The Ensemble

The Ensemble The Ensemble seeks to connect and inform all people who are committed to ensemble music education fo

The Ensemble News connects and informs all those who are committed to inclusive ensemble music education for youth empowerment and social change.
 We are the foremost communications hub for teaching artists, program leaders, educators, funders, researchers, and students and families to share their insights and experiences. Founded by Eric Booth and Tricia Tunstall in 2011 as a monthly newsletter t

o engage and invigorate members of the growing El Sistema community, The Ensemble is now published by the Longy School of Music of Bard College. Our Ensemble and World Ensemble newsletters reach wide North American and global readerships. In light of the upsurge of diverse programs across the world that use music for socially transformative purposes, we have expanded our focus to include anyone who is invested in music for social change. Now and always, we seek to amplify, connect, and celebrate the work of those using music to build a better world for the next generation.

A visual art exhibition might seem an unlikely place to think about music education.But after experiencing an exhibition...
08/06/2026

A visual art exhibition might seem an unlikely place to think about music education.

But after experiencing an exhibition featuring the work of NKO, a young artist with autism, Giovanni Acquilino found unexpected connections between visual art and music, observing howthe “quality of attention” we refine through artistic experiences makes ensembles of us all.

Read more at ensemblenews.org

“The places where music is absent are the places where connection itself has gone thin.” With this understanding in mind...
08/04/2026

“The places where music is absent are the places where connection itself has gone thin.” 

With this understanding in mind,Project: Music Heals Us was born. And in bringing music into overlooked spaces—ICU units, carceral spaces—they are uncovering the wealth of artistry, expression, and dignity that is already there.

Read more at ensemblenews.org

Art can be more than a form of expression. It can be a way to participate, advocate, and make your voice heard.Across Eu...
08/03/2026

Art can be more than a form of expression. It can be a way to participate, advocate, and make your voice heard.

Across Europe, young people are exploring “artivism” through creative collaboration across art forms and borders.

Sevi Matsakidou of El Sistema Greece shares how this work is creating new spaces for connection and civic engagement.

Read more at ensemblenews.org

What does true impact look like for a music program?Is it the number of young people who walk through the door? Musical ...
07/27/2026

What does true impact look like for a music program?

Is it the number of young people who walk through the door? Musical proficiency? Social outcomes?

In this month’s editorial, Camille Delaney-McNeil reflects on the connections built inside and outside a program’s walls—and how they tell a bigger story about impact.

Read more at ensemblenews.org

Sometimes, reaching to help across continents can benefit your home community just as much.That was true for jazz pianis...
07/21/2026

Sometimes, reaching to help across continents can benefit your home community just as much.

That was true for jazz pianist and composer Jef Neve, for whom a trip to Nairobi inspired new ways of supporting young musicians at Ghetto Classics, from collecting instruments to organizing living room concerts in Belgium.

Read more at ensemblenews.org

Founded in 2018, the Flying Carpet Festival is a traveling artist residency that operates across Southeast Turkey and in...
07/07/2026

Founded in 2018, the Flying Carpet Festival is a traveling artist residency that operates across Southeast Turkey and in many of the region’s conflict areas.

In a conversation with The Ensemble, Founder Sahba Aminikia reflects on receiving an Aga Khan Music Award, working in areas of conflict and displacement, and how he continues to learn and grow alongside the program.

Read more at ensemblenews.org.

Since 2012, SEYO camps have brought young people from different countries together for a week of rehearsing, performing,...
07/06/2026

Since 2012, SEYO camps have brought young people from different countries together for a week of rehearsing, performing, and building connections through music.

In the June edition, we shared how those connections inspired something new: MiniSEYO, a gathering created between camps that brought young musicians together again in Italy.

Read more at ensemblenews.org

What started as a way of keeping children off the streets after school became something much bigger.This month, Thandeka...
06/22/2026

What started as a way of keeping children off the streets after school became something much bigger.

This month, Thandeka Dlamini shares the story of the Goede Hoop Marimba Band and the community that has grown around it.

Read more at ensemblenews.org.

Sixteen years ago, “isolation” was identified as one of the most urgent conditions in children’s lives.Since then, child...
06/17/2026

Sixteen years ago, “isolation” was identified as one of the most urgent conditions in children’s lives.

Since then, children’s lives have not become easier. Declining physical and mental wellbeing, weakened community ties, and growing vulnerability continue to leave many young people disconnected.

This month, Jeehye Suh reflects on how Korea’s Dream Arts initiative evolved in response to these realities.

Read more at ensemblenews.org.

“Spotlight attention” vs. “lantern attention.”We know the first one well: it’s the kind of focus that helps us practice,...
06/15/2026

“Spotlight attention” vs. “lantern attention.”

We know the first one well: it’s the kind of focus that helps us practice, study, complete a task. The second is quieter. It helps us notice patterns, make connections, and stay open to what we didn’t expect to find.

In this month’s editorial, Eric Booth reflects on why young people need both.

Read more at ensemblenews.org

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