AMBASSADORS: Music Rises After Years of Oppression
After decades of darkness, light is coming to Kabul. Five years ago, Zohra Orchestra became Afghanistan’s first all-female orchestra, in a place where women’s rights were once destroyed by the Taliban. Zohra Orchestra, made up of students from the Afghan International Institute of... Read More →
The Ambassadors’ Exchange, April 2019
Music Rises After Years of Oppression, by Timor Sultani (Sweden) After decades of darkness, light is coming to Kabul. Five years ago, Zohra Orchestra became Afghanistan’s first all-female orchestra, in a place where women’s rights were once destroyed by the Taliban. Zohra Orchestra,... Read More →
The Orchestra of Dream, El Sistema Korea
In 2011, three orchestras were formed by government support through the Orchestra of Dream project. The students in the orchestras had almost no musical experience. However, with the commitment and dedication of the teaching artists and music directors, the students learned to... Read More →
The Ambassadors’ Exchange, March 2019
Music and Mission: Bridging the Years through Music by Axelle Miel (Philippines) On 9 February, the Orchestra of the Filipino Youth (OFY), led by their conductor Joshua Dos Santos, performed a pre-Valentine’s Day concert titled “Musika at Misyon” (Music and... Read More →
New Developments at Ang Misyon, the Philippines
The Sistema-inspired program Ang Misyon, in the Philippines, has announced new leadership as of January 2019. Maestro Joshua Dos Santos is the Music Director, Marianne Quebral is Director for Partnerships and Networking, and Shirley Cruz is now the Executive Director.... Read More →
Save the Date: Make Music Day will be 21 June
Every year, in increasing numbers, musicians around the world take to the streets on 21 June for Make Music Day. The celebration began 36 years ago in France and now includes over 800 cities. Amateur musicians, professionals, teachers giving free... Read More →
The Ambassadors’ Exchange, February 2019
Honk, Blow ‘n Screech at OrKidstra by Jennifer Ong (Canada) As OrKidstra is growing, we are starting off the new year by welcoming a fresh group of beginner students, ages 8-12. Last week, to help these students make an informed... Read More →
Developing Teaching Practices from Community Values
Sistema Whangarei/Toi Akorangi students mostly come from the local Maori community, with Pakeha (white Europeans) and some Asian students, and the program lives by practices that resonate with ancient Maori values, finding approval with the elders. We know that there... Read More →
International Teaching Artist Conference 2020
For those who read about (or joined virtually with) the hundreds of teaching artist delegates from 26 countries at the ITAC4 (Fourth International Teaching Artist Conference) at Carnegie Hall in New York last September, the dates of ITAC5 have just... Read More →
Japan’s El Sistema Festival 2018 Welcomes Venezuelan Musicians
El Sistema Japan welcomed the musicians of the Ensemble Lara Somos, from Venezuela, at Japan’s El Sistema Festival 2018 last month. Ensemble Lara Somos gave a number of presentations, and were joined by Japanese Sistema students in a gala concert... Read More →