This summer, Hayley Murks-Abdikadirova, Ed.M/M.M., Program Director of Longy’s Side-by-Side Program, participated in The League of American Orchestra’s 2026 Essentials of Orchestra Management program at The Juilliard School.
Essentials for Orchestra Management brought together a dynamic cohort of arts leaders for ten days of learning, mentorship, collaboration, and reflection. Led by active orchestra executives and field experts, the program explored the many dimensions of organizational leadership – from artistic planning, operations, fundraising, governance, and strategic planning to equity, belonging, community engagement, and organizational culture.
For Hayley, the experience offered valuable opportunities to consider how these concepts can strengthen Longy’s work. Sessions on student-centered education and community engagement affirmed the importance of designing programs around community needs and ensuring that participants have meaningful agency in their learning. The program also prompted new ideas for supporting Longy’s teaching assistants, building psychological safety, strengthening communication and facilitation, and deepening the connection between Side-by-Side’s educational model and its broader civic mission.
Just as importantly, Essentials provided a space for Hayley to connect with colleagues from across the orchestral field and reflect on her own leadership journey. The experience reinforced a guiding principle: meaningful change happens through collaboration, clarity of purpose, and a willingness to take the first step.
Longy is proud to celebrate Hayley’s continued professional growth and the ways this learning will inform the future of Side-by-Side and the Teaching Assistantship program.
Longy’s Side-By-Side program pairs children ages 6-18 from community music programs and El Sistema-inspired music education sites across Massachusetts with Longy conservatory students for rehearsals and extraordinary performances. Through this innovative program, Longy is enriching the lives of children, preparing conservatory students to build meaningful lives in music, and addressing a pressing need for high-quality music education for young musicians who may not otherwise have access.