Planted Early, Played for Life: How Music Shapes Young Hearts

Young musicians pick up instruments across back porches, festival campsites, and late-night jams, unaware that their hands are still growing into dexterity. Though their fingers fumble through music lessons and melodies, they form identities, build community, and develop life skills from the start. For some, this early start to music leads to the spotlight. For others, it remains a quiet yet powerful lifelong companion.

Cultivating Talent in Virginia

The Governor's School for the Arts (GSA) provides a formal pathway for young artists in Norfolk and Virginia Beach, Virginia. Within the historic building, students from eight school districts gather each afternoon after spending mornings in traditional high school classrooms. They come to study dance, musical theatre, film, visual art, and music.

Executive Director Shelly Cihak and Assistant Director Deborah Thorpe often welcome visitors in the GSA lobby and start there with a tour. They show photographs of past students and proof of the school's impact on the community. Thanks to public funding, sponsorships, and grants, students pay no tuition, and transportation is provided by each of the students' home districts.

The intense schedule involves students collaborating with local arts organizations, taking music technology and production electives, and participating in musical activities outside the classroom.

"These kids are growing into their artistic lives," says Thorpe," and they're hungry to learn."

One of GSA's success stories is violinist Zach Casebolt, who began playing at age five and graduated from GSA in 1999. Now based in Nashville, he's recorded with numerous artists and recently released a solo violin album.

"GSA is responsible for my musical talents," Casebolt says, reflecting on how the program helped shape his foundation.

From First Notes to Lifelong Passions

For banjo player Gina Furtado, the impact of early learning in music was deeply personal and enduring. She started piano at five and banjo at eleven and says the latter "completely changed my life in just about every way I can think of."

Music opened the doors professionally, but it also opened her spirit socially and emotionally. "It made me part of a built-in music family," she says. Her closest relationships, including with her husband, luthier Ben Walters, were born through music. "Thanks, banjo," she often jokes, recalling the strange, beautiful, and unforgettable moments music has delivered over the years.

Guitarist Steve Kaufman spent his early years playing the piano, cello, and electric guitar until he heard Doc Watson. Then, Kaufman dove into flatpicking. "I was eaten up with playing guitar," he says, having now played for over 50 years. As the founder of the renowned Kaufman Kamp in Maryville, Tennessee, he shares his passion with hundreds of aspiring musicians each June. "The drive, the practice, the desire to do nothing else, that's what it takes," he says.

Families That Play Together

In Norfolk, the Robertson and Dunlap families prove how music transforms individuals and entire households.

Chris and Heide Robertson have five children, and at some point, each picked up an instrument, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. "There was less school, church, and swim team," Chris recalls. "So, there was more time to play music together." Their son Asa, now 15, took lessons for about six months but primarily plays by ear. "Let Asa do his thing," Chris says, and it looks like Asa did. He plays fiddle, mandolin, guitar, bass, and harmonica.

Chris has become an accomplished musician, playing bass, piano, and guitar, leading songs and mentoring others. "Music keeps the kids busy, gives them confidence, and introduces them to new people. It's given our family something to grow around."

The Dunlaps, Stacey and Christian and their four musically inclined kids share a similar story. Stacey, who minored in music in college, introduced her children to instruments early, with all four joining the school orchestra by fifth grade. A turning point came at MerleFest in 2022 when they bought a mandolin, a fiddle, and a banjo. By the end of the weekend, the kids were playing "I'll Fly Away."

School, concerts, and local jams fill the Dunlaps' days. Their daughter, Ella, splits her time between Cox High School and GSA, studying piano and violin. "I love playing music with my kids," says Stacey. "I feel like I've won the parenting lottery."

The Robertson and Dunlap families perform as Take Your Pick, playing festivals, farmers' markets, and regional events. In May 2025, they performed at Graves Mountain.

A Community That Encourages

Beyond family jams and formal schooling, local organizations make space for young learners. The Tidewater Bluegrass Society (TBS) produced The New Cabin Fever in March 2024, a three-day festival that includes a "Kid's Academy," led by musician Jesse Burdick. There, the young participants learned songs together and performed on stage at the end of the weekend.

Eric Yoder, a retired doctor and TBS board member, has also played clarinet since age 10 and guitar since age 13. Now retired, he performs with Tidewater Arts Outreach, bringing music to senior living communities. "Music is still teaching me," he says. And I get to share what I've learned."

A Gift That Lasts

Note the similar stories throughout the bluegrass world, from school hallways to festival stages and campfire circles to concert halls. Learning music early in life develops a lifelong language of expression in addition to mastering notes. Statistics show that music cultivates confidence, discipline, connection, and joy, whether a child becomes a touring artist, a community picker, or someone finding solace in an instrument.

To quote a cliché, music is the gift that keeps giving, especially when placed in young hands.