COMPASSION. CONNECTION. UNDERSTANDING. HAPPINESS.

The Community Music School of Ann Arbor is so proud of our partnership in PhoenixPhest!. We're also proud of The Phoenix Ensemble's big decision to change its name, to Education for Happiness. 

Here's How Gabe explains it:

"I’d like to share some observations during my 20 years of running an education-focused nonprofit.

It continues to be an honor to serve the community and to find ways to add value to people’s daily lives through the arts. After years of running our signature event, PhoenixPhest! Chamber Music Festival in Ann Arbor, Michigan, I have come to understand music education in new ways. What is typically referred to in music education as peripheral concepts have been an integral part of the curriculum and environment at PhoenixPhest. This has led to the realization that compassion and connection are not peripheral skills, but central ones in the arts. With the onset of Covid-19, this is more apparent than ever. It is through not just excellence, but connection and understanding that we find true and lasting happiness.

With that in mind, we’d like to announce…

A NAME CHANGE

Our board has voted to change our organization’s name to Education for Happiness. Our mission will remain largely the same with a focus on learning and the arts from the perspective of mental health and connection with others. We will continue to be a developmentally focused resource for all ages." ~ Gabe Bolkosky"