Better Together: CMM Brings Collaborative Music-Making to the Stage at SMU

On March 1, the Centre for Musical Minds (CMM) will take the stage at Southern Methodist University in O’Donnell Recital Hall for a powerful day of music-making that reflects this season’s recital theme: Better Together.

With performance times at 9:30am, 11:00am, 12:30pm, and 2:00pm, more than 160 students will participate in a dynamic series of ensemble-based performances that celebrate connection, collaboration and shared musical growth.

Unlike traditional recitals that focus primarily on solo performance, CMM’s Better Together recital experience is intentionally designed to place students with one another; at the piano, in voice and across disciplines. Audiences will hear piano duets and trios, vocalists developing harmony skills alongside peers, and combined voice and piano ensembles, all working together to create something greater than any individual performance.

“Our intention with Better Together is to show that music (and life) are truly richer when experienced in relationship with others,” says Kristin Yost, Founder and Director of Centre for Musical Minds. “While solo work is important, collaboration teaches students how to listen, adapt, lead, support and trust one another. These are musical skills, but they are also life skills.”

This large-scale collaborative approach is a defining hallmark of CMM’s philosophy. By pairing students across ages, instruments, and experience levels, the school fosters a culture where learning is communal and growth is shared. It is rare to see an entire student body engaged in ensemble work at this depth, and CMM is proud to be leading in this space.