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Mission & Impact

Our Mission:  Pakachoag Music School is dedicated to nurturing musical journeys that cultivate the imagination, inspire creativity and develop artistry.

Welcome to Pakachoag Music School of Greater Worcester!

2021-2022

As we enter a new school year, year number 39 for Pakachoag, we particularly look forward to seeing many of our students following a year of disruptions.  We continue to provide as much flexibility as we can, considering teacher, student and family needs.  Some teachers continue in-person lessons, some on-line, some hybrid.

The pandemic has reminded us that music has meaning that touches us individually and as a community in many ways.  Comfort and routine proved particularly valuable this past year.

If you are new to Pakachoag, here’s a few ways you can get to know our inner rhythm and spirit without leaving your chair.

Music is our life at Pakachoag and we hope you will join us in making music part of your life.

Sincerely, Sarah

Sarah Smongeski
Executive Director (and flute teacher)

Making Music for Life!

We challenge students to

  • Stretch for high standards
  • Take risks
  • Recover from mistakes
  • Gain confidence to succeed

… In music and in life.

Pakachoag Music School of Greater Worcester does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national or ethnic origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. 

 

Annual Impact:  The Year in Review

Annually, our programs serve over 400 students from throughout Greater Worcester, resulting in over 3,500 hours of instruction.  However, the impact of music is less about numbers and more about life-long learning.  

The impact of music at Pakachoag lasts a lifetime.  Read in our annual report how we are making a difference in the lives of community, students and families.

Coming in Fall 2020:  FY20 Annual Report – posted above.

Pakachoag Annual Report FY20

Pakachoag Annual Report FY19

Pakachoag Annual Report FY18

Annual Report FY17 web here.

Annual Report FY2016 here.

Impact Through Student Reach

Pakachoag offers private lessons at our primary home in Worcester; also in West Boylston.  Music Together classes are brought closer to home for young families west of Worcester via Sturbridge classes; to the south in Auburn; and north of Worcester via Sterling classes.

Average weekly attendance: 250
Students Enrolled (both tuition based and outreach):  Full Year: 450 +

We attract students and families from over 35 cities and towns.

  • No. 1: Worcester 30%
  • No. 2: Auburn 15%
  • Other: (35+ communities) 55%

Impact Through Student Growth

Each year, roughly 30 students are invited to perform out in the community.
A few highlights of how we’re impacting community with music:

  • Students play at local nursing homes
  • Pakachoag cellist and pianist selected to solo with Worcester Youth Orchestras
  • Flute and trumpet students win prizes in Music Worcester competition
  • 15 plus violinists invited to perform at New England Conservatory as part of the Mass. Suzuki Association Festival

…with a variety of performances at Mechanics Hall, Hanover Theater, Tuckerman Hall, First Night Worcester, civic functions, senior centers and retirement homes.

Alumni Stand Out

The lasting impact of music can be seen in the lives of alumni.  Through discipline, hard work, sustained commitment, and expert teachers to guide, Pakachoag alumni excel.  Our alumni span a wide range of professions and include:

  • Operatic soprano, winner of NEC concerto competition
  • Actress with guest role in nationally syndicated crime show and ads
  • Church music director, with CDs released
  • A Rhodes Scholar & Henry Luce Scholar
  • Teachers and School Principal
  • Capital Police officer
  • Doctors and lawyers
  • Engineers – Software, Chemical, Transportation, Materials, Electrical

Impact Through Access:  Financial Aid

Ensuring access to School programs is a core value for Pakachoag.  Over the past five years, we’ve awarded over $100,000 in tuition support for families in need, thanks to donor and grantor support.

Currently, 15% of Private Lesson students receive financial support with a goal of reaching 24% sustained annual support in coming years.   The average annual award is around $950 annually, per student.

Outreach & Partnerships

Extending mission, reach, access and diversity

Pakachoag partners currently include the Black Excellence Academy, Boys & Girls Club of Worcester, and the African Community Education Program.

Partners In Music

  • Worcester Children’s Chorus
  • Worcester Youth Orchestras
  • Pakachoag Music School

Partners In Music expands the mission and reach of each organization through selective, shared marketing and space use, along with collaborative performances.

Why is Mission Important?

An organization’s  mission provides focus for why we exist and what we do.  A mission is important when making decision’s for the future.  Mission can help shape direction, help one reflect on and assess effectiveness, and aids an organization in aligning varying points of view toward a shared outcome.

Here’s a good read around the role of mission in the life of a non-profit from the Stanford Social Innovation Review.