February 2021

As part of their new Community Connections initiative, students from the Chicago Metamorphosis Orchestra Project (ChiMOP) will pair with young people from partner organizations across Chicago to create an original composition that represents their community identity.

Language matters and requires awareness.

Sometimes teenagers learn best from other teenagers.

Music to Save Humanity is offering a free masterclass series that features renowned artists from all over the world working virtually with young musicians.

“The Next Normal: Arts Innovation and Resilience in a Post-COVID World” is a free day-long set of panels and exchanges offered by the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, on Wednesday, February 10, from 10:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST.

During the fall of 2020, I participated in the Chicago Metamorphosis Orchestra Project’s (ChiMOP) new Alumni Internship Program (CAIP). CAIP was designed to offer recent ChiMOP graduates hands-on leadership experience during program hours as well as introductory-level job experience behind the scenes—helping staff with everything from lesson planning to administrative tasks. I signed up to gain experience, having never done anything like it before (unless you count trying to teach small groups of little ones while still a student myself). At first, it was a difficult adjustment. I worried that it would be a lot of work that didn’t come naturally to me. But despite some early struggles, I had a good time doing it—especially sharing the experience with the other interns.

If I were King of Arts Education, I’d post an edict banning five words: amazing, fantastic, unbelievable, outstanding, incredible.

Most music educators use those words a lot, and always with good intent. They want to encourage, celebrate, and motivate their students. The words express the enthusiasm and affection they feel for their students. The King supports all of that. The edict has its eye on the cost of that impulse when it results in hyperbolic acclaim. Cumulatively, the cost is high.

When Longy School of Music took over publishing this newsletter, they honored the nine years that Tricia Tunstall edited The Ensemble by publishing a book of her collected monthly editorials, titled Grace Notes.

During this time of profound disruption, music for social change organizations have the opportunity to explore new possibilities for collaboration with professional orchestras. This is easier for some than others; not every city has both an orchestra and a social change program. The Pittsburgh Symphony, for example, does not have an El Sistema program in the city—but through their Learning and Community Engagement Department, they have collaborated with many local youth programs.

All programs looking to build more equity, anti-racism, and social justice into their curriculum or program practices will want to visit the digital collection of resources at Teaching Tolerance.