Monstrous Music Masquerade

Leslie Hall was born and raised in Ames, Iowa.  After attending art school out east she returned to Ames to be in a town where she could be creative full time and support her community with all the crazy things she’s learned through the years.

While in art school Leslie learned about the visual arts but turns out performance and music became the successful tools for her to express her art and creative ideas.  Leslie is known on the internet for wacky music videos with homemade costumes and fun silly lyrics about dancing in gold pants.

When Leslie isn’t working she is back to painting or sewing.  She once made a quilted coat that gets so many winks from strangers she had to wear it inside out.

Leslie is excited to work with kids and keep the midwest boredom at bay by creating art and fun with children.

Born and raised in the Quad Cities, Sophia Pike showed an early aptitude for story telling through singing and instruments. Music became a huge part of her life and identity, so it was easy to choose as a college major!

College brought her to Ames, IA, where she studied music education at Iowa State University, focusing on voice, but also continuing to foster her love of instruments through various ensembles, playing percussion and bass trombone. She truly found her passion for voice in performing, lessons, and pedagogy; and especially loved getting into the nitty gritty of why the mechanism works the way it does and how to support it through healthy technique. 

When not getting nerdy about vocal technique and anatomy, Sophia enjoys simply fostering a love of music with her students of all backgrounds and levels of expertise. She loves introducing students to music of all genres and styles to establish a well-rounded musical palate, while nurturing a love of making musical sounds!

Sophia is so excited to help students make all kinds of wacky instruments and learn to make noises that we hope will be harmonious (to someone’s ears), while re-writing fun and quirky monstrous words to familiar tunes students may have heard again this year!

Last summer, our studio transformed into an enchanted realm of unicorns and dragons, where young performers didn’t just put on a show — they created one from the ground up. Campers became storytellers, actors, singers, designers, and builders as they invented an original tale together using imaginative fill-in-the-blank storytelling that sparked nonstop laughter and creativity.

Throughout the week, students brought their magical world to life by crafting their own costumes (yours to keep!), designing handmade set pieces, and learning stage skills in a supportive, beginner-friendly environment. Along the way, they developed confidence, teamwork, and performance skills while rehearsing songs set to famous classical melodies with brand-new lyrics tailored to their story — a fun and engaging introduction to great music that didn’t feel like “learning” at all.

The adventure culminated in a joyful live performance for family and friends, proudly presented at our studio and recorded so the magic could be shared long after the final bow. Families loved seeing their children light up on stage, collaborate with new friends, and grow in confidence — which is why so many campers return year after year.

It’s more than a camp — it’s a week of imagination, creativity, music, laughter, and unforgettable memories.