Their instruments might have looked unfamiliar, but the message by a group of Fox Chapel Area students on Nov. 4 was loud and clear.

Play for the Vote, a non-partisan group that mobilizes musical performances at polling places, was on a mission to amplify voter turnout and civic engagement.

“Our goal is simple — to spread music and get more people to have a good experience voting,” said Rebecca Dorneich, a freshman flutist.

Rebecca, 15, also plays the Chinese lute, or pipa. She was joined by several classmates who played traditional Chinese instruments such as the guzheng and erhu.

None of the musicians was old enough to cast a ballot, but they hope to inspire change, most said.

“We’re too young to vote, but I wanted to perform and promote democracy,” said Asher Peng, 15.

The sophomore from O’Hara played both the saxophone and the piano as people approached the entrance to the O’Hara Elementary School polling site.

Classmate Henry Sun of Indiana Township believes the music set a positive tone for voters, as well as politicians who gathered near the sidewalk to make a last bid to the people.

“I think it’s pretty nice to listen to our music,” said Henry, 16.

A piano player since first grade, Henry said it was important to him to join friends to “try to make a difference.”

Play for the Vote is a nonprofit that was founded before the 2020 general election to foster a sense of community during a contentious political season. That year, more than 1,500 musicians from 48 states participated in the movement.

Fast forward to November 2024, and the group had grown to achieve a presence in all 50 states.

According to its website, the goal is to “celebrate democracy one note at a time.”

In recent years, an uptick of harassment and intimidation has accompanied campaigns for high-profile offices such as the U.S. president down to neighborhood races like borough council.

A 2023 survey of election officials across the country found that 38% have reported experiencing threats, harassment or abuse, according to NBC News.

Locally, police have responded to polling site scuffles, although not frequently.

In 2022, a Castle Shannon man caused a disruption at the borough’s library, where people were trying to vote. He was accused of harassing poll workers, yelling at them and filming voters. His erratic behavior caused a temporary stoppage at the polls.

In 2020, a shoving match at the polling site at Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh happened after a man was said to be shouting obscenities at passersby before entering the building. Pittsburgh Public Schools and city police were called to break up the confrontations.

Play for the Vote members believe in the transformative power of live music.

“We believe that music has a unique ability to bring people together, create shared experiences, and remind us of our collective purpose as citizens in a democracy,” according to the website. “By placing musicians at polling locations across the country on Election Day, we aim to make voting a celebration of democracy, encouraging more people to participate in the electoral process.”

Musicians of all backgrounds are sought to join the election day performances.

Rebecca said it is important for young people to participate in democracy.

She is the co-founder of a separate musical group, Flying Strings. That youth ensemble performs with traditional Chinese instruments like the guzheng, erhu and pipa, to share the culture with Western music enthusiasts.

Under the mentorship of renowned pipa soloist Yang Jin, musicians ages 5 to 18 have built a unique space where children and teens not only perform at a high level but also serve as cultural ambassadors in the community.

Play for the Vote was an example of that, as several members of Flying Strings performed.

The group has also played at Lighthouse Pointe at Chapel Harbor in O’Hara and Cooper-Siegel Community Library in Fox Chapel, among other locations across Pittsburgh.

Rebecca said she has always had a passion for performing. Merging Flying Strings with Play for the Vote was a natural step, she said.

“It’s a great way to express yourself,” she said. “Just like voting.”

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