Behind Popsical: The Making of A Family Concert

Having literally grown up in the middle of a string quartet, I’ve always been surrounded by beautiful music.

I begged my mom at age 5 to teach me to play the violin, and I haven’t put it down ever since.

There were no orchestras around for kids my age, so my mom started one.

So many kids wanted to learn the violin and she couldn’t teach them all. Eventually, she asked for my help.

Over time, I developed a deep love for teaching children the violin, as I continued to study it myself.

That early exposure to classical music shaped my life in ways I couldn’t have imagined.

I went on to train at Juilliard and enjoyed an international career in music.

We later brought our students back to Juilliard and prepared them to perform in Carnegie Hall several times.

Everything changed when I became a mom.

I wanted to expose my son to the kind of music I had experienced as a child.

But traditional concerts simply aren’t designed with children in mind.

When I tried bringing him, he couldn’t sit still for five minutes, let alone an hour!

It was exhausting, and I realized something needed to change.

I envisioned a concert experience where parents could enjoy exceptional music without needing a babysitter.

A space where kids could be kids—free to move, play, and explore—while still being immersed in music of the highest quality.

It’s my way of recreating that magical circle I grew up in—only this time, it’s a circle big enough for everyone.