Improvisation in music is the spontaneous expression of meaningful musical ideas – it is analogous to conversation in language. As presented here, key elements of improvisation include personalization, spontaneity, anticipation, prediction, interaction, and being “in the moment.” Interestingly, we are born improvisers, as evidenced by our behavior in early childhood. This state of mind is clearly demonstrated in children’s play. When not encouraged to improvise as a part of our formal music education, the very thought of improvisation invokes fear. If we let go of that fear, we find that indeed we are improvisers. Improvisation enables musicians to express themselves from an internal source and is central to developing musicianship in all aspects of music education, including listening, reading, composing, and analyzing