"The beauty of music education is it's comprehensiveness. Music educators know that learning an instrument is much more than playing pieces. The best musicians are experts in fine motor skills, varying methods of expression, critical-thinking, and sometimes even rudimentary math or language skills. Above all, musicians are disciplined, hard-working and persevering. All these components are necessary to engage in the simple activity of playing music; not to mention useful in any aspects of our life.

From a humanistic point of view, I believe that talented musicians are also empathetic. Empathy allows us, as musicians, to connect with our audiences whether it be a recording or a live performance. For music students, empathy travels beyond just performing. Empathy connects us with the music we perform; it gives life to what we do, and it cultivates the bonds developed between teachers, mentors and their students. From personal experience, I can vouch that the amount of impact that music educators and administrators make on the younger generation is immense - not only as artists, but as people. It can be used as a very powerful tool when it comes to teaching mindset and good values. 

The ideal learning environment teaches students to practice respect, diplomacy, camaraderie, teamwork and individuality. In its finest moments, music education can encourage an inclusive culture. For this to become an industry-standard, performing art institutions, organizations, educators and administrators have to be mindful of practicing these values. This is the moral obligation of an educator, as our cultivation will have a direct impact on our communities. I am an optimist who envisions these idealistic values as a norm in the performing arts. To envision a world with more empathy is to conceive a world with more grace and harmony." 

- Frances Konomi
  Founder