Youth Empowerment

 
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
Reflections on the 50th Anniversary of El Sistema Venezuela

Rodrigo Guerrero, Staff Specialist for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Babson College, Massachusetts, USA; former Associate Director of International Relations and Institutional Development, El Sistema Venezuela

02-05-2025

The Venezuela of 1975 is in sharp contrast to its current reality. Fifty years ago, the country was fully reconstructed after an oppressive military dictatorship and on track for economic growth. That was the context in which a young, brilliant composer and conductor, who also happened to be a gifted politician, used his combined talents to convince the government to support something that felt out of place to officialdom, but, in his vision, right at home.

EDITORIAL
Accelerating Our Actions

Camille Delaney-McNeil, Director, the YOLA/Beckmen YOLA Center at the Los Angeles Philharmonic, California, USA

12-11-2024

As I pen this, I find myself looking through some of the session schedules of prominent convenings in our field over the course of the next several months. Many of these gatherings have their anchored purpose clarified and grounded—and, on paper, this is truly inspiring! However, it’s unfortunate to see that many of the topics are the same as those we discussed two, three, or four seasons ago. We continue to address the same problems, instead of new, compounded issues that we all must rally around, to course-correct.

EDITORIAL
Youth Arts Embracing Creativity—and Conversation

Corey Depina, Program Director, Zumix

11-06-2024

Young people have unprecedented access to media, which often leads to a reliance on popular opinions rather than the cultivation of their unique voices. I see this in the classroom when I ask students for their thoughts—they often hesitate, looking around for validation instead of trusting their instincts. This reluctance is disheartening. It highlights a pressing need within youth arts education: we must foster spaces for reflection and honest dialogue.

Learning through Teaching with the AIM Firebirds

Pablo Millanes, AIM Specialist and Strategy; Director of External Relations and Marketing, Reina Sofia School of Music, Madrid, Spain

10-02-2024

This past July, the warmth of the Portuguese summer and the backdrop of the Lisbon sea welcomed a diverse group of teachers and young musicians from social action music programs across more than ten countries. Amidst varied accents and curious glances, a shared energy became palpable—the excitement of face to face meetings among people who had been able to interact with one another only virtually during their four months of preparation. There was also the shared enthusiasm of people doing what they love most: teaching and making music together.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, Kaupapa Leads to Connection

Hanna Wiskari, Cofounder and Musical Director, Ethno New Zealand; freelance musician & teacher

07-10-2024

I had known about Mixit for quite some time. Their work was not only fascinating from an artistic and pedagogical perspective but inspiring in its longevity; the organization has provided opportunities for young people from diverse backgrounds for the past 19 years. Still, I was curious to learn more. As a migrant myself, I had found there to be a lack of projects in Aotearoa New Zealand that use creativity and artmaking in intercultural, collaborative settings—despite the nation’s rich multicultural population.

Mutual Teaching, Mutual Learning at the Queen of Paradise Program

Jesús Briceño, Co-founder and Director, The Queen of Paradise Program, as told to The Ensemble

03-05-2024

The Queen of Paradise program was originally the brainchild of Father Miguel de la Calle, a priest at the IVE (Instituto del Verbo Encarnado) mission in Papua New Guinea. Father Miguel, says Maestro Briceño, “had full confidence, from day one, in the power of music to positively change lives.”

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