The team at Booth 101 — banners up, spirits high, instruments still in transit.

Every great story has a plot twist, and ours started before the conference even opened. Our instrument shipment didn't arrive in time for Day One. But Casey, Jordan, Jake, Don, and Rory showed up to Booth 101 anyway, raised the Practicing Musician banners, and kept the energy going — because that's what you do when you believe in what you're bringing to the table.

When the call came in, KHS America came through — instruments delivered and the show back on.

One call to our partners at KHS America and Ben St. John later, the problem was solved. KHS didn't just come through in a pinch — they responded in a way that reflects everything they stand for: that music is an essential part of life. That's what it looks like when a partner is also a friend. We are deeply grateful to have partners we can always count on.

Instructor Joel leading a live drumming demo — walk up with no experience, walk away playing.

By Day Two, the instruments had arrived — and the drumming began. At the top of every exhibit hour, we offered something a little different: a free, 10-minute drumming lesson, open to anyone. The premise was simple — walk up with no experience, walk away playing a Quarter March.

People took us up on it. And they could do it.

Conference-goers stopped, listened, and picked up sticks. YMCA leaders saw firsthand what it looks like when adults with zero music background step into something new — and succeed. That's the Practicing Musician experience.

The Practicing Musician team — many meeting in person for the very first time.

NAYDO 2026 marked something meaningful for us internally: it was the first time several members of our team met face to face. Many of us have worked together remotely for years — some since the early days of the pandemic. Dinner together in Long Beach was worth every mile.

At the booth, we connected with YMCA leaders from across the country and around the world — from the Philippines, New Brunswick, Hartford, and Honolulu. Each conversation offered a new window into what community-building looks like in different corners of the world. We listened more than we talked.

We also had the privilege of finally meeting Constance Knight in person, and of reconnecting with friends Ray Wu and Paula Dunn from the Copley-Price Family YMCA of San Diego — the very Y where our pilot program launched.

The data from that pilot is grounding everything we're now bringing to Y leaders across the country. And the conversations we had at NAYDO tell us clearly: the case is landing.

Practicing Musician is a turnkey music education program built specifically for YMCAs. It combines group lessons with vetted, live instructors and an online learning platform that supports members between sessions — with no curriculum to build, no instruments to source, and no music expertise required from your staff.

A year ago, our founder walked this same conference with a clipboard, asking YMCA leaders one question: would they want to offer music education to their members? Five hundred said yes. This year, we came back with a completed pilot, a rollout plan, and a model where Years One through Three carry zero financial risk for the Y.

YMCAs care about retention. They care about cost. And they care, deeply, about whether their members will find community. Our pilot data answers all three.

Mary from South Carolina — our Fender Stratocaster booth drawing winner. She couldn't have appreciated it more.

We couldn't close out the conference without a little celebration. Our booth drawing winner — Mary from South Carolina — walked away with a brand-new Fender Stratocaster. The look on her face was one of the genuine highlights of the entire week. We absolutely loved to see it.