This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book presents a unique exploration of musical communities and participants across the lifespan and in various settings, to capture a broad picture of the meanings of music participation in the United States. It situates the meanings of music participation within contemporary, participatory, and democratic scenarios. The book focuses on school music participation in the early childhood and elementary schooling years. It discovers the meanings of music to pre-school and kindergarten children within music classes taught by pre-service teachers in a field-experience setting. The book captures the meanings of music participation in the adolescent years. It also captures the meanings of music participation at various adult stages from several perspectives.
