Sound Utopian? Maybe, but this exciting grass-roots movement—known as Recreational Music Making—is quickly gaining support and momentum across the country. Nightclubs are introducing weekly drum circles, corporations are now holding stress-reducing music clinics and new programs are emerging that combine music making with socializing and relaxation training. And that’s just the beginning…

Recreational Music Making is a new grassroots musical movement that encompasses enjoyable, accessible and fulfilling group music-based activities that unite people of all ages regardless of their challenges, backgrounds, ethnicity, ability or prior experience.

Recreational Music Making is different from traditional music making because it focuses on the enjoyment and well-being of the participant and the group, not an artistic or aesthetic outcome. Participation in RMM does not require talent or training. Exemplary performance is not the motive - fun and relaxation are the key drivers.

The Recreational Music Making movement is rapidly gaining support thanks to a number of programs designed to motivate people who may have always wanted to play music, but were limited by access and/or opportunity.

Each program has the following in common:

• Group based
• Guided by a mentor rather than a "teacher"
• Not focused on top class performance
• emphasize social interaction, rather than musical competency
• Ability to be replicated in the same manner at various locations

Recreational Music Making is about inspiring exceptional living, it's about exceptional support and personal experience, and it's about giving people permission to play.

Music Making — for the Health of It