Voices of Time
Where playback, music, and shared stories meet
Curated by IME’s Youth Advisory Board, a programme managed by ReReeti Foundation
Opening: February 1, 2026
How does technology shape our experience of music?
How does music change the way you feel or connect with people?
What do we wish listening to music will feel like in the future?
These are just some of the questions that piqued the interest of IME’s Youth Advisory Board, or YAB, as they are affectionately called. The enquiry was inspired by the Reaching Out gallery at the museum, which tracks the history of recorded sound from the earliest wax cylinders to the phonograph and cassette tapes.
The result is YAB’s very first exhibition at IME that weaves together the audience’s connection with the evolving culture of music and playback. Opening on the 1st of February 2026, Voices of Time traces the journey of music from early mechanical sound devices to cutting-edge, brain-responsive systems of the future. At the same time, it also highlights how communities have shaped musical experiences and innovations across generations.
But to truly complete this tale, IME’s creative ensemble of 14-to-17-year-olds are building a community forum within the exhibition by collecting personal stories and memories of music. The hope is that these submissions will help us all understand how people listen, remember, and bond through sound, creating a shared archive that reflects both nostalgia and the future of listening.
Selected letters will be showcased as part of Voices of Time at IME.
So do join us and be a part of this incredible musical journey.
Use any or all of the following prompts to write down a story, a memory, or a speculation in the space provided below in 250 words or less. Please submit your responses on or before the 10th of January 2026.
What piece of music has shaped you in ways you didn’t expect?
Tell us about the song, album, or device that quietly rewired your world.
What’s the childhood song that refuses to fade?
The one whose tune still sneaks up on you decades later—why does it linger in your memory?
Tell us a story about the way you listened to music.
Was it the hiss of a cassette, the clunk of a Walkman button, the glow of an iPod wheel? What made that device yours?
If you could resurrect an old music gadget with a 21st-century upgrade, what would it be?
Dream big, weird, and wonderful— what comeback do you crave?
Fast-forward to 2049! How will we hear music then?
Paint us a bold, vivid, and heartfelt vision of what you foresee.
Disclaimers:
- By submitting, you grant IME permission to use your story (in part or full) for exhibitions, publications, social media, and other outreach, with due credit.
- Due to space restrictions and curatorial guidelines, not all submissions will be showcased. Final selection rests with the curatorial team.
- Content must be respectful and appropriate for diverse audiences. Entries containing offensive, discriminatory, or harmful material will not be considered.
- Content generated with AI will not be considered.
About IME’s Youth Advisory Board:
The Youth Advisory Board is a one-of-its-kind programme developed by the Indian Music Experience Museum, initially in partnership with the British Council.
The programme brings together young adults, 14-to-17 years old, to actively participate in the museum’s functioning with a special focus on programmes, education, curation and communications. This programme aims to integrate young adults as changemakers in cultural organisations by allowing them to understand the behind-the-scenes of a museum alongside developing leadership qualities, critical thinking skills and learning to work as a team.
The ReReeti Foundation has been managing the Youth Advisory Board for the Indian Music Experience Museum since its inception in 2021 with the team at IME.