This article posits that musicking can uniquely foster the development of social capital, which leads to civic engagement and intercultural understanding. I review pertinent literature and build a case that music educators and community musicians have a unique role to play in its development. I also reveal a weakness in the theoretical framework of social capital and in the music research literature, and I advocate for developing a richer theoretical framework that analyses both the development of social capital and the unique civic roles, social skills, habits and dispositions developed in various musical practices.