In recent decades, American music education organizations have published policy papers regarding the need for innovative and responsive curricula for undergraduate music education programs (Campbell et al., 2014; Confredo et al., 2023), and music education scholars have broadly acknowledged the needs for curricular changes to meet the needs of a diversifying society (e.g. Author, 2024; Dansereau et al., 2022; Kruse, 2015; Miksza, 2013), including several studies that have investigated how reforms have been conducted at various institutions (Author et al, 2025; Kladder, 2020; Wilson et al., 2021).This multiple case study (Yin, 2014) investigated four undergraduate institutions in the United States who have implemented innovative curricular elements to address changing demographics, expanding definitions of musicianship, and non-Western classical practices. The researcher engaged in a week-long residency at each institution during Spring 2025 that involved extensive observations, document review, and interviews with faculty (n = 29), students (n = 38), and alumni and community partners (n = 23). One core finding within this study was the “Yes/And” mentality that guided curricular design as a mechanism for successfully integrating innovative coursework alongside traditional elements of the music education curriculum.The nature of curricular innovation varied across the studied programs. All four institutions recognized the importance of teacher preparation for traditional American P-12 music education classrooms, including instrumental and choral ensemble direction and elementary general music instruction, while at the same time placing at least one significant additional focus across their programs. “Southeastern University” emphasized popular music pedagogy and production as a fourth area of specialization; similarly, “Midwestern University” offered an extensive hip hop curriculum with significant community engagement. “Eastern University” placed a strong emphasis on creativity at an equivalent or greater level than performance preparation situated within schools in frequently marginalized communities. “Northern University” prioritized social justice and activism throughout the music education program.At each institution, the “Yes/And” mentality emphasized that students needed to be well-prepared for traditional classrooms that currently existed while being well-versed in alternative practices and disciplines with extensive networking outside of the music department or the institution through partnerships with after school programs, libraries, community centers, and other community assets. The “Yes/And” mentality allowed these programs to both train preservice teachers for traditional spaces of music education and provide substantive preparation for new directions that embraced broader definitions of musicianship and included more expansive musical identities.