The Toki School of Music: A Living Legacy in Rapa Nui
By Kendall Grady, Global Leaders Program 2020 Cohort Rapa Nui, the most isolated inhabited place on earth, is the birthplace of the Rapanui people, who call their island “the navel of the world.” With deep, ancient roots, the island attempts... Read More →
South Korea Hosts a Virtual Success: the Fifth International Teaching Artist Conference
By Eric Booth, Founder, ITAC Collaborative Every once in a while, you can feel the future breaking through the crust of the present. That’s what ITAC5 felt like—the Fifth International Teaching Artist Conference, designed in and led by South Korea.... Read More →
From Lapu-Lapu to Toledo: The Influence of El Sistema in Cebu, Philippines
By Axelle Miel, Ambassadors Program Leader; violinist and aspiring teaching artist Most of The World Ensemble reporting for the Philippines thus far has been about the Sistema-based program Ang Misyon in Manila, the Philippine capital. Unbeknownst to many—including myself, I must confess—there are... Read More →
Raising a New Generation of Musicians in Afghanistan
By Janielle Beh and Bilal Asify, Piano Faculty, Afghanistan National Institute of Music Afghanistan, a land that weaves a vibrant tapestry of cultures and peoples, continues to undergo conflict even after decades of unrest. Its people keenly feel the heartaches... Read More →
Sangeet4All: Celebrating Multiple Musical Cultures
By Saskia Rao-de Haas, creator of the Indian cello; Founder of Sangeet4All, India’s music curriculum for young learners Sangeet4All is a music education program that connects children in India with Indian classical and folk music in a fun and meaningful... Read More →
Unlearning Musical Bias
by Kit Young, Cofounder/Director, Gitameit Music Institute During an interview with Creative Generation in March of this year, Sebastian Ruth reminded us that “the core work needs to be within each of us…we always need to be investigating our own... Read More →
The Pizzicato Effect
By Sylvia Hosking, Schools Program Manager for Learning, Engagement & Innovation, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra The Pizzicato Effect, the flagship community music program of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) in Melbourne, Australia, was inspired by El Sistema Venezuela. Affectionately known as... Read More →
Radical Inclusion and Friendship in Arohanui Strings
by Alison Eldredge, Director, Arohanui Strings, (Sistema Hutt Valley/ Wellington, New Zealand) “Exclusion lies at the root of all social ills.” ~ José Antonio Abreu “He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.” “What... Read More →
Ang Misyon: Continuing the Mission of Nurturing Young Filipino Talent
By Jennifer Rivera, Partnerships and Communications Officer, Ang Misyon, Inc. The El Sistema-inspired program Ang Misyon, in the Philippines, has made the cultivation of a national youth orchestra one of its main priorities since it began eight years ago. That... Read More →
World Children’s Music Festival 2020 in Tokyo
by Yuriko Yagisawa, Project Coordinator, El Sistema Japan Tokyo is now in high-energy mode, with the countdown to the Summer 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games currently underway. This coming April, we at El Sistema Japan are anticipating another exciting event,... Read More →