Expanding Access to Music
April 15, 2026How Bravo! Vail’s Education Program Is Growing in 2026
Written by Gracie Rounds
In a community known for world-class performances and breathtaking mountain venues, the Bravo! Vail Music Festival is continuing to invest in something just as important as its summer season: year-round access to music education.
Meet Music Makers Haciendo Música
At the heart of that effort is Music Makers Haciendo Música, the Festival’s long-running education program designed to bring affordable, high-quality music instruction to students across the Vail and Eagle River Valley. As Bravo! Vail looks ahead to 2026, the program is expanding, reaching more students, deepening its impact, and creating new opportunities for young musicians to grow.
Celebrating Music in Our Schools Month®
March offered a clear snapshot of that impact through Music In Our Schools Month®, a nationwide celebration of music education that Bravo! Vail marked with a full calendar of school visits, community concerts, and student performances.
Across the valley, students engaged directly with music through hands-on learning, live performances, and meaningful connections with professional artists. During their multi-day residency in the valley, visiting artists Jaerv & The OK Factor worked closely with Bravo! Vail’s Teen Chamber Ensemble and several local schools. Students explored the connections between Scandinavian folk traditions and Baroque dance forms, learning how music has historically moved through different social spaces, from churches and royal courts to everyday community gatherings.
Nearly 90 students at Berry Creek Middle School (BCMS) and 90 students at Battle Mountain High School (BMHS) participated, leaving inspired by the energy and accessibility of the music.
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The residencies emphasized collaboration at their core. Students listened, responded, and adapted in real time, even learning a new piece entirely by ear.
At the end of the residency, students got to choose their own parts, bass lines or melodies, and performed together as an ensemble with Jaerv and the OK Factor. The energy and engagement were palpable. As one student reflected on the residency, “They were so confident in their own abilities and it was inspiring.” That confidence and joy resonated with the students, who left both inspired and proud of their accomplishments.
The month also included a community concert at Colorado Mountain College (CMC), attended by 60 community members, which capped an inspiring series of performances, workshops, and learning experiences.
For teachers, these experiences offered something equally valuable: new perspectives. Exposure to folk traditions, alternative musical pathways, and unfamiliar instruments expanded how students think about music.
One student even had the opportunity to try a nyckelharpa for the first time, an experience that underscored the program’s commitment to broadening musical horizons.
Bravo! Vail's first-ever Youth Strings Invitational
Throughout the beginning of April, that impact only expanded. On April 11, Bravo! Vail hosted the first-ever Youth Strings Invitational at Battle Mountain High School, partnering with organizations like El Sistema Colorado, Roaring Fork Youth Orchestra, Berry Creek Middle School, Summit High School, and Aspen Music Festival and School to bring students together to build on the joy and power of music.
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The event highlights included collaborative rehearsals, a hike at the Riverwalk in Edwards, professional development for teachers, and guest artist performances and workshops.
As a Bravo! staff member who attended the rehearsals said, "If I closed my eyes while listening to these students rehearse, I could have sworn some of it sounded like they were professional musicians!"
Bravo! was also joined by members of their Board of Trustees and Advisory Council, who helped hand out programs and direct guests.
Volunteers
From April 13-15th Music Makers Haciendo Música students performed in their Spring Recitals from Leadville to Edwards to Gypsum. Throughout the entire valley, the culmination of a year's worth of practice piano, violin, cello, guitar, and strings ensembles were celebrated.
A Festival That Gives Back Year-Round
This kind of engagement reflects a larger vision for the Festival. Under the leadership of President and CEO Caitlin Murray and Artistic Director Anne-Marie McDermott, Bravo! Vail has made it clear that its mission doesn't pause between festival seasons. Education programs like Music Makers Haciendo Música are central to that identity, ensuring that access to the arts is both inclusive and deeply rooted in the community.
This year’s efforts hope to bring increased enrollment capacity, additional instructional support, and more performance opportunities for students across the region. The program continues to connect students with professional artists and real-world musical experiences that can shape their creative paths.
As Bravo! Vail prepares for its 2026 Festival season, running from June 25 through August 6, its investment in education serves as a reminder that the organization’s impact extends far beyond the stage. All in all, programs like Music Makers Haciendo Música aren’t just about learning notes or techniques, they’re about building confidence, fostering connection, and ensuring that the joy and power of music remain accessible to all.
More About Music Makers Haciendo Música
Offered across Eagle and Lake County, the program provides weekly instruction in piano, strings, guitar, and chamber ensemble to students in grades 2 through 12. With enrollment now reaching over 300 students, the program has grown into one of the most impactful music education initiatives in the region.
Classes run from September through April and are held at school sites throughout the valley, including Avon Elementary, Berry Creek Middle School, Red Sandstone Elementary, Gypsum Elementary, Eagle Valley Elementary, Homestake Peak School, and Lake County High School. Sessions are 45 minutes long and take place in the after-school hours, making them accessible for working families. Ensemble classes, which run one to two hours, bring more advanced students together to develop their skills as collaborative musicians.
For students ready to take their playing further, the program offers Junior and Teen Chamber Ensemble placements for those who audition, providing a more intensive performance experience guided by professional instructors. Ensemble students don't just learn to play, they learn to listen, adapt, and create music together in real time.
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