Anyone who has danced arm-in-arm with strangers or found solace in a lyric knows how much music matters. The Oct–Dec issue of Positive News magazine celebrates that spirit, while recognising the challenges facing today’s aspiring musicians. But, as we uncover, a host of organisations are bringing repaired and upcycled instruments into the hands of young learners, ensuring that access to music isn’t dependent on wealth. While learning an instrument at any age has all kinds of benefits, as reported in our news section this issue, creating a career in music has never been easy. Yet resilience prevails as foundations, charities and organisations – alongside artists themselves – are making funds and support available to the next generation of talent.