Peterson School of Music’s GRIT program ensures high quality music education is accessible to all

How the Peterson School of Music Is Providing Opportunities to Underserved Students in Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City, UT (PRUnderground) September 28th, 2026

The Diana & Joel Peterson School of Music in Salt Lake City is redefining what accessibility looks like through its GRIT program, which provides high-quality music education to students of all backgrounds. Over the years, many students and families share that the program has been transformative, teaching them lessons they’ll remember throughout their lives.

GRIT, which stands for Growth, Resilience, Instinct, and Tenacity, is involved in three Title I schools across Salt Lake City, allowing close to 500 students to partake in lessons at no cost. In collaboration with the Salt Lake City School District and the Utah State Board of Education, the full-scholarship program works to close the opportunity gap by providing life-changing access to music education to at-risk youth, made possible by support from individuals, foundations, corporations, and public funding.

Abigail Hills, the GRIT program director, has always been passionate about music and meaningful ways to give back through it. She started with the school as a viola instructor and later taught within the GRIT program. When there was an opening for the program’s director, Hills applied with a strong belief in the program’s goals, and saw its potential to continue growing.

“For me, music is an emotional, creative escape,” she said. “At the Peterson School of Music, we teach young people to distill any challenge down to its essential parts. Once you can do that — see the problem clearly and chart your own way through it — nothing can stop you.”

Hills shared that she’s observed how students involved in the arts excel, persisting and overcoming obstacles by pushing themselves to continue learning, even when a piece may  be challenging.

Violin instructor, Rachel Taft, has been involved with GRIT since it started. During the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown, she hand-delivered violins to students’ homes and continued to hold classes and lessons virtually. She said through GRIT, students not only develop their playing and musicality, but also traits that help them become outstanding members of the community as well.

“Having been there for 10 years, there’s some students I’ve heard that are getting ready to graduate from high school, that are looking to go to college, and the opportunities that can come to them, not just through music, but through the principles that are instilled in them, I know music aided in that,” Taft said.

From the beginning to the end of the school year, Taft sees huge leaps and bounds as students progress and become leaders within their own classroom, finding their voice, and being able to express themselves. The program has a strong emphasis on group-based learning, and within it, Taft said that students encourage each other to reach their goals.

“Expanding access to high-level music instruction gives students a chance to challenge themselves, build resilience and tenacity, and have a creative outlet to express themselves and make meaningful connections,” she said.

Family Experiences 

Recently, students within GRIT performed at Deer Valley with the Utah Symphony and Grammy-award winning ensemble Time For Three. Eleven-year-old student Majesty was among them, her father Sam saying it’s been phenomenal to see how much she’s grown through the program and the experiences she’s had.

“Watching, it’s a really big thing for me. I’ve never thought in my life we will be anywhere near these types of things — to enjoy that big stage and she’s just up there and doing a great job,” he said.

Another aspect of the GRIT program he appreciates is its tight-knit and diverse community, with students often sharing parts of their culture with one another.

“They have Spanish-speaking teachers and students of different ethnic cultures and backgrounds. They’re all learning the same, so it’s like one big happy family coming from everywhere. Everybody gets a chance to come together, make music, and do things they love, no matter what language you speak or where you come from. That’s just a perfect and great environment,” he said.

Originally, Majesty was inspired by her friends involved in the program to join, and once she started, she realized it was something she wanted to continue to pursue.

“It feels like that I can really do it by just continuing to practice with them,” she shared.

Another parent, Thomas, whose daughter Claire is enrolled in the program, said he appreciates the opportunities being involved in music can bring, such as opening doors to higher education later in life. 

His daughter Claire said she’d like students to know: “If they’re thinking about learning the violin, I think they should know that sometimes it’s hard, but if you keep on practicing, and once you get the hang of it, then it will feel easier.”

That’s a process many students have experienced — Guadalupe Center student Sofia explaining that the careful guidance of teachers has helped her work through pieces that were once difficult. She’s grateful her instructor taught her everything about the violin from the very beginning.

“If I feel like I can’t play, then she helps me focus on it. We go from there and play it slowly, and I feel like playing slowly helps me more and it helps me understand it better so I can see and really focus… She really helps a lot because she dedicates time and puts effort into helping me,” she said.

Her mother, Veronica shared how much love her daughter has developed for music through her classes.

“It’s super emotional because she’s really motivated when it comes to it, and I can tell when she’s talking about it to family members or even her siblings, she’s super excited about it…it brings joy … It’s been really nice to see her hard work and her dedicating herself to it,” she said.

In the future, the school hopes to expand into additional Title I schools as funding allows. For more information about the Diana & Joel Peterson School of Music, the GRIT program, or ways to support through donations and grants, please visit https://petersonschoolofmusic.org/.

About Diana & Joel Peterson School of Music:

The Diana & Joel Peterson School of Music, formerly the Gifted Music School, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation committed to providing the highest level of music education. Based in Salt Lake City, the school launched in 2008 with the mission to provide a comprehensive pathway to world-class music education, with an expansive curriculum and distinguished faculty. Through its full-scholarship GRIT program, it ensures access to high-quality instruction for students of all backgrounds. The school stands as a beacon of musical excellence and education, shaping the young musicians of tomorrow. Visit petersonschoolofmusic.org for more information.