About Us
About Bring Back The Music
Founded in 2009 by musician, educator, and Executive Director Johann Kimbro, Bring Back The Music (BBTM) began as an after-school performing arts program created to address the growing lack of accessible music education for children in underserved communities. What started as a grassroots effort to provide young people with meaningful opportunities to learn, create, and perform music has grown into a comprehensive community-based performing arts organization serving individuals across the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. From its earliest days, BBTM has remained committed to the belief that every young person—regardless of income, zip code, or previous musical experience—deserves access to quality arts education.
Over the years, BBTM has expanded far beyond its original after-school model. The organization established its Community Performing Arts Education Center in Spencer, Oklahoma, creating a permanent home for music education, workshops, summer programs, private instruction, rehearsals, and performances. Today, students can explore a broad range of disciplines, including piano, guitar, bass, drums and percussion, voice, music theory, songwriting, composition, and audio/music production. Through hands-on instruction from professional teaching artists, BBTM combines artistic development with critical life skills such as creativity, communication, collaboration, problem-solving, discipline, and self-confidence.
BBTM’s mission has continued to evolve as the organization recognized that the transformative power of music extends across generations and abilities. In addition to its youth programs, BBTM now provides specialized programming for young people and adults with developmental delays through The Healing Power of Music, an inclusive program that combines music education, performance training, mentoring, and individualized instruction. BBTM has also expanded its work with older adults through its Music for Seniors programming, bringing interactive music experiences directly to senior centers, adult day programs, and care facilities. These programs use music to encourage creativity, self-expression, social connection, lifelong learning, and personal well-being.
Today, Bring Back The Music is building upon this legacy through innovative initiatives such as Seniors: Reliving Our Heritage & Culture Through Music and the Ageless Arts Initiative, expanding opportunities for older adults to reconnect with the music, traditions, and cultural experiences that have shaped their lives. From underserved youth discovering their artistic voices to adults with developmental disabilities developing new skills and seniors reconnecting with memories and heritage through music, BBTM continues to use the performing arts as a vehicle for education, empowerment, inclusion, and community connection. More than a music program, BBTM is a growing community of learners, artists, educators, families, and partners working together to ensure that the opportunity to experience the transformative power of the arts is available to everyone.