The Ambassadors’ Exchange, July 2019
Young Africa Works: Focus on Kenyan Youth, by Linet Othieno (Kenya) Towards the end of May, Ghetto Classics had a performance at the UN Assembly. The theme was Innovation for Better Quality of Life in Cities and Communities. This month we also had the... Read More →
EDITORIAL: How to Change the World—That’s All
Why do some innovations make a lasting change in a field? Think about Apple computers and iPhones. Billy Beane’s 2002 Oakland Athletics baseball team that brought deep statistical analysis of players into the profession. Venezuela’s El Sistema. Lasting change doesn’t... Read More →
Teach a Man to Fish: Sonidos de la Tierra and the Power of Community Autonomy
It’s 4:30 on a Thursday afternoon in Quiindy, and the Gaete household is humming. Silvia is humming Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 while she prepares dinner for the family with her husband, Juan, who taps along rhythmically as he sets the... Read More →
The Ambassadors’ Exchange, June 2019
Teaching as Learning, by Luara Baqueiro (Brazil) I started playing double bass by chance, and thanks to my years of study at NEOJIBA, I have hope for a better future through music. I first felt this hope when I joined the... Read More →
Announcing the launch of Music In Action Journal: A Knowledge Hub for the Frontlines of Music-For-Social-Action
When cultural historians reflect on the late 20th and early 21st centuries, one of the most significant paradigm shifts noted will be the explosion of music-for-social-action initiatives across the globe. Inspired by the work of pioneering figures including Jorge Peña... Read More →
Orquesta de Peñalolén: A Source of Community Pride in Santiago, Chile
The Peñalolén Orchestras Program began in 2000 as a social program dedicated to the ideas that children are most important, and that their instruments are the bridge to improve their quality of life. With a very small budget, we are... Read More →
The Ambassadors’ Exchange, May 2019
Artistic Youth Camps Across Kenya, by Linet Othieno (Kenya) Exciting things have been happening every day this month at Ghetto Classics. We had 4 two-week camps take place. First was the Ghetto Classics Mukuru kwa Ruben, a music program in Nairobi. The kids... Read More →
Preserving Traditional Venezuelan Music
For many years, El Sistema in Venezuela has placed an emphasis on studying, teaching, and playing the rich folk musics of the country. Now a new article in Smithsonian Magazine highlights those folk traditions and describes the importance of preserving... Read More →
AMBASSADORS: The “Girls in Music” Project
Throughout 2018, the “Girls in Music” project fostered debates and strengthened ideas on gender equity for members of NEOJIBA. As part of this project, 18 female teachers and musicians were invited to share their experiences and provide masterclasses to students.... 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 →