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 →
A Space of Our Own: The Atlanta Music Project’s New Headquarters
Nine years ago, 19 elementary schoolchildren gathered at the Gilbert House, an old house in southwest Atlanta, to begin their journey towards becoming musical artists. Over the course of the following decade, these children were joined by hundreds of others;... 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 →
Discover Musical Explorers: A Teaching Resource for Little Ones!
Musical Explorers has long been a beloved live program at Carnegie Hall for kindergartners through second graders. Using singing, listening, and movement, it builds fundamental musical skills through a diverse global music curriculum. Carnegie Hall has now made its curriculum... 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 →
Intentional or Accidental? Creating Powerful Organizational Culture
Picture this: In ten years, your traditional orchestra, with four decades of history, has morphed to include a rapidly expanding community social outreach component. From an initial pilot project, you now teach 1,100 children daily, in 10 locations, with 60... Read More →
Addressing Teacher-Student Racial Bias
In some instances, Sistema teachers are from a different race or ethnic background than their students and families. In the U.S. Sistema field, the racial disparities between faculty/staff and students/families are widely recognized as a challenge, and the issue of... 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 →
Price Hill Creative Community Festival Honored
U.S. Sistema programs, their students, and their founders win awards regularly for their accomplishments. Just recently one (Boston String Academy) was honored for contributions to the arts in Massachusetts; another (Josiah Quincy Orchestra Program) was recognized for music education by... Read More →
AMBASSADORS: Canadian Citizenship Ceremony
On February 24, OrKidstra was honoured to be part of the largest Citizenship Ceremony in Canadian sports history at the Canadian Tire Centre, hosted by the Ottawa Senators, in partnership with Canadian Immigration and Citizenship, Ottawa Tourism, and the Sens... Read More →