A Wider Beginning

A Vision for Sound-First Instrumental Music

Music education is at a crossroads.                                      

Music educators feel the pressure.

We have pursued excellence — and achieved it.

But along the way, the pathway became narrow.

Music does not begin with notation.

It begins with sound.

With song.

With participation.

With discovery.

Musicians are formed before performances are polished.

A stronger beginning invites every student to sing, play by ear, improvise, and create.        

From that foundation, ensemble musicianship grows deeper and more sustainable.

But a wider vision cannot stop at the beginning.

Secondary ensembles can also widen the doorway — making room for student voice, creativity, diverse repertoire, and music that lives beyond the stage.

It’s Time to Play was created as one step toward that wider path —

Sound before sight.

Musicians before method.

Belonging before specialization.

A Wider Beginning: A Vision for Sound-First Instrumental Music