As student demographics in the United States continue to diversify across racial, ethnic, and cultural lines, music education must evolve to meet the needs of all learners (Culp et al., 2023; Jorgensen, 2007). Despite this shift, instrumental music education remains deeply rooted in White, Eurocentric traditions that marginalize diverse perspectives (Green, 2002; Nelson-Shouldice & Eastridge, 2020). Related to the spirit of this year’s ISME theme, namely, “building bridges for all,” music education research continues to acknowledge that students find themselves “left behind” (include citations here). For example, examinations on composer and performer curricular inclusion reveal significant underrepresentation of women and people of color in standard repertoire and curricular materials (Allsup & Benedict, 2008; Conway et al., 2020; Kindall-Smith et al., 2011; Koza, 1994). Scholars such as Hess (2018) and Griffiths (2020) have identified systemic inequities embedded in music education’s structures, arguing that the dominance of “Whiteness” in repertoire limits students’ musical experiences and reinforces exclusionary norms. These disparities and more contribute to a self-perpetuating feedback loop: instrumental music students who feel alienated by traditional music education may disengage from band programs, and those who become educators may inadvertently replicate these oppressive practices through repertoire choices and instructional methods that fail to reflect their students’ identities (VanDeusen, 2021). At the same time, organizations like the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) remain predominantly White and affluent, underscoring the need for systemic reform (Hess, 2018; VanDeusen, 2021). The limitations of current music teacher education programs—including sanitized curricula and the avoidance of politically or culturally relevant music—further impede progress toward equity (Allsup & Benedict, 2008; Wells et al., 2022). Grounded in the theoretical framework of critical feminism (Freire, 1970/2000; hooks, 1994), this paper will highlight how teacher preparation programs can potentially disrupt exclusionary practices in instrumental music education. Through a mixed-methods design of a music teacher preparation program, which involved document analysis, surveys, and interviews, this paper may help music teacher educators better integrate critical feminist principles into music teacher education in the hopes of influencing the instructional practices and professional identities of in-service secondary band teachers. The presented findings contribute to a growing body of scholarship that calls for reimagining music education as a more inclusive, student-centered, and socially just practice.