BRINGING MUSIC TO TEENS ACROSS THE GLOBE

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Aya Okimoto. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.

Aya Okimoto believes music is for everyone. An outstanding pianist and violinist, Aya has come of age in the world of music education. Whether she’s toting sheets of music or rehearsing for a performance, the 16-year-old high school student in Hawaii is dedicated to sharing her talents with the world. But her immense amount of time in the world of music has also exposed her to the inequalities that exist there, and that’s why Aya’s dedicated to making the point of entry to music education more welcoming to everybody. Aya wants all students hoping to pursue their craft to have the opportunity, and that’s what pushes her to take her volunteer work to the next level.

Aya knows how discouraging it can feel when music opportunities feel limited, especially due to financial barriers. Particularly concerned about the future of arts opportunities due to uncertainty around funding for the National Endowment for the Arts, Aya believes it’s more important than ever to support young musicians. With this in mind, Aya founded the World Wave Music Festival, an inclusive, cost-free platform where all students, regardless of background, can perform, share their art and grow as musicians. The annual event empowers young artists around the world with an accessible platform to showcase their musical talent, while also addressing inequity in the arts. As a result, the musical community is a more diverse place.

The 2025 World Wave Music Festival will kick off November 29, and there are already thousands of student submissions from 167 countries across the world. The event will be even better this year, with student speakers, lectures, podcasts and other resources that will foster creative experiences of participants. Aya and her fellow board members have raised $73,400 in grants, and 27,400 learners have been taught by the group’s free education articles. Aya is even creating a musical picture book for all participants to remember their journey by. But she’s not stopping there: Aya is already plotting future partnerships, planning to work with Spotify and reach out to other businesses to plan festivals for years to come.

Aya’s journey from music student to nonprofit founder is an inspiring one. What started as a mission to create a forum for music education that welcomes all young people, regardless of background, has blossomed into an international phenomenon. The platform’s success is a testament to how successful volunteerism can be when we set our sights on something.

What inspires you to volunteer?

Volunteering has always been a passion of mine, because I know that through my work, I can make a positive difference in my community. That’s why I make it a priority to participate in any service events I come across. Through volunteering, I also get to meet others with similar interests. Many of the friendships I have formed stem from my volunteer experiences and initiatives.

What inspired you to get started with this initiative?

The inspiration behind the festival comes from my own experiences as a pianist and violinist. As I grew to a more advanced level of playing, I wanted to participate in music competitions to receive feedback from experienced judges. However, especially since I play two instruments, competition entrance fees typically range from $180 to $300, and that prevented me from participating. At times, the cost even made me doubt my own ability and whether it was worth submitting a video at all. I didn’t want other students to face that same barrier. I believe every young musician deserves access to the support and opportunities they need. Also, with music often being undervalued in education, and Hawaii having less than 5% of public schools with comprehensive music programs, I felt that I needed to start an initiative that presented an accessible platform for aspiring musicians.

Tell us about your volunteer role with the World Wave Music Festival.

I’m the founder and executive director. We host a free online music competition for students around the world each year. I work together with the festival directors to coordinate events, contact established judges and help our participants with the submission process. I also lead a team of 38 festival ambassadors who have taken leadership roles in their own schools to promote WWMF. As the founder, my main job is to make sure we’re opening doors for young musicians and helping them share their talent with a global audience.

What are your long-term plans or goals for the organization?

My long-term plans and goals center around expanding impact and strengthening the support we offer participants. First, we aim to reach more student musicians across the world, especially those limited by the high costs of traditional competitions. To accomplish this, we are building partnerships with local organizations to increase outreach in underrepresented communities.

Second, we are developing educational programs in music theory and history to widen our participants’ knowledge beyond performance. We’re also developing more virtual and in-person events, like showcases and collaborative projects, to create spaces for young artists to connect. To ensure our efforts are sustainable, we’re securing long-term funding to keep our programs free for all artists. We’re also gathering feedback and data to ensure we are meeting the needs of our community. This will allow our organization to support future generations of young musicians.

What’s been the most rewarding part of your work?

It would have to be talking to several of my student participants during our Festival Breakout Sessions. I still remember when an 8-year-old girl told me she had never attended a music recital before and that she enjoyed watching students like her perform for the first time. From an administrative view, I was able to collect data on our impact from the number of music submissions we received to the countries we reached.

However, hearing these comments directly from the students and seeing how the festival impacted them made me believe in myself more. I realized that the World Wave Music Festival is providing young musicians with a space to grow.

What have you learned through your experiences as a volunteer?

I’ve learned essential leadership qualities like organization, patience and adaptability. Organization and clear communication are crucial, and I coordinated with judges, ambassadors and hundreds of participants across various time zones, languages and age groups. Adaptability was equally important. Unexpected challenges, from managing submissions to running festival activities, taught me how to think fast on my feet and problem-solve. Most importantly, I’ve learned that you don’t need a lot of financial resources or volunteers to make an impact. As long as you are committed and are willing to listen and address your community’s needs, you are making a difference already.

Why is it important for others to get involved with causes they care about?

I love networking, and there’s no better way to network than with others who care about the same things as you. Getting involved in service activities you enjoy helps you form friendships and can even spark future collaborations to address community needs together.

Any advice for people who want to start volunteering?

I’d advise people to start by identifying a cause they genuinely care about. Then, they can research and get involved with a local nonprofit that supports that mission. This first step would help them feel what the work is like and connect with others who share similar values. From there, they may choose to develop their own initiative that can address unmet needs they’ve observed through their work.

What do you want people to learn from your story?

I want people to feel inspired to take hands-on action. If you have an idea that can address a community need, why should you wait? Starting an initiative always comes with hurdles. I had to learn how to build an accessible website and reach out for partnerships. But once you overcome those hurdles, you can focus on solving the issue at hand and making a real difference. I also encourage people to ask for help. No one can solve a large issue on their own. In my case, I contacted professors to weigh in and peers to help promote the festival. The 2024 and 2025 festivals would not have been possible without all of their help.

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Aya? Find local volunteer opportunities.