My wife grew up in a little mountain village (Castril, Spain) which at the time was four hours by bus from a small provincial capital (Granada).  Obviously things are different today but it still takes us two hours to get by car out to see her family when we visit. The nearest conservatory is halfway between Castril and Granada so it is a real sacrifice to get your child started with music.  The weekend of February 28 we went to the the Carnival celebrations and the evening was kicked off by the town’s new marching band, some of the members of which are under 10 years old.  A group of the youngest players played some solos in unison as part of some of the more upbeat pieces and the parents listened enthralled.  I had never realized the power to educate (in so many ways) that a band has.  (With a good director) you are teaching the children respect, working together, listening to the other instruments, responsibility in caring for their instruments and of course having others are depend on them can be very motivating.  My niece and nephew here are in the band and what they have learned to play in a very short time is very impressive.  I have always preferred the guitar or bowed instruments and if I had given much thought to what I might “offer” to my 6-year-old I had always thought in terms of those instruments.  Well now I am thinking about a wind instrument in a marching band because of what I see these kids learning and enjoying through the town band.