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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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The Importance of Contextualized and Conflict-Sensitive Sistema Programs

Graciela Briceno, Foreign Service Education Officer, U.S. Agency for International Development; Founder, Boston Music Project

07-07-2021

As I listened to the episode, I had a sudden crisis of conscience: had I done the same thing in starting a Sistema-inspired classical music program within a Boston public school? Given the principal’s enthusiasm, and the fact that at the time there was no music or visual arts programming, I eagerly launched the program without questioning what was best for the community. Was the money we were raising for the orchestra program being put to its best use at this school?

The Long-Term Impact of What We Do: A 12-Year Perspective

Abigail Dance, Teacher Musician, In Harmony Lambeth

07-07-2021

Over the years, there have been many memorable and defining moments for me at IHL. The ten-year-old student I chanced upon playing his violin on the street, not busking for money, but playing for the community “to make them feel happy on their way to school”; two young students who took their instruments to church the Sunday after their second viola lesson, to share with their congregation the four notes they had learned; the trip to Canada with our senior students, where we joined with other Sistema organizations for a huge orchestral celebration in our shared language of music; and many more.

Although our program is defined by the powerful togetherness and shared narrative of our orchestral family, I would like to share the stories of two talented and hardworking young artists who had their first taste of music-making through IHL nearly 12 years ago—Simi and Elijah.

VIDEO: Sweden’s Side by Side Camp Festival Concert

07-07-2021

Last month, El Sistema Sweden and the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra held their annual international Side by Side camp, welcoming participants from Sweden, Greenland, Venezuela, the U.S., and elsewhere to play and learn together. For the second straight year, the pandemic forced the camp to take place online, but the results were no less beautiful.

Celebrating the Potential of Our Vulnerable Communities at M-LISADA

Bosco Segawa, Founder, M-LISADA Organization

07-07-2021

Music attracts and connects otherwise unreachable hearts. And for children from the streets, it has the ability to soothe souls, provide comfort, and offer hope for the future. At M-LISADA Organization (Music Life Skills And Destitution Alleviation), a Ugandan registered NGO in the heart of the Katwe slums on the outskirts of Kampala, we serve those children with music education that celebrates their possibilities.

Iberacademy: Human Development Based on Musical Excellence

Irene Littfack, Journalist, Iberacademy

07-07-2021

More than a decade ago, Colombian orchestra conductor Alejandro Posada founded the Iberoamerican Philharmonic Academy—Iberacademy—in Medellín with one purpose in mind: to provide young Latin American talent with opportunities for human development through musical education of excellence.

Ambassadors July 2021 Update

07-07-2021

Toward the end of May, Melbourne experienced our fourth COVID-19 lockdown as a result of 26 new cases in two days. Unfortunately, the cases continued to increase, and the lockdown was extended from one week to two. As such, Pizzicato Effect once again returned to online learning. Happily, as we reached the third week of staying indoors, the number of daily cases decreased, and we were able to return to on-site learning.

World Ensemble Day Seeks to Celebrate What’s Unique in Social Change Programs

06-16-2021

Sistema Europe Youth Orchestra is calling for inspiring and innovative project submissions for its virtual 2021 SummerFest: World Ensemble Day. Taking place July 22, WE Day invites programs across the world to share their innovative solutions to challenges that all music-for-social-change programs face.

AfroCharts Connects Listeners with New Music from African Artists

06-16-2021

A new streaming platform aims to give aspiring African artists a chance to earn money without the big record deal. Founder Leonard Novati saw a correspondence between less globalized African regions and the absence of new artistic voices from those regions, prompting him to create AfroCharts. Now, artists all over Africa can upload their songs and make money directly while engaging with their fan base. It’s an innovative approach to the oversaturated streaming market, one that uniquely amplifies the listener-and-artist relationship. Read more about the founder and start-up story via Techpoint.

Make Music Day Calls for All Musicians to Take to the Streets on June 21

06-16-2021

Make Music Day began as a small idea in France for a new kind of musical holiday, one where live music emanates from every corner and in any setting, as inclusively as possible. Now, 39 years later, it is a globally recognized holiday and festival in 120 countries, threading together different musical cultures all on one day: June 21. This free event invites all levels of musicians to participate in their hometowns’ Make Music Days, or to take the lead in bringing it to their respective cities with a downloadable toolkit. Consider this unique opportunity for your program or organization to participate in—or start—a day of shared musical community.

Register for the Artists as Changemakers Conference

06-16-2021

The Artists as Changemakers Online Conference, hosted by Musicians Without Borders, is now open for registration. Presented in collaboration with ART27, the conference will take place on June 20 in acknowledgment of #WorldRefugeeDay and bring an array of workshops and presentations that highlight artist activism and teaching. Sessions will be presented in two blocks and feature the following speakers and organizations: Community Arts Network, Freemuse, Bristol Refugee Festival, Laura Hassler, Manu van Kersbergen, and Guus van der Steen. The conference is free and participants can register via Eventbrite.

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