Outreach

2023-2024 summary

Events of Fall 23' included:

  • Petting Zoo at The Children’s School at Stephens College ~30 students
  • Petting Zoo at Children's House Montessori ~60 students

Events of Spring 23' included:

  • Violin and Tuba sectionals/performances at Oakland Middle School ~50 students
  • Clarinet Sections at Gentry Middle ~20 students
  • Performances at Paxton Keeley Elementary in March for “Make Music Month” ~100 students.

Total instrument petting zoos: 15!

Photos from 2023-2024



2022-2023 summary

34 events total

  • At least 29 different schools/groups
  • Elementary, Middle, and High Schools
  • Columbia organizations and community events
  • Over 1,000 students reached

Fall 2022: 20 events including:

  • Petting zoo at Locust Street Elementary Fall Festival, ~150 students
  • Cello/Tuba at Parkade Elementary, ~50 students
  • Percussion at Hickman, Alton, Bloomington, Camdenton High Schools, and Holman and Saeger Middle Schools, ~500 students
  • Choir at Rock Bridge High School, ~50 students
  • Viola at Children’s School at Stephens College, ~30 students

Spring 2023: 14 events including:

  • Cello and Tuba at Jefferson Middle, ~40 students
  • Percussion at Poplar Bluff High and Elliot Battle Elementary, ~80 students
  • Jazz assembly and trombone at Gentry Middle, ~150 students
  • Violin at Children’s House Montessori, ~50 students
  • Cello and Flute at La Petite Ecole, ~40 students
  • Jazz ensemble at Gentry Middle School ~100 students
  • Petting Zoo in collaboration with Compass Inc., ~100 participants

Photos from 2022-2023



2021-2022 summary

16 events total
Fall 2021: 4 events, ~100 students

  • Guitarist at Jefferson Middle and Douglass High School
  • Choir class at West Middle School

Spring 2022: 12 events , ~300 students

  • Smithton Middle School vocal performance
  • Trumpet at the Children’s School at Stephens College
  • Clarinet at La Petite Ecole
  • Piano at City Garden School
  • Percussion at Paxton Keeley Elementary School’s Culture Night
  • Saxophone Quartet and Jazz Assembly at Gentry Middle School
  • Cello at Jefferson Middle and Douglass High School
  • Percussion at Locust Street Expressive Arts Academy
  • Percussion at Grant Elementary School
  • Glee Club at West Middle School


2020-2021 summary

9 virtual outreach events at 8 schools:

  • Smithton Middle School
  • Beulah Ralph Elementary School
  • Rock Bridge Elementary School
  • La Petite Ecole
  • Boys and Girls Club of Columbia
  • Locust Street Expressive Arts School
  • Eliot Battle Elementary School
  • Lewis and Clark Middle School

Outreach and Petting Zoo Mission Statement

The Paul D. Higday Mozart Outreach Concert Series seeks to provide the youth of Columbia, Missouri opportunities to experience live music of great composers. The Higday Instrument Petting Zoo expands upon that mission by giving as many students as possible hands-on experience in a supervised environment to play and try musical instruments, to potentially incorporate music-making into their lives.