For Paige Doughty and Jeff Kagan, composing and performing the Community Foundation’s 25th anniversary song was a first.
For Paige Doughty and Jeff Kagan, composing and performing the Community Foundation’s 25th anniversary song was a first.
“When the foundation commissioned us, I wasn’t sure what we were getting into,” laughs Paige. “But it ended up being very special. Getting a sense of what a community foundation does, and learning about the foundation’s scope of work over the past 25 years, was truly inspiring.”
The award-winning, husband-wife duo brings science and nature to life through original music, storytelling and interactive play. Important concepts like energy conversation are delivered playfully, with memorable musical hooks that captivate children and adults alike. Performing at school assemblies, nature centers, museums, birthday parties and community events, Paige and Jeff also use props, costumes and choreography to ensure their concerts are as entertaining as they are educational.
“This project put us back in touch with the philanthropic side of what we do,” adds Paige. “It’s important not to lose sight of why we do what we do. I think it’s wonderful that the Community Foundation was willing to do something fun and silly as a way of remembering the humanity that underlies its important programs and initiatives.”
Paige and Jeff especially enjoyed the challenge of gathering information and learning about the work of the foundation.
“I write 10 to 15 songs a year, usually in the realm of science and nature,” says Jeff, who met Paige in grad school where they both studied environmental education. “To encapsulate the work of the Community Foundation was a unique assignment. The more we understood the role and accomplishments of the organization and its grantees, the more inspired we became.
“The goal was to work the history of the foundation into a simple song structure that’s fun to listen to.” We think you’ll agree, the Community Foundation’s 25th anniversary song is just that. Take a listen.
