Blog

Your Instruments have Arrived!

Students at Nesin Cultural Arts are excited with the arrival of their new instruments!

A student with Nesin Cultural Arts holds his new instrument.

A student with Nesin Cultural Arts receives her new instrument.

A student with Nesin Cultural Arts with his new instrument.

Playing with Holiday Spirit

“Recently Shenandoah Valley Academy had their Christmas pops concert including the beautiful bass that they received from CFKF. We’re so grateful”

A student from Shenandoah Valley Academy plays a bass purchased through a grant with CFKF.

Excited about learning to play an instrument!

Testimonies from ArtPlus’s Project Harmony Program:
https://www.artsplus.org/

Jessica Lindsey, Project Harmony Lead Winds Instructor:

“Project Harmony at West Sugar Creek is on its way to becoming a full-fledged symphony orchestra! Right now we are a group young people who are excited about learning to play an instrument and learning to work together as musicians. Especially with additional support of student interns and student volunteers the students have already learned a lot about the culture of playing in an orchestra: the ways in which we encourage each other by listening and giving applause; how we begin and end musical sounds together; and the importance of order and following the directions of the conductor(s).”

Rebecca Ray, Project Harmony Lead Strings Instructor:

“I am excited to witness the growth and size of our Project Harmony site this year. We have a group of 18 aspiring violinists and cellists! They were eager to learn from the very beginning and I have seen each one of them succeed in the following areas: learning bow holds, learning how to hold their instruments in rest position and playing position, properly caring for instruments, and working as a team.

 

The second year students are a source of inspiration to the new string students. Just last week, I witnessed several second year students patiently giving guidance to the new students on how to sit properly in orchestra and how to hold their bow.”

Neighborhood Strings make music together

Neighborhood Strings is an El-Sistema inspired, community-based program of the Worcester Chamber Music Society (WCMS) that offers free music lessons in violin, viola and cello to youth from Worcester’s Downtown and Main South neighborhoods. The program provides affordable, high-quality arts education, fosters family involvement, and is open and accessible to the neighborhoods. Youth learn to make music together with musicians and friends from the WCMS. In the process, they discover a creative outlet that hones life skills like discipline, cooperation, imagination, and leadership. Teachers work to forge strong relationships with students that strengthen WCMS’s ties to the community. The focus is not just on the child as a musician, but the child as a citizen and a contributing member of society.

https://worcesterchambermusic.org/neighborhood-strings

November 4, 2018, Music on Main concert, Neighborhood Strings

November 4, 2018, Music on Main concert, Neighborhood Strings

November 8, 2019, Music on Main concert, Neighborhood Strings

November 8, 2019, Music on Main concert, Neighborhood Strings

Making instruments! (Neighborhood Strings)

Making instruments! (Neighborhood Strings)

Southern Dallas Residency

Highlights from the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s new program, Young Musicians, as part of the organization’s Southern Dallas Residency. https://www.mydso.com/

VIDEO HIGHLIGHT:
Young Musicians performing with DSO Musicians at our recent Annual Meeting

VIDEO HIGHLIGHT:
Young Musicians Program Summer Camps

In Dallas, the ultimate goal of Young Musicians is to provide every student in Southern Dallas, regardless of the school they attend, with the opportunity to learn and excel at their chosen instrument. This will be done by continuing to develop programs in a growing number of sites spread across the southern region of the city.

 

Excited to be learning!

From the Vanderveer Park Program:  “Thanks to the Classics for Kids Foundation, we were able to start our new violin/strings program in May 2019.  We now have six students who participate in a group lesson on Saturdays.  They love it and are excited to be learning a new instrument.  There are also four children on the waiting list so we hope to extend this in the future.”

Excited students in the Vanderveer Park program.

Excited students in the Vanderveer Park program.