Musicians Tune Up Classical Concerts For Families

Notes from Chris

Episode 1080

As professional musicians, Sara Sherman and Hilary Castle divide their time between performing at concerts and teaching at their own studios. This arrangement is common to many musicians, and the two of them were content. But when these friends both became moms in 2017, they began to wonder if there was a way to bring together their two favorite passions: classical music and young children.

The idea came when Sara was performing at a concert with the Chelsea Symphony. She had invited several of her friends, all of whom were new parents, to come and watch her perform. Her husband had brought their four-month-old daughter along as well, but to Sara’s disappointment, all of her friends had cancelled at the last minute due to baby concerns. What if their little one started crying or needed a diaper change? Nobody dared to bring young kids to a classical music concert.

Sara understood, but at the same time, she didn’t believe that there was no way a family could enjoy music together. After making some calls and checking out the scene, she realised that there was a gap in the market for family friendly concerts. There were musical events that were family friendly, but none that had a first-rate repertoire. Deciding that there was an opportunity to have classical music concerts for everyone, she called up her friend Hilary and said “I have a wild idea.” Within the hour, Mozart for Munchkins was born.

The first thing they did was to set up a website. They marketed their idea to the very same demographic that they were in: new parents—and Facebook groups was their first port of call. With some groups boasting over 10,000 members in the New York City area, Sara and Hilary quickly got their first ticket sales.

It helped that their proposal was entirely unique—no one else was producing concerts that featured Bach or Tchaikovsky to parents with young children. The results spoke for themselves: Mozart for Munchkins sold out their first venue within a week.

Today, Mozart for Munchkins hold anywhere from 8 to 12 concerts every month, each with about 60 adults and 40 children in the audience. This allowed them to generate not only a fair amount of ticket revenue, but also the chance to secure sponsorships from companies as well. Building upon what they’re familiar with, they also started holding music classes for families. These families could now not only enjoy classical music together, but learn how to play an instrument together.

The team is now expanding into the Boston area. By treating their business the same way they do their children—with tender loving care and a lot of attention—their business has managed to grow along with them.

 

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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Mozart for Munchkins: Learn more about this family friendly concert series at Sara and Hilary's website.

 

SEE ALSO:

• USPS Mail Carrier Makes Clay Imprints for New Parents: How a USPS mail carrier and court interpreter created an $800/month hustle serving new and expectant parents.
• Mom Starts Uber Easy Side Hustle Taxiing Kids: An Aussie mom of five discovers an easy way to make cash by giving rides to her kids’ schoolmates.
• Mom-Founded Startup Rents Infant Gear to Tourists: Busy mom in Chicago uses a peer-to-peer sharing platform to earn extra money for her family and help visiting parents get all the baby gear they need for their trip.

Inspiration is good; inspiration combined with action is better. Now get back to work!

Yours in the revolution,