Gifted trumpet player Clay Allen accepts a job as high-school music teacher. The music department is threatened by budget cuts. To raise community support, he tries to resurrect the school orchestra and do well in schools competition. That can only work if the only naturally brilliant pupil stars, but he's torn between sincere sympathy for both saxophone and Clay, who proves a great mentor, on the one hand and his equally gifted big brother's determination to stay away from jazz, due to a family trauma. Meanwhile divorced Clay worries that his wonderful son, who feels unintentionally neglected, is getting estranged.