Purpose: This research paper investigates the benefits of musical activities as part of innovative community engagement projects in individuals of all ages, social status, and backgrounds. The paper aims to open a broad discussion around individuals’ connection to society in today’s social climate and how innovative musical community programs can strengthen individuals’ connection to society and one another, ultimately allowing them to become ambassadors of the arts, peace, and hope. Design/methodology/approach: This research paper presents and analyzes multiple established music organizations which have successfully developed and incorporated music programs in their respective communities. The paper further looks at how these programs positively affect and enrich people’s lives by strengthening the connection between individuals and society, as well as how that information can be applied to develop more inclusive programs which extend to a broader demographic. Findings: Based on the review, we can conclude that community programs developed using extensive research are maximizing the positive effects of music engagement in people of all ages, including cognitive ability, academic and personal success, increased focus, and higher quality of life. We can conclude that innovative musical community engagement programs are strengthening individuals’ connection to their communities and society at large, by nurturing their passion for music and learning, allowing them to become ambassadors of the arts, peace, and hope. Research limitations/implications: The literature review and case presentation serves as a starting point for further field research and development of projects that extend to a broader demographic. Some implications of the benefits of engaging in musical activities in the community could be further researched in various demographic areas, such as the elderly, the sick population, the criminal offenders, and the homeless population. Practical implications: The organizations reviewed in this paper have proven that making musical training accessible to students who are less fortunate, such as the ones who struggle financially and socially, can lead to those students having better chances of getting out of their economic and social status. Creating more organizations which offer original deeply-rooted community programs that are expanding to a broader demographic could enrich a bigger number of communities by bringing people together. Originality/value: The benefits of community musical programs have been researched and developed extensively over the past decades; however, most of the programs focus on the younger population. As a result of that, most people who benefit from these educational programs are predominantly children. This paper discusses the benefits of musical community engagement programs, and proposes a program that would expend the research and application to more demographic areas. Acknowledgment: Present research was evaluated under the guide and with the support of COST CA19136: NET4Age-Friendly the main aim and objective of which is to establish an international and interdisciplinary network of researchers from all sectors to foster awareness, and to support the creation and implementation of smart, healthy indoor and outdoor environments for present and future generations. The results will contribute to solving problems and actions carried out within the COST CA 16226, Indoor living space improvement: Smart Habitat for the Elderly (SHELD-ON), this way creating a better society for everybody.