A key component of Law Rocks’ mission is to promote youth music education. In 2023, the Law Rocks Board founded the Music Matters grant, given to a local nonprofit that supports youth music education in each of our US tour cities. Omi Crawford, Executive Director of Law Rocks, says of the grant initiative:
“Law Rocks has always been about championing nonprofits, especially local organizations that make a real difference in their community. The Music Matters grant deepens that commitment, helping support music education organizations nationwide as they change young lives through the power of music. It’s inspiring and exciting to learn more about each organizations work, truly one of the best things about this work!”
We are pleased to be awarding one of three Law Rocks Los Angeles Music Matters grants to Musicians at Play Foundation (MAP) on Friday, April 24, 2026. MAP is “a vibrant community of music professionals who partner with Los Angeles-area schools to deliver instrumental and vocal training, coaching, and mentoring to fundamentally change the way young people think about music, their ability, and their future careers in music and music related fields.”. Read on to learn about the organization and its mission in our Nonprofit Spotlight interview.
One of three 2026 Law Rocks Los Angeles Music Matters Grant Recipients: Musicians at Play Foundation | Photo by Berto Mortifino | Courtesy of Musicians at Play Foundation
1) Can you tell us a little about the history of your nonprofit, as well as its mission and focus?
Founded in 2015 by the family of the Oscar-winning composer John Williams, Musicians at Play (MAP) is a vibrant community of world-class musicians and educators who partner with schools across Los Angeles County to provide tuition-free instrumental and vocal music instruction, coaching, and mentoring for youth ages 5-18, along with free or low-cost professional community concerts in underserved communities. What began as a single band class at New Roads High School in Santa Monica has grown into a multi-site organization serving schools and school districts in Inglewood, Burbank, Simi Valley, Los Angeles, and the North Hills/Monroe Network of Schools, alongside music career training and apprenticeship programs serving young people ages 15-27.
Our mission is to create career pathways into music industry fields for underrepresented youth through access to education, mentorship, and performance opportunities. MAP’s diverse pool of music industry mentors offer students role models whose personal stories and professional achievements resonate deeply. They are high-level studio musicians and concert artists signed to major and indie labels, working on major motion pictures and television, and touring throughout the world as members of premier orchestras and symphonies. Over the past ten years, MAP programs have impacted more than 41,000 students, teachers, parents, and community members.
MAP RISE Mentor | Photo by Tom Pease | Courtesy of Musicians at Play Foundation
2) What is the best example of the way you’ve seen your organization’s work make a difference?
We know Musicians at Play is having a positive effect on young people, particularly those in the Inglewood Unified School District, MAP’s largest partnership. There was no real music education program, so in 2019 MAP jumped in thinking we could give these kids a chance. We started with a band camp with 60 kids and then the next year it went to 600 kids during the school year and now it's almost 1,000 kids and 10 schools. Out of school programs now include the Saturday Orchestra Program and the Rock Band Program.
“MAP has been an invaluable partner in Inglewood Unified’s efforts to support all students over the last five years,” says Aba Ngissah, ITA Instruction & Professional Development Chair, Inglewood Teachers Association. “MAP’s emphasis on skills development, individual well- being, resiliency, engagement, self-efficacy, and leadership has helped to provide a sense of belonging for our students.”
One of those students is Cristiano Cisneros, a 16-year old violin student currently in 10th grade. He has worked with his MAP mentor, professional violinist Richard Adkins, for the past five years and has just been accepted to the high profile RISE Film Scoring Orchestra program - the youngest to date. “I look up to Mr. Adkins because he's a professional musician and seeing him play makes me think I can become a professional musician and be just as good as him."
3) What are some upcoming initiatives that you are planning for?
Musicians at Play does not simply deliver music education programs. Our larger goal is to transform the music education–to–creative workforce pipeline by aligning music education with paid, credentialed career pathways and professionalizing entry into the cultural workforce. So one of the more rewarding aspects of our work is providing career support through our pre-apprenticeship activities—such as resume building, professional headshots, and performance reels, and career learning and performance opportunities like MAP’s RISE and COLA programs.
Each February, MAP brings together 60 young musicians and their mentors for RISE Film Scoring Orchestra, a multi-week, high-level musicianship training program culminating in a weekend intensive with rehearsals, coaching, live recording experience, and career panels, all in person at the Clint Eastwood Film Scoring Stage at Warner Bros Studios. MAP’s Civic Orchestra of Los Angeles (CO-LA) provides world-class training and performance opportunities for 85 young professional musicians. We’ll be announcing several CO-LA performances later this year.
In addition, MAP recently launched our groundbreaking Apprenticeship Program. This program is the first of its kind registered with the U.S. Department of Labor and approved by the California Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS), supporting twelve occupations: Session Musician; String, Brass, Wind, and Percussion Sections; Music Preparation; Composer; Conductor; Lyricist; Music Editor; Music Royalty Administration; and Audio/Sound Engineer. MAP formally enrolled our first cohort of five young people into our registered apprenticeship program last year and looks forward to building this program over the next few years!
MAP 2024 RISE | Photo by Tom Pease | Courtesy of Musicians at Play Foundation
4) What is the greatest challenge your organization faces?
Musicians at Play has become a highly sought-after partner for local schools and districts because of our reputation for high-quality music education, the expertise of our teaching artists, and measurable student growth—both in musical skills and overall academic engagement. Demand for our programs continues to grow as schools seek proven partners to sustain music education.
One of MAP’s greatest challenges is the persistent underfunding of arts and music programs, which are too often categorized as non-essential within school budgets. When resources are constrained, music and the arts are frequently among the first areas reduced or eliminated, despite strong evidence that they support student engagement, academic success, and social-emotional development.
As a result, MAP is increasingly asked to fill gaps left by public funding, while relying on private philanthropy to sustain what should be core educational offerings. Continued philanthropic investment is critical to help ensure that students have equitable access to the transformative benefits of music as a fundamental part of a well-rounded education.
5) What does the power of music mean to you?
Musicians at Play believes deeply in the power of music to shape lives, strengthen communities, and advance social justice, and this belief is the foundation of our work through the Musicians at Play Foundation. To us, music is essential to education and wellness—it develops the whole human being by nurturing emotional health, discipline, empathy, and a sense of belonging. In schools and community spaces, music becomes a shared language that connects generations, amplifies unheard voices, and creates pathways to equity and opportunity. Our commitment is rooted in the understanding that access to music is not a privilege but a necessity, one that supports mental well-being, inspires civic connection, and affirms human dignity. When music is present and accessible, individuals thrive, communities heal, and a more just and compassionate society becomes possible.
6) How will the Music Matters grant be used?
Musicians at Play will use the $2,000 grant from Music Matters to support private, one-on-one lessons for four of the sixty students participating in the 2026 Summer Band Camp in Inglewood. These students are part of a cohort of 15 selected in trumpet, saxophone, flute, and clarinet for individualized instruction to support their musical progress. The budget for these private lessons is $7,500.
While group rehearsals build collaboration and musicianship, private lessons allow instructors to tailor coaching to areas such as tone production, breath control, rhythm, articulation, and music reading. This targeted support helps students develop stronger fundamentals and reinforces learning from ensemble sessions. Our layered approach—combining private instruction with group coaching—ensures students are better prepared to meet the technical and musical demands of more advanced ensembles.
Access to private lessons is often a financial barrier for families in the communities MAP serves. By underwriting this instruction, Music Matters helps level the playing field and provides students with opportunities typically available only to those who can afford private study. These lessons directly support MAP’s goal of preparing students for successful participation in the Saturday Orchestra Program and other advanced opportunities, strengthening individual musicianship, confidence, and readiness for continued growth in music education pathways.
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Learn more about Musicians at Play Foundation.
Get tickets to The 15th Annual Law Rocks Los Angeles.
Header photo by Tom Pease | Courtesy of Musicians at Play Foundation