The ritualization of orchestra culture hides in plain sight. Every day, orchestra students participate in inherited practices such as auditions, seating structures, rehearsal routines, performance conventions, and conductor led traditions. Because these practices are so familiar, they often go unquestioned. Yet they do more than organize ensemble life. They communicate what an orchestra values, who belongs, and what forms of participation become recognized as legitimate.
Using ritualization as a conceptual framework, this session draws from anthropology, sociology, and music education scholarship to examine orchestra culture as a system of meaningful cultural practices. Through examples from school orchestra settings, participants will explore how everyday ensemble practices shape experiences of musicianship, authority, excellence, participation, and belonging. Rather than advocating for the abandonment of tradition, this session invites directors to think more intentionally about the traditions they carry forward and the values those traditions communicate.
Target Audience
Music Educators
Additional Notes
Clinician Info
Johanna Gamboa-Kroesen
UCLA
Dr. Johanna Gamboa-Kroesen is a GRAMMY-nominated music educator, conductor, and Assistant Professor of Music Education at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, where she teaches music education, string pedagogy, and conducting, and supervises student teaching. A Fulbright Scholar, her research explores school belonging, culturally responsive music education, string pedagogy, and inclusive teaching practices. Her work has appeared in Research Studies in Music Education, Teaching Music, and other leading journals.
Dr. Gamboa-Kroesen serves as Music Director of Pacific Symphony Santiago Strings. Under her leadership, the ensemble was named Grand Champion at the 2026 National Orchestra Festival. She is a finalist for the 2026 American Prize in Orchestral Programming (Youth Orchestra Division). She regularly conducts honor orchestras, presents clinics and workshops nationwide, and serves as Chair of the American String Teachers Association College Committee.
Prior to joining UCLA, she taught public school orchestra for sixteen years. Her scholarship and teaching are grounded in a belief that ensemble music making can foster excellence, connection, and belonging while preparing students to engage thoughtfully with diverse communities and musical traditions.