Feature
Hitting the High Notes
Grammy-winning soprano Hila Plitmann is embracing fearlessness, reinvention, and joy in Mueller, her new home.
This content was created in partnership with Thinkery.
On any given day in Mueller, curiosity is everywhere. Children test ideas, ask questions, and discover on their own. Long before benchmarks or career paths appear, these moments shape how children think, solve problems, and begin to see themselves as capable learners.
At Thinkery, curiosity is the starting point for every experience.
Located in the heart of Mueller and welcoming families from across the Austin area, Thinkery is a hands-on children’s museum where learning happens through play. Children move from tinkering with simple machines in the Innovators’ Workshop to exploring light and color in the Light Lab. Each experience is designed to spark imagination, encourage exploration, and make learning fun and meaningful.
STEAM Learning
Through play-based STEAM learning, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math, children engage with these disciplines as connected ways of thinking rather than separate subjects. They investigate the world around them, use technology to design and test ideas, apply engineering principles to hands-on challenges, express ideas creatively, and use math to reason and solve problems.
We do not teach subjects in isolation,” says Alexa Clavijo, Senior Play & Learning Manager at Thinkery. “STEAM is a mindset. It is about creativity, problem solving, and making connections to real life.”
Thinkery’s exhibits and programs invite children to take risks, ask questions, and learn through trial and error. Spaces are intentionally designed so every child feels welcome and empowered. Children work with real tools, including scissors, cardboard cutters, robotics kits, and circuit blocks, transforming ideas into tangible creations and building confidence as they learn how things work.
Play Builds Skills for Life
Play is not a break from learning. It is how learning happens. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, play supports physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development while strengthening executive function and problem-solving skills. Research from LEGO Education shows that hands-on learning is more engaging and effective than traditional instruction.
When adults encourage curiosity through play, children practice decision making, collaboration, communication, and adaptability. These skills extend far beyond childhood and remain valuable no matter how technology or careers evolve. At Thinkery, play is the foundation for developing these lifelong abilities.
Balancing Exploration and Structure
Finding the right balance between open-ended exploration and guided learning can be a challenge for caregivers. At Thinkery, the two work together. Open-ended experiences allow children to follow their interests, while educator guidance, thoughtful prompts, and intentionally designed spaces deepen learning.
Caregivers are encouraged to participate by observing, narrating, and extending play at home. These shared experiences strengthen family connections and reinforce the idea that learning can be enjoyable, ongoing, and accessible.
Learning for Every Child
Thinkery primarily serves children from birth through age 11, but its play-based approach supports a wide range of learners. Children engage at their own pace, develop social and cognitive skills, and learn alongside peers. Neurodivergent children and those with different learning styles are encouraged to follow their interests and take the lead in their learning experiences.
Supporting Families and Educators
Caregivers are essential partners in learning, and Thinkery offers a welcoming space beyond home and school where families can play and learn together. Recognizing that play is learning helps relieve the pressure to create perfect activities. Simple moments, like stacking blocks or exploring balance, support language development and strengthen family bonds.
Thinkery also extends its impact through the STEAM Learning Institute, which partners with educators, researchers, and community organizations to study play-based, child-centered learning. This work supports professional development and brings innovative, inclusive approaches to classrooms and learning spaces across Central Texas.
At Thinkery, every visit invites children to explore, invent, and learn. The 40,000-square-foot museum offers hands-on exhibits and other programs, including family nights, field trips, and birthday celebrations. As part of the LEGO Playful Learning Museum Network, Thinkery draws on global research to ensure experiences remain engaging and relevant for all children.
Visit Thinkery in Mueller to explore exhibits, join programs, and celebrate learning through play. To learn more about Thinkery memberships, which include free general admission, exclusive benefits, and flexible options for families of any size, visit www.thinkeryaustin.org.
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When Grammy-winning soprano Hila Plitmann speaks, it feels like poetry. Her words feel like a song, much like the music that has defined her life. Now a proud resident of Mueller, Plitmann is entering a new chapter of her life, grounded in creativity, connection, and courage.
Born in Jerusalem, Israel, Plitmann grew up in a family of intellectuals and artists who were a loving mix of science and spirit. Her father, a professor of botany, brought the family to Austin for a sabbatical when she was just seven years old. This adventure changed the trajectory of her entire life. “I barely spoke a word of English when we arrived,” she recalls. “But by the time we left, I was a full-fledged Austinite. Something about this city just touched my heart. Even at that age, I felt a spark here, like it was the place I was meant to be.”
That early taste of Austin left a permanent mark. Though she returned to Israel for her schooling, the memory of that magical year stayed with her. By that time, music, too, had found its way into her heart. “I was always a screamer and a singer,” she laughs. “Very dramatic, center of attention kind of kid. I started piano at six, joined my first children’s choir at nine. It was always music. There was no question.”
A Young Leading Lady
At 13, Plitmann landed a three-month lead role in a production of The Turn of the Screw with the Israeli Opera. That performance turned out to be life changing. Leonard Bernstein came to one of the shows. That encounter had a huge influence on the arts in Israel—and on Plitmann. By 18, she had performed with the Israeli Philharmonic, singing a Bernstein piece.
Her journey then took her across the world, when American vocal coach Daniel Ferro encouraged her to audition for Juilliard. With help from her beloved grandmother, her angel and greatest supporter, she landed a spot and moved to New York City. “Juilliard was intense and magical. I did both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees there,” she says. “It was a world of endless possibility.”
From there, Plitmann’s path became one of serendipity, talent, and collaboration. She married and moved to Los Angeles, where she dove deep into the world of contemporary classical music. Working closely with living composers became her niche and her passion.
‘That Moment Changed Everything’
One of those composers was David Del Tredici, a Pulitzer Prize winner and Juilliard professor. The two formed a musical kinship. When he was commissioned to write The Spider and the Fly for the New York Philharmonic, he recommended Plitmann for the soprano role. Though the orchestra initially passed on her, fate intervened. Two weeks before the premiere, the original singer dropped out, and Plitmann stepped in. “I was 25, and that moment changed everything,” she says. “It was the launching pad of my career.”
Another career-defining collaboration came in her early 30s with composer John Corigliano. He had written a piece for another soprano, but when she turned it down, he sought out Plitmann instead. The result was Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems of Bob Dylan, which Plitmann premiered with the Minnesota and Buffalo Philharmonics. The recording won multiple Grammys, including one for Plitmann for Best Classical Vocal Performance.
Her second Grammy came in 2018, working alongside fellow Austin-based artist and soul sister Sangeeta Kaur. The collaboration was led by composer Danaë Xanthe Vlasse, and though the second album in the series (Mythologies) didn’t win, it earned another Grammy nomination.
At Home in Mueller
After years of performing on world stages, Plitmann found herself drawn back to the place that first sparked her dreams—Austin. In April 2024, she moved back full time. By August, she had landed in Mueller, where she instantly felt at home. “There’s something so thoughtful about how this community was planned,” she says. “Between the farmers market, the lake, and the colorful social scene. It’s so vibrant and inviting. But what I love most is the people. There’s this grounded, open energy. I didn’t expect to feel this sense of connection so quickly.”
That spirit of connection has also blossomed in her personal life. In 2019, she met her partner, Todd, whom she describes as “falling from the sky right into my heart.” Their relationship is rooted in intention, reflection, and a shared love of creativity. She’s even become the executive producer of his podcast.
“This is a season of discovering myself in new ways,” she says. “I’ve started writing my own pieces, co-producing, and learning to speak from a place of self-power that I didn’t always recognize.” And while her professional accolades are remarkable, Plitmann says her greatest accomplishment is the joy she feels witnessing her son live his own authentic, thoughtful life.
“I’ve done a lot of work on myself,” she reflects. “I have begun releasing control, trusting in the essential goodness of life, and finding the sacred in the everyday,” she says. “Seeing those values reflected back in my son is the most gratifying thing I’ve experienced.”
Now, as she enters this next chapter in the city that once captivated her seven-year-old heart, Plitmann is embracing fearlessness, reinvention, and joy. “There’s been a charmed quality to my life,” she says, “and I don’t take any of it for granted. I continue to practice gratitude every day. I’m learning to try new things, to see the beauty in what I once overlooked. There’s so much more to come. I feel like after all these years, I have finally found my voice. ”