The language of the soul.(Forum Focus: Arts Awareness and Advocacy)

Can you envision a world without music? Imagine a parade without a band, a graduation ceremony without a processional, a baby being coaxed to sleep without a lullaby. Most of life's joys, sorrows and achievements are powerfully and inseparably linked with the music that helped make those events some of our most poignant memories.

The accomplishments of our own and past civilizations are revealed to us through art and music--the most creative and enduring record of our history. Art and music have always been at the center of human endeavor and achievement, helping us understand our world and our place in it.

That's why Robert Ulrich decided to donate millions of dollars to build a 180,000 square-foot Musical Instrument Museum on the north side of Phoenix.

"This will be like no other musical instrument museum in the world," said Ulrich, who is MIM Board Chairman, as well as Chairman and CEO of Target Corporation. "Through its global collection, MIM will celebrate the contributions each and every country has made to our musical heritage."

MIM will exhibit approximately 5,000 instruments. Visitors will be able to see instruments, hear their sounds and observe them being played in their original settings with the help of wireless headsets and high-resolution video screens.

The museum will also provide opportunities for guests to play selected instruments like Congolese slitgong drums and see how instruments like the violin are made. An ongoing schedule of live performances is planned, and MIM will also include a conservation laboratory and a recording studio.

"Through distinctive exhibitions, performances and educational programs, MIM will celebrate the diversity of music around the globe and enable everyone to understand how music both defines us ...