Music Education

 
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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EDITORIAL
Forty Years of Radical Inclusion: What We Can Learn from Lavender Light

Eric Williamson, Artistic Director, Lavender Light Choir; Adjunct Professor, New York University Steinhart School; General Music Teacher, P.S. 32 in Brooklyn, NY, USA

05-07-2025

When you hear the phrase “social change through music,” what comes to mind? For many in our field, it means ensembles of student musicians learning to play and sing together.

Sometimes, though, it can mean people of all ages coming together and forging new communities of belonging through music. That’s the nature of my organization: Lavender Light, in New York City.

Students Take Over Big Noise Raploch

05-07-2025

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

Between Tradition and Innovation: Reimagining Teacher Training at NEOJIBA

José Henrique de Campos, Educational Director, NEOJIBA

05-07-2025

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.

Brazil Celebrates Access to Music for All

04-02-2025

Post-Carnival, Brazil is showing no signs of slowing down in celebrating its rich musical and cultural diversity.

No Matter the Medium, Ensemble Learning Makes Leaders of Us All

Saurabh Sainani, Program Lead, Enabling Leadership

04-02-2025

For many organizations outside of our shared community, leadership is viewed as a title or formal role—something to aspire to professionally. When it comes to youth empowerment, though, it means a bit more. We see it in the everyday actions, habits, and mindsets that empower individuals to make a difference. Leadership, for us, is about inspiring others simply by living your values.

At Enabling Leadership (EL), we strive to support young people as they find their way toward those actions and values.

A New International Center for Reconciliation through the Arts

Ismar Porić, Artistic Director of House of Good Tones, as told to editors at The Ensemble

04-02-2025

Few would disagree that imagining and constructing something good for humanity, in a place where vast harm has been done, is a creative act. Therefore, the completion of The Ensemble House in Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina can be seen as one of the world’s great creative triumphs in recent years.

Weaving Maori Principles into an El Sistema–Inspired Program in Aotearoa, New Zealand

Sam Winterton, Cofounder and Outreach Coordinator at Sistema Whangarei–Toi Akorangi, New Zealand

04-02-2025

The world enjoys Maori culture through its vivid kapa haka (performances of song, dance, and chant) and the famous haka displayed at All Blacks rugby games. There are no piupiu, poi, or taiaha (traditional garments, food, or weapons) at Sistema Whangarei–Toi Akorangi, in New Zealand’s far north, and yet Maori principles are quietly, seamlessly woven through the fabric of our program. They create the foundations for endless possibility.

The US Government Canceled a Youth Concert. Military Veterans Uncanceled It.

Rishab Jain, percussionist and high school senior

04-02-2025

When I learned that the organization Equity Arc was presenting a wind symphony concert and learning intensive that brought together under-represented youth musicians and the USMB, I was ecstatic. This was a chance to stand beside my idols, the individuals I’d looked up to since first discovering them. I prepared like never before. And, eventually, the hard work paid off: I was selected. It felt surreal; finally, a chance to perform with my heroes, my mentors, my friends.

The excitement grew for weeks…until February 24, when I received a dreadful email that stated: “In accordance with recent Executive Orders impacting DEI-related programming for federal agencies, the Marine Band has been instructed to cancel our collaboration.”

Powered by Youth: More Than a Catchphrase

Gergely Bándi, Project Manager, Instrumental Program Leader, and music teacher, Superar Hungary

03-05-2025

When I received the news that, through an exchange program, I could spend four months at Zumix (a creative youth development program in Boston, Massachusetts, USA), I checked their website. I read the phrase “Powered by Youth” and thought, “Sure, it sounds good, but it’s probably just a catchy motto.”

But when I arrived in Boston and attended my first Zumix event, a Sunday evening concert at a local park, I realized those words were true.

EDITORIAL
The Power of Positive Psychology in Social Impact Programs

William Yip, Director, Ximalaya Drama/Theatre & Education Innovation Institute

03-05-2025

In the world of arts education, we often discuss the importance of creating engaging, transformative experiences for young people. However, the challenge lies in ensuring that these experiences lead to lasting positive change. How can teaching artists not only foster creativity but also help students grow emotionally and socially? The answer may lie in positive psychology, a field dedicated to enhancing human wellbeing and potential.

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