November 2022

On one of the hottest days of this year’s historically hot summer, I was privileged to take part in an important step forward for global cultural diplomacy.

This past month, the Ambassadors have been busy with different adventures—concerts, rehearsals, auditions, college applications, solos, and spending time with family and friends!

Too often, curriculum design is reserved for a few administrators or lead teachers, even though it is integral to understanding and supporting musicianship development. But this process has the potential to unlock incredible opportunities for collaboration in our field, unifying stakeholders by giving everyone an equal voice in the conversation.

When the world stopped in 2020, Ang Misyon’s Orchestra of the Filipino Youth (OFY) had to adapt its programming to a hybrid format. Under the guidance of Gerard Salonga, OFY’s Music Director since 2021, the curriculum was reprioritized to ensure that each scholar receives hands-on mentorship while continuing to develop a sense of community with their peers.

Africa’s Great Lakes Region has long been a crossroads for migrations of people, from the Indian Ocean in the east to the tropical forests to the west to the headwaters of the Nile up north. It’s precisely these factors that made Kakuma an ideal location for a refugee camp to shelter peoples from the numerous conflicts along these routes. Almost nowhere else on the planet do musicians from so many different African cultures and countries live in such proximity.

The residential element of the program is designed with the recognition that feelings of isolation and loneliness are common among those with additional needs. Participants make the Leiston Abbey their home, and the course leaders and support staff eat, play, and create alongside them, forming a special, trusting atmosphere.