion and happy childhoods through music. And we find inspiration in the all-inclusive and peaceful messages of mystic poets like Kabir Das and Mahatma Gandhi.

ESUSA Musicians Celebrate Ninth Annual El Sistema Residency

05-01-2024

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.

Expanding Musical Opportunities for Children

Yutaka Kikugawa, Founder and Executive Director, El Sistema Japan

05-01-2024

It’s been a decade since we launched the first El Sistema–inspired program in Japan, in the city of Soma, Fukushima Province. Our goal was to offer support, community, and dignity to the children affected by the 2011 tsunami and nuclear accident. Our vision statement at that time was: “Community regenerated by children with life skills through music.”

Since then, we’ve learned a great deal about the needs of the children we serve and the primary outcomes we want to be aiming at. Accordingly, we’ve reshaped the vision statement as follows: “Collaborative society where everyone can be free and creative.”

Youth-Led Research Explores Healthy Music Experiences

04-03-2024

A new research project in Scotland is taking its cue from young people.

Want to Amplify Youth Voices? Give Them a Podcast Mic

Haley Witt, Visibility Manager, Youth on Record

04-03-2024

In mainstream media, youth voices are widely absent, overlooked, or sensationalized. Youth on Record (YOR) aims to address this gap through our creative youth programming, including its Podcasting Production Internship. The program seeks to foster a supportive environment where young people explore creative storytelling and produce podcasts that amplify their voices and ideas.

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