Today we’d like to introduce you to Sophia Hardesty.
Hi Sophia, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Hi I’m Sophia Hardesty, Owner of Naptown Sings and Plays! I created Naptown Sings and Plays! to foster a love of music in children in the Annapolis area. My motto is “Modern Music Education Done Right,” because we teach students proper music techniques through the music they love.
I’ve had music in my soul since birth, and probably education, too. Even as a toddler, I corrected my mom when she sang Twinkle Twinkle “wrong.” My love of music turned into three music degrees, including one in Classical Voice, and both a Bachelors and Masters degree in Music Education. In addition, I have worked extensively in the music world: from Promotions at DC101 Radio, to Jazz and Sales at The Kennedy Center, to Stage Managing at DC rock shows. I also have six years under my belt as a Vocal/General Music Teacher in Prince Georges County Public Schools.
I knew I didn’t want to be a classical singer by the time I graduated from the University of Maryland, School of Music. It wasn’t the life for me. I didn’t want to live in hotels, wandering the country and world. I wanted to have a home base. Ironically, I married a touring musician, who lives on the road for half the year with a cult following of fans. I get to cheer him on and fly out to see him, while staying rooted in my own community. Check out the band Bumpin’ Uglies when you have a chance, and go ahead and laugh at the name.
Through the trials and errors of music jobs, it was education that hooked me. Realizing I could show kids how to love music as much as I do was inspiring. While teaching music in public schools, a friend asked me to teach private lessons in his music school. I had a lot of success directing pop songs in my school choirs. In fact, our choirs won awards for them. I took my own idea for a pop glee club in the music studio and ran with it. I always wanted to sing pop music as a kid, but there weren’t outlets for it in the 90s. Classical was the way. In fact, in the Classical world, you are discouraged from singing Pop music. The thing is, kids are either going to yell out songs no matter what. You can teach them how to do it right in an age-appropriate way, or let them yell til their vocal cords hurt. I chose the former.
I knew nothing about marketing when I started 12 years ago. I put flyers up in Potbelly and I had no more than two members for a year. Then I had 4. Then 4 turned in to 6 which turned into 12, and I had my first full glee club. The program was special, blending both group singing and private instructions into one comprehensive program. Students had autonomy, picking the group songs and their solos, duets or trios together.
From there, the numbers multiplied. I started an additional glee club. Eventually, my friend asked me to find my own space, and thus, Naptown Sings and Plays! was born. I rented a 350 sq ft room, squished 20 students in it, and I had a music school. Since I had the space, I expanded my programs: private lessons, baby music classes, homeschool classes, summer camps and musical birthday parties! The possibilities for music education were endless.
By 2018, I quit my public school job, moved out of my small space, and rented my own, 2000 sq ft space off of West St. in Annapolis. I was a full-fledged music school. I painted my new space bright colors, built a stage and stuffed the studio with pianos, ukuleles, drums, percussion instruments and vintage furniture. I learned how to systemize, market, scale, and grow.
This is where we reside today, with up to 500 students at any given time, programs that are leveled from birth through adulthood, and an absolute dream come true.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Can any entrepreneur say it was a smooth road? Haha! For me, no.
I chose to grow steady and slow, holding my public school job until the business was sustainable. It was a lot of work, and often involved crippling anxiety, but I made it through every bump in the road.
Then, the pandemic hit. Within a couple days, I converted my entire business from an in-person school to a fully virtual business. I researched and taught my teachers best practices for online learning, and we pivoted. There was nothing else to do during that time, so our families loyally signed on with us each week, to make music and joy during a challenging time.
It’s wild to think, but the time after the pandemic was more challenging than the pandemic itself. My daughter, my second child, was born the weekend the world opened back up: Memorial Weekend of 2021. My business jumped from around 200 to 500 students almost overnight. I thought I had it covered, that I could take a remote maternity leave and manage the business from home, but that didn’t happen. My staff started calling out and ghosting in record numbers. They weren’t prepared to meet the demands of real life so quickly. Were any of us? The weight of responsibility on me to manage the influx of students with a newborn in tow, a husband on tour, and irregular daycare, was crushing. I almost lost myself in post-partum depression and a diagnosis of Crohn’s disease during that time, but I pulled myself and my business out of the hole, slowly, until business and I thrived again. I hired and slowly trained trustworthy manager, who is still with me today. I developled strong systems for call-outs and built a sub list. I also got myself therapy and anti-anxiety medicine, taught myself wellness, and learned a new way of living to be able to combat my new challenges.
Those were the dark years, but now, in 2025, I feel so much bliss and satisfaction daily. My business and I were tested, we survived and came out stronger.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My business specializes in providing unique, inspiring and modern music experiences for babies through adults. We are experts in teaching music to kids. We are not a chain or a factory. We are a community of music lovers. Every staff member holds the same philosophy as me and each experience is tailored to our students’ interests, even the birthday parties!
My signature program at Naptown Sings and Plays! is Glee. Music schools across the country have adopted my format and approach, which combines choir and solo singing into a well-rounded singing experience using the music kids love. I have also developed curriculums for my early music classes that are exactly the music experiences I would have wanted as a child, and that I wanted for my own kids. Mom-owned is best, because our students are like our own children.
I’m most proud of the staff training I’ve implemented in recent years. I’ve come up with best practices for each program and have figured out how to show my staff how to teach according to our philosophy. It is the forefront of everything we do.
There are two things that set us apart:
1) Our programs are leveled, so kids can start in music class as a baby and continue until they graduate high school. After 12 years in business, we have students who started in baby music class who are now in our top gigging Glee Clubs. We have former students who now teach for us, and students whom have gone off to college to pursue music. It is SO rewarding.
2) The personalization that we give to each student. They best way to hook a student is by giving them autonomy in their learning. It as an autonomy that enhances the learning process, but does not sacrifice the integrity of high-quality music learning.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
You can register for lessons and classes at any time during the year, and we offer FREE trials on our group classes! Check out our website at naptownsings.com or follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/naptownsings) or Instagram(instagram.com/naptown_sings).
Pricing:
- Musikgarten: $92-99/mo
- Private Lessons: $170/mo
- Glee: $315-$365 per semester
- Summer Camps: $355 per camp plus before and after care
- Birthday Parties: $400 per party
Contact Info:
- Website: https://naptownsings.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naptown_sings
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/naptownsings
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophia-hardesty-532b04143?trk=people-guest_people_search-card
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sophiahardesty7814
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/naptown-sings-and-plays-annapolis
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@naptownsings
