The Ensemble

What happens when educators and artists from different parts of the world take the time to learn from one another?

In the May issue of The Ensemble, Danielle Williams, Director of Education at BSO OrchKids, shares reflections from her visit to Superar Budapest and the connections, conversations, and moments of exchange that grew from the experience of “learning from colleagues who share a common mission while working in vastly different contexts.”

A personal account of international exchange, shared learning, and the surprising ways our global community overlaps.

Read the article at ensemblenews.org

In the May issue of The Ensemble, Ronald Kabuye, Country Director of Brass for Africa – Uganda, reflects on the organization’s transition from an outreach-based model to a new long-term “Hub Model.”

After years of traveling across communities to provide music and life-skills education, Brass for Africa is now creating more permanent, community-rooted spaces designed to deepen impact and strengthen support systems for young people.

Offering an honest and thoughtful perspective on growth, community outreach, and adapting our work to better serve students, the article can be read ensemblenews.org

This May, Angelica Cortez, Executive Director of the Suzuki Association of the Americas, shares a personal editorial in The Ensemble on the importance of collaborating across the arts and social impact music education field.

In “Practicing Collaboration,” she reflects on how arts organizations can become so focused on day-to-day responsibilities that they miss out on building deep connections beyond their own institutions. The article explores why collective work, local partnerships, and cross-sector collaboration are more important than ever.

A meaningful read for educators, artists, administrators, and anyone working to strengthen community through music and the arts.

Read more at ensemblenews.org

How can music help communities process conflict and reclaim their narrative?

In Colombia’s Chocó region, a songwriting project is doing just that—creating space for participants to share their experiences, challenge perceptions, and make their voices heard.

Through a collaborative process, communities come together to write and record songs rooted in their own stories, transforming lived experiences into something collective, expressive, and powerful.

This story offers a compelling look at how music can support reflection, connection, and cultural identity in meaningful ways.

Read the full article at ensemblenews.org

In honor of Women’s History Month, The Ensemble dedicated its March issue entirely to articles written by women—highlighting voices, experiences, and leadership from across the field.

One of those stories comes from Elizabeth Moulthrop, Executive Director of El Sistema USA, who shares a powerful full-circle moment: returning to a program not just to visit, but to make a final donation from one she founded years earlier. What she expected to be a bittersweet ending became something else—a reflection on what it truly means to grow, lead, and give back in this work.

Her story offers an honest look at leadership, learning, and the importance of building with—and for—community over time.
Read the full article at ensemblenews.org

This month, The Ensemble is celebrating Women’s History Month with a special issue composed entirely of articles written by women.

From Colombia to Canada, from Kenya to the United States, women leaders across the music-for-social-change field share stories from their work and communities.

Women have long been central to this field—as educators, leaders, artists, and changemakers. This issue celebrates their voices and the impact they continue to make around the world.

Read the March issue at ensemblenews.org.

“There is no better place to learn the art of loving than in community.” — bell hooks

At a time when young people are surrounded by division and uncertainty, how can we as educators, musicians, and leaders help them rehearse a better future?

In Rehearsing Community for a Better Tomorrow, Gabrielle Molina—Executive Director of Project Music and Lead Program Consultant for El Sistema USA—reflects on the power of gathering with intention. Drawing from the experience of the El Sistema Residency and the collaborative work of organizations like Project Music and The King School, Gabrielle explores what it means to practice democracy, inclusion, and collective creativity through music.

Rather than replicate traditional models of hierarchy or competition, this article invites us to imagine new possibilities: students as co-creators, teaching artists as question-askers, and community as both process and outcome.

What kind of gathering could you organize with the resources you already have?

Read the full editorial at ensemblenews.org/region/editorialrehearsing-community-for-a-better-tomorrow/

🌏 We are honored to be featured in The Ensemble — a global platform that amplifies stories of music as a force for social change — in a piece written by our incredible partners at the Playing For Change Foundation! 🎶✨

The article shares our partnership with Playing For Change Foundation, which is bringing high-quality music and dance education to our students — many of whom are experiencing this opportunity for the first time. This collaboration is not only nurturing artistic skills — it’s fostering confidence, connection, and sowing the seeds for lasting change. 🌱💛

🙏 Our heartfelt thanks to Playing For Change for your commitment to our students and for sharing our story — and to The Ensemble for shining a light on this inspiring collaboration.

📖 Read the full article: https://ensemblenews.org/region/in-thailand-an-international-partnership-opens-new-pathways/

📸: Playing For Change Foundation

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Music Moves Us Forward
�This month in The Ensemble, Rene Byamungu, Workshop Leader at Kivu Youth Music, shares how music is helping displaced children in North Kivu reconnect with joy, express emotion, and heal from the trauma of war.

Through rhythm, movement, and compassionate leadership, Rene and his fellow musicians are transforming temporary camps into spaces of trust, creativity, and hope.

📰 Read the full story in The Ensemble newsletter: ensemblenews.org

The July issue of The Ensemble Newsletter is out now!

Featuring insights from the El Sistema USA Regional Gatherings and powerful stories of global collaboration in music education—from Congo to Chile, India to Thailand.

El Sistema USA is proud to serve as a sponsor of The Ensemble Newsletter.

Read more at theensemblenews.org