Creating Change

Creating Change

We Are Instrumental is creating change by providing students with access to musical instruments, fostering educational opportunities, and supporting music programs in underserved communities.

Our Initiatives

A young woman with long blonde hair wearing a pink long sleeve top and denim shorts standing in front of a large vertical banner promoting an honors performance series featuring musicians, singers, and conductors, in an indoor venue with plants in pots on the side.
Young man with brown curly hair smiling, standing outdoors with crossed arms, wearing a navy blue T-shirt, in front of a sign for Snow Pond Center for the Arts and New England Music Camp in a lush green area.

Golden Opportunity Fund

At We Are Instrumental, we believe in opening doors to extraordinary opportunities. The WAI Golden Opportunity Fund enables students to pursue their dreams by providing the support they need to participate in prestigious musical and cultural programs. This fund ensures that no talent goes unrecognized, helping young musicians take that life-changing step toward their future.

Students sitting apart and wearing masks in a music classroom with various instruments including drums, xylophones, and music stands.
A group of students and a teacher playing saxophones in a music classroom with large windows showing a snowy scene outside.

Lesson Program

WAI works with partners in the region and beyond to provide students access to music lessons, regardless of how remote they may be or how limited their local school’s offerings are. Through these partnerships, we connect students with renowned musicians and college professors for personalized, one-on-one instruction. This not only expands their musical experience but also exposes them to a diverse range of teaching styles and expertise, helping them grow as musicians and broaden their understanding of the many paths within the world of music.

A classroom or conference room with multiple people seated at tables, listening to a man standing in front of the room. The man appears to be presenting or speaking to the group. The room has a whiteboard and ceiling projectors.

Professional Development

Not all heroes wear capes! A key part of WAI’s sustainability strategy is hosting instrument-repair workshops with teachers and student leaders. These workshops empower teachers and students to take the care of their instruments into their own hands. A repair that would otherwise require a six-week send-out could instead be completed in a day by a teacher or student with basic skills.

Inside the back of a vehicle filled with musical instrument cases, with a smiling man leaning inside from the outside.

Instrument Giveaways

At the heart of WAI’s mission is the simple, yet profound act of providing access to instruments. By gathering and repairing neglected musical instruments from generous donors who are excited to free up space in their homes, WAI is able to help meet the overwhelming need for instruments faced by children across Northern New York.

Group of five women, including a woman in a pink blazer, smiling and posing together in front of a purple wall.

Enrichment Experiences

For many young students across Northern New York, access to dynamic and diverse musical opportunities are limited by lack of funds or remoteness. WAI is overcoming this by connecting schools with eager arts partners to provide in-person musical experiences that inspire students and show them that a career in music is not only possible but also achievable and fulfilling.