The mission of the South Florida Chamber Ensemble is to harness the power of music and other arts for education, mental health and wellbeing. Our vision is to:
Serve the community through a series of classical programming and educational initiatives.
Create and implement unique interactive arts integration programs for all ages and ability levels that combine education, arts, and sports
Include the music of unsung composers, including female composers, composers of color, composers with disabilities, and American composers with a specific focus on local living composers in our concert series.
Educate our audiences about the composers and the stories behind the music they wrote.
Collaborate with other organizations locally and beyond to use music to solve social justice and environmental issues while promoting equality for all.
Diversity Statement:
The South Florida Chamber Ensemble is a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace where all employees and volunteers, whatever their gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation or identity, education or disability, feels valued and respected. We are committed to a nondiscriminatory approach and provide equal opportunity for employment and advancement in all of our departments, programs, and worksites. We respect and value diverse life experiences and heritages and ensure that all voices are valued and heard. We are committed to modeling diversity and inclusion both in our organization and also in the programs that we produce. SFCE programs or activities do not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission, access, or employment
History
The South Florida Chamber Ensemble (SFCE) formed in 2011 when the Art Trio and the New York Wind Trio merged. It was incorporated and received non profit status in March 2013 after two seasons of giving performances in Broward County. Since then the SFCE has been funded by the Broward Cultural Division, the Target Foundation, The Florida Department of Cultural Affairs, the Miami Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, the cities of Hallandale Beach and Coconut Creek, The Health Foundation of South Florida, and the Publix Foundation.
The SFCE has served over 10,000 students in school and non school settings. Each season they produce a classical concert series where each program has a theme and all the pieces on the program relate to that theme. Since 2014, the Season of Beethoven, they have been using an overall theme to the series where all performances relate to the theme. In each performance, program notes are given from the stage and include information about the composer, the history of the music and definitions of any related musical terminology. The SFCE creates a new educational initiative each season that pairs music with core subjects. Past initiatives have included LUMA (Literacy Using Music and Art), a literacy program that strengthens reading comprehension in students ages 4-7, Common Objects, a cultural program where participants make musical instruments from found objects and perform world music alongside the professional musicians, Interactive Opera, a creativity program where participants create their own costume and perform one scene from an opera, MADD Scientist, an arts integration program that combines all four STEM subjects with music, architecture, design and dance, and Super You, an anti-bullying program where participants will learn about well known superhero’s strengths and weaknesses and create their own superhero persona based on their strengths. The Season 6 Initiative is called 30 Minute Theater. This is a an arts integration program for children 9-13. Students work in small groups to present a well known fairy tale in a different country or time period, complete with scenery, updated narration and costumes.
Some of the organizations that the SFCE has worked with over the years include the Center for Hearing and Communication, the Deerfield Beach Historical Society, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Broward County, the YMCA of Broward County, The School Board of Broward County, the Broward County Library System, the Miami Dade Public Libraries, The City of Fort Lauderdale Parks and Recreation, Trash to Treasure Creative Reuse Center, and the Miramar Cultural Center.
