United Sound Spotlight: Shaping Lives Through Music and Mentorship

United Sound is a school-based instrumental music club for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their typical peers. Dedicated to promoting social involvement through shared ensemble performance experience, United Sound joins students with and without disabilities to learn and perform in the band or orchestra together. We recently spoke with Founder and Executive Director Julie Duty to learn more about United Sound's mission, inspiration, and connection to teachers.

What is United Sound’s mission?

United Sound is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide musical performance experiences for students with special needs through peer mentorship. Through our own experiences, we know that the joy of learning in and performing with an ensemble can be life changing for a child. We believe that all children, especially in the public school setting, should have this opportunity. Our goal is to support individual music educators in creating their own United Sound ensembles through training, support, and organizational resources so that all children have access to meaningful and authentic music education and musical experiences.

What was the inspiration behind this organization?

United Sound grew out of my experiences as an educator, my attempts to integrate special needs students into my band, and the need I perceived to develop specific tools and materials to help these students.

How can music educators benefit from supporting United Sound?

The joy of learning in and performing with an ensemble can be life-changing for a child. We believe that all children, especially in the public school setting, should have this opportunity. Our goal is to support individual music educators in creating their own United Sound ensembles through training, support, and organizational resources so that all children have access to meaningful and authentic music education and musical experiences.

Students who participate in United Sound programs are learning to be musicians. Making music together is a powerful force for learning, growth, friendship and understanding. Music is a language that transcends disability and the relationships formed in this way will truly resonate for all children involved.

Do you have a direct connection with music educators (if so, how)?

To form a United Sound program in a school requires a music teacher and a special education teacher to volunteer as sponsors of the club. These two teachers work together by trading roles. The music teacher will guide the musical aspects and focus on the New Musicians’ (students with special needs) musical learning. The special education teacher has the primary responsibility of training the peer mentors (students from band or orchestra) to be effective teachers. United Sound intends to be a student-run, student-centered program, but the teachers provide the foundation and stability of the program.

How do you create awareness for your cause?

Our students have performed with college marching bands at Grand National Championships, marched in the Tournament of Roses parade, performed with the Boston POPS and just recently had the opportunity to perform with the United States Coast Guard Band. In addition, our Executive Director presents at MEAs throughout the United States.

Where can teachers learn more?

Teachers can register to learn more on our website , and follow us on Instagram at @united_sound.