2026 Equity Arc Pathways Orchestra and Wind Ensemble

When was the last time you saw a national youth orchestra or wind ensemble comprised solely of young musicians from underrepresented backgrounds in classical music perform music written by BIPOC composers? Unless you’ve been following Equity Arc’s National Pathways Orchestra and Convening since its inception in 2022, you might find that a difficult question to answer. Such opportunities are rare, and indeed, have even come under attack from the federal government.

However, CMPI is proud to have had groups of fellows represent CMPI and the city of Chicago in these convenings every year since Equity Arc began this project in 2022. These experiences have taken place twice in the city of Chicago, but have also given CMPI fellows the opportunity to travel to Nashville and Cincinnati to rehearse alongside students from pathways programs from across the United States, culminating in side-by-side performances with professional symphony orchestra musicians.

This year’s National Pathways Orchestra, Wind Symphony and Convening will take place in the nation’s capitol, Washington D.C. CMPI is proud to have had a group of 15 current fellows and three alumni fellows be selected to participate in this year’s festival, including:

• Aki Santibanez, violin
• Beatrice Valenzuela, violin
• Caliel Mosely, clarinet
• Delia Mendoza, flute
• Emily Perez-Ojeda, clarinet
• Ezra Lukman, cello
• George Wang, violin
• Ivan Calderon, trumpet
• Jazmyn Irons, flute
• Kaylee Johson, flute
• Kevin Soto, cello
• Olivia Doolin, viola
• Paloma Furst-Chavira, violin
• Saul Cirilo, trumpet
• Xiruo “Cece” Wang, violin
• Guadalupe Ramirez, oboe
• Zachary Allen, oboe
• Mateo Estanislao, double bass

This group of fellows – the largest that CMPI has ever had participate in an Equity Arc convening, and the largest group of fellows from any one program this year – will participate in an intensive weekend of rehearsals, sectionals, and community-building activities alongside young musicians and professional musicians from all across the United States. Simultaneously, pathways program staff and music education professionals will gather for a weekend of working group sessions to discuss the current music education landscape in the United States, and how we can come together to support the growth and progress of classical musicians from underrepresented backgrounds.

We are so proud of our participating fellows for being selected for this competitive opportunity, and we’re excited to see and hear the results of their weekend of hard work and collaboration. If you find yourself in the Washington D.C. area on May 3, I encourage you to plan to attend the culminating concert which will feature the music of Tchaikovsky, Jessie Montgomery, Viet Cuong, and more.