Our Mission
Music Improvisation Workshops
Music for People offers music improvisation workshops throughout the calendar year in the United States, Canada and Europe. Members also offer improvisation gatherings in their own communities. Check our Event Calendar for scheduled events.
Training Music Teachers & Leaders
Associated with the workshops is the Musicianship and Leadership Program, a three year program teaching music improvisation games and exercises and training participants to lead music improvisation gatherings in their schools and communities.
Mindfulness through Music
Listening and being present in the moment can enhance your improvisation process and take your music making to a deeper level.
A Music Making Community
The Music for People community comes together at workshops to support each other, welcoming new participants to its music making process.
Read our Mission Statement.
Who We Are
When you come to a Music for People workshop, you’ll find a community of music lovers where all instruments are welcome. Among the participants you will also find photographers, artists, dancers, writers, poets, actors & actresses, recording artists and performers that take Music for People’s music making philosophy into schools, community centers, therapeutic sessions and eldercare facilities.
Our History
In the mid 1980s, a small group of improvising musicians came together to create an inclusive approach to experiential music education. Based on the philosophy outlined in The Bill of Musical Rights, Music for People was founded by cellist David Darling and flautist Bonnie Insull. Their vision combined David’s natural gift for crafting learning experiences with Bonnie’s talents for organizing and networking. The workshops and international network that they began remains the core of Music for People’s work.
In the years since its founding, the workshops have expanded to incorporate more musicianship and facilitation skills. Educators and trainers such as Mary Knysh and Julie Weber have contributed their expertise in honing the content and format of MfP teachings. Psychologists and Music Therapists such as Eric Miller, Jim Oshinsky, and Lynn Miller have added elements of personal healing work to the original message of improvisation for self-expression.
As Music for People looks to the future, it seeks to encourage new generations of performers, educators, and everyday people to spread its message. Music is for everyone. Any combination of people can make improvised music together. Listening is the most important musical skill. And with an open ear and an open heart, there are truly no wrong notes.
