Mud to Music, led by instrument-maker, musician, and teaching artist Melissa Hyatt Foss, brings ancient sound worlds to life through hand-crafted ceramic instruments inspired by Pre-Columbian traditions. Based in Baltimore, Melissa offers bilingual, arts-integrated, hands-on programming where STEAM and SEL are woven seamlessly into explorations of history, culture, visual art, and music.
With extensive experience in Pre-K–12 classrooms as well as museums, universities, and libraries, Melissa’s Mud to Music programming centers open-ended creativity, community-building, and joyful discovery. Through performances and music- and instrument-making residencies, her ever-growing collection of sculptural sound-objects, such as Whistling Bottles, Polyphonic Flutes, Trumpets, and Noise Generators, immerses learners in dynamic experiences where clay, sound, and music spark curiosity, dialogue, and meaningful connections to nature and the rich musical heritage of the Americas.