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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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Youth Voice and Creativity Takes Center Stage at L.A. Charter School

07-21-2021

“Student voice” is a focus of many music for social change programs. This recording of the annual school show at Renaissance Arts Academy (created virtually in this pandemic year) sets a high bar for student originality and authentic expression. RenArts, as it’s called, is a charter school in Los Angeles that infuses artistry throughout its curriculum and offers extended-day Sistema-like programs in music and dance.

“A Place to Share What I Needed”: Finding Our Strengths at My Voice Music

Ian Mouser, Founder and Executive Director, My Voice Music

07-06-2021

The idea for My Voice Music started in 2007, when I brought my guitar into a residential mental health facility where I was a Treatment Counselor working with youth. One of the kids asked me to teach him to play guitar and sing a song in time for the talent show. There was only one catch: the show was two weeks away.

For Young Music Organizations, Community Work Matters More

Laura Patterson, Executive Director, Make Music NOLA

07-06-2021

The first concert that Make Music NOLA ever played was the opening of a community garden. Back then, the organization was still named the Youth Orchestra of the Lower 9th Ward—a group of young musicians with less than a year on their instruments, putting on an unpolished performance of “Saints Go Marching In” for the community. The experience was critical for these students; performing alongside Irma Thomas, the Soul Queen of New Orleans, they felt a lasting current of community support and encouragement. Most of those students continued to play their instruments for years, and many went on to learn a brass instrument and join the marching band at Martin Luther King Elementary.

Staying Engaged with Guest Artists

Isaac Sinnett, Senior Associate Director of Ravinia’s Reach Teach Play education programs, and Christine Taylor Conda, Director of Ravinia’s Reach Teach Play education programs

07-06-2021

Raised hands, great questions, a new level of ensemble music-making, palpable excitement from our students—we’ve all experienced those unforgettable moments when our students are engaged and eager to do more after interacting with a guest artist or ensemble. A bonus for everyone, these encounters offer students a change of pace—a brief, beautiful moment of inspiration. When they’re over, we usually slip back into our regular routines, and those incredible moments become fleeting memories. But what if we could turn them into something more? What if those moments could have a lasting impact on our students’ ongoing learning?

Sphinx Offering Opportunities for Arts Organizations, Leaders, and Students

07-06-2021

The Sphinx Organization is offering several upcoming opportunities for funding support and professional development.

Big Changes at El Sistema USA

07-06-2021

Last week, El Sistema USA announced that Katie Wyatt would be leaving her role as ESUSA President and CEO in order to serve as Executive Director of the Weymouth Center for the Arts and Humanities, where she will continue to serve her community (and hometown!) of Southern Pines, NC.

Unlocking Creative Force and Artistry through Hip-Hop and Soul

07-06-2021

A new video series that blends music, film, interviews, spoken word, and dance offers young creatives a chance to examine how artists respond to the world around them.

Using the Arts to Fight the Effects of Housing Insecurity

07-06-2021

Since 2016, unstable housing for young people in 5th grade or higher increased by 20-23%—a damning statistic with catastrophic ripple effects. A study from the Seattle Public Schools and Creative Advantage sought to address this crisis, focusing on high school students in their two-year arts program from 2018–20.

National Youth Network Hosts Weekly Gatherings to Exchange Ideas and Art Forms

07-06-2021

The National Guild hosts weekly calls on Fridays at 6:30 p.m. EDT for young artists ages 13–24 across the country. The calls encourage these young artists to “artistically explore different art forms, challenges, and opportunities to thrive together.”

Helping Leaders Develop Moral Courage

07-06-2021

Designed for changemakers in any field, the Moral Courage Project shares ways to cultivate moral courage as a non-negotiable quality.

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