APME Miami 2026

Since its inception in 2015, Nu Deco Ensemble has exploded onto Miami’s eclectic musical scene captivating audiences, holistically engaging with its community and fusing innovative, genre-bending orchestral performances and collaborations with the highest levels of musical artistry. Nu Deco is reimagining a fresh vision of what an orchestra can achieve in the 21st century. Created by two of classical music’s most in-demand artists, Jacomo Bairos and Sam Hyken, Nu Deco Ensemble is a flexible and innovative hybrid orchestra that celebrates living composers, reimagines all genres of music, and collaborates with a wide range of diverse musical guests, composers, choreographers, dancers, and mixed media artists.
Recent highlights include exclusive collaborations with Macy Gray, Ben Folds, Jacob Collier, Kimbra, Kishi Bashi, Time for Three, Danay Suarez, Cory Henry, Stephen Marley, Emily King, Bilal, Luke James, Andrew Bird, Tank and the Bangas, Lawrence, Masego, and many more award-winning composers and cross-over artists. The New York Times has hailed Nu Deco Ensemble as a “Chamber orchestra for the 21st century”, Billboard has announced them as “Sonically Spellbinding” and Saratoga Living exclaimed them as “fiery, captivating and refreshingly original”.

In this workshop, participants will explore adapting professional “Songwriters in the Round” traditions for music education. We will discuss and experience collaborative songwriting circles that foster listening, empathy, and creativity. Practical strategies, prompts, and facilitation tips will empower participants to build inclusive classroom communities where students engage as co-creators of meaningful music.

Led by a panel of edtech, music business, and academic experts, this session explores how digital tools are redefining music education. We share innovative frameworks for teaching sampling, copyright compliance, and business acumen, ensuring students are empowered to overcome creative barriers and prepared for the modern digital economy.