Founded by Venezuelan musician, conductor, and educator Isabella González Díaz, Musica Unita is a registered Scottish charity (SC054772) dedicated to advancing music education through training, workshops, performances, and collaborative programmes in Scotland and internationally. Our mission is to create opportunities, strengthen communities, and foster meaningful connections through music.

Through free and accessible programmes, we provide children, young people, and communities with opportunities to learn, create, and participate in music-making. Our work focuses on reducing barriers to participation for those affected by poverty, displacement, disability, and limited access to educational opportunities, while nurturing creativity, confidence, leadership, and connection.

Musica Unita delivers inclusive community-based music education programmes in Scotland and internationally, with an initial focus on Sub-Saharan Africa. Over the past two years, our online and in-person programmes have reached more than 1000 participants and supported over 30 educators across Scotland and Uganda. Through these activities, Musica Unita strengthens communities, expands access to high-quality music education, and brings global perspectives and innovative approaches back to Scotland, contributing to a more inclusive and connected music education sector.

Musica Unita has a unique and fundamental belief in the power of collaboration and in bringing together people with different experiences, cultures, and perspectives. For us, the exchange between musicians, educators, and communities is an integral part of what we do, and we believe that together we can create truly meaningful, enriching, and sustainable opportunities together.

2026 Scotland

Musica Unita became a registered Scottish charity (SC054772) in November 2025, marking an important milestone in the organisation’s development. Since then, we have continued to build our work across music education, community music, performance, composition and professional development. We received support from the Make It Happen Fund to develop and deliver our online teaching curriculum, while also establishing our Board of Trustees and strengthening our organisational infrastructure.

In 2026, Musica Unita continued its Scotland-based activity through music education, workshops, and performances providing paid opportunities and professional development for 7+ Scotland-based teachers, 20+ Ugandan teachers and 30+ musicians.

We’ve recently launched “Music Through Cultures”, a new community and intercultural music programme in Glasgow, delivered by Dr Jerry Boweh and Isabella González Díaz, in collaboration with Glasberian Vision / AYDAP Scotland and Musica Unita. Open to all ages, backgrounds and experience levels, the programme brings musicians and non-musicians together to explore different musical cultures through singing, rhythm, percussion, composition, improvisation and collaborative music-making.

Interested in taking part? Register here: Registration Form

2026 Uganda residency

In 2026, Founder and CEO Isabella González Díaz was awarded the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s Athenaeum Engagement Award, supporting Musica Unita’s upcoming three-month in-person residency in Uganda (May–August 2026). Our residency reached over 700 children, young people, musicians, teachers and community participants across 10 schools and organisations. The three-month programme was supported by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Athenaeum Engagement Award Fund.

Delivery included music workshops, teacher training, ongoing music education and community-based creative work with Africa Music School, Salama School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, YARID, Happy Children Music Initiative, Go Girl Foundation, Bulugu Ensemble, Sebbobbo Community Choir & Strings, and primary schools across Busunju and Masaka.

Through our partnership with Young African Refugees Integral Development (YARID), we worked with refugee and migrant communities, engaging participants from Uganda, Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea and the Democratic Republic of Congo. We also provided inclusive music education to 40 students at Salama School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

Our Recording & Composition Project strand, supported by Gloworm Recording Studios, brought musicians and composers together to collaboratively to create and record four new original works in Uganda, due for release in Autumn 2026.

The programme combined music education with teacher development, community engagement, cultural exchange and collaborative creative practice, strengthening connections between local educators, musicians, schools and communities.

Board of Trustees

2025

In 2025 the programme ran all of August in Uganda and is expected to reach approximately 400 young people (aged 3-25) and their communities. Among the locations are Busunju, Kampala, and Salama School for the Blind, with to two additional sites of refugee camps in Kampala, home to children and young people from South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

I had the privilege of working not only with Africa Music School but also with YARID, Seeds of Hope, and the Africa Institute of Music, where I delivered workshops and classes for children, young people, and teachers.

This year, I’ve introduced a new name for the programme “Musica Unita” which explores creativity, leadership, and connection. Empowering voices is at the heart of this programme, as students are encouraged to use music not only to build technical skills but also as a tool for advocacy, expression, and social change in their communities.

Thank you to Glow Worm Recording Studios (Glasgow) for sponsoring the 2025 programme this year.

Additionally, we hosted two fundraising concerts in Glasglow, UK.

Took place in Uganda from Nov 1-15, 2024. A two-week community music education program that fosters leadership, creativity, and community bonding through shared musical experiences. We aim to create an initiative that continues to thrive and grow long after us, ensuring the sustainability and lasting impact of our music education efforts. We delivered our program to the Africa Music School students and teachers, which currently operates in two centers in different communities ( Busunju and Kampala). Additionally, we also delivered our program at Salama, a school for visually impaired young people. A special thank you to Frankie Kalema, Director and Founder of Africa Music School.

CLICK HERE for Video Link of 2024 Programme

2024

2024 Community Music Initiative - Contributors and Supporters

2023

Since I began teaching the incredible students online in 2023 and successfully launched the initiative of this programme in 2024, my passion for this work has only deepened. The impact I’ve seen firsthand has only reinforced my unwavering commitment education advocacy. It's more than just a programme; it's a lifelong mission to empower young people and ensure their voices are heard.

AMS Website: africamusicschool.org

2026 Current Programme Curriculum:

Musicianship
Choir
Band (Brass & Wind)
Masterclasses ( Brass, Chamber Music, Conducting)
1-1 & Group Lessons
Professional Development Sessions
Q&A sessions/Mentoring
Community Engagement Sessions
Composition & Recording Strand
Salama School for Blind & Visually Impared Young People delivery
Young African Refugee for Integral Development (YARID), Refugee organisation delivery
Workshops:
- Early Years
- Creative Composition
- Song & Dance
- Music intro to communities

Our approach is informed by Paulo Freire’s dialogic and learner-centred educational philosophy, valuing lived experience, collaboration, creativity, and shared learning. All programmes are delivered in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), recognising every child and young person’s right to education, cultural participation, and the opportunity to have their voice heard.