January 3, 2019
by Leah Abbe Bloem, Orchestra Director
Pajamarama is pure joy at its finest! This year’s event will be once again combined with the Lower School Admission Preview and held on Thursday, January 31. The evening will begin at 5 PM for prospective families and 5:45 PM for current families.
This Mounds Park Academy original event is a concert created by Upper School orchestra students for Lower School students and their families. The creative endeavor gives Upper School students a chance to entertain and engage with the younger children with unabashed delight. They get to remember what it was like to be a little kid, hearing an orchestra for the first time, in such a welcoming, happy, and fun atmosphere.
Celebrating the MPA Community
We are very fortunate to have pre-kindergarten through high school students all on one campus, which builds a strong sense of community that feels like home. The Upper School orchestra students learn the music and plan a carnival with the understanding that the performance is not about them, but rather what they are giving to, and sharing with, the broader community.
The strong connection between Upper and Lower School students is evident every day at MPA, including at this event. Each student is kind and supportive of one another. At the event, the little ones are encouraged to try games again and again until they win, with cheers from the older students. Even those waiting in line will tell their peers in front of them to try again if they didn’t win the first time.
Experiencing the Joy of Musical Performance
Pajamarama is important because it gives the Upper School students a chance to look past the technical side of music education and experience the joy of sharing a musical performance. It also provides the opportunity for the orchestra students to really consider who their audience is and create an experience for them. The Upper School students learn about games and music that they may not even know in order to make each and every audience member feel valued and celebrated. They enjoy having the chance to give back to a school and community they love so much. Read More