In addition to its activities in the community, a crucial part of the Contemporary Players’ mission is to open doors of access to the creative process for those in the learning phases; one of the mainstage concerts each season always includes opportunities for pre-professional students to engage in side-by-side performance with the professional musicians of SFCMP, and a series of annual masterclasses brings outstanding musical instruction from members of the Contemporary Players’ roster into various schools of music throughout the Bay Area. At each concert, our series on ‘How Music is Made’ connects audience members directly with composers to hear about the inspirations, motivations, and most important personal experiences behind the creation of their works.