What Drives Us

Our Mission

Nearly 20 years ago, the City of Portland passed a measure that cut critical funding to music education in our public schools. Having benefited from free music education in public schools, that eventually led to a successful career as a composer and pianist, Michael Allen Harrison could not watch this happen silently. Play It Forward, affectionately known as PIF was born. Play It Forward distributes gently used instruments gifted by donors to students and music programs throughout the Portland Metropolitan Community.

In recent years, Play It Forward has expanded its scope of work, and began offering music lesson scholarships to individual kids, as well lessons to children in schools during school hours and after school.

Additionally, Play It Forward helps organize Ten Grands for Kids, a free concert at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall intended for children from the Portland Metro area. It is a live show featuring ten grand pianos placed on a concert hall stage and played by nationally and locally renowned pianists.
This concert has inspired many to begin to learn the piano, and for accomplished young artists, Ten Grands has offered performance opportunities, which have been life changing.

Ten Grands for Kids allows Play It Forward to fulfill its mission of providing exposure to music and experience of live music to children from all walks of life. Play It Forward is honored to serve its community and to support the developing and thriving lives of children by removing the barriers that may exist between them and the musical education which is rightfully theirs.