Orchestra sends musicians into schools

Apr 21

Orchestra sends musicians into schools

By OSEYE T. BOYD • oboyd@muncie.gannett.com • April 21, 2009

MUNCIE -- The music room at Heritage Hall Christian School was transformed into a small concert hall last week.

Mesmerized, students in Aaron Whisler's music class watched as Muncie Symphony Orchestra's string quartet performed just for them. They made it look so easy.

"That is so cool," one student blurted out when the quartet demonstrated how to perform a tremolo.

For 20 years, MSO's graduate string quartet and woodwind quartet have brought live performances to East Central Indiana music classrooms. MSO received a grant that will allow them to add a group of brass instruments next year, Executive Director Elissa McDonald said.

The woodwind quartet performs on Tuesday mornings and the string quartet on Wednesday mornings. MSO contacts music teachers for the free weekly performances, which are booked rather quickly, McDonald said. Today will mark the last performance of the school year.

Last week's string quartet consisted of two violins, a viola and a cello. The performance also included lessons on different styles of playing such as legato, staccato and vibrato, as well as which composers were known for each style.

"All the programs are all geared to the Indiana music standardsso while the kids don't really know it, they're actually learning something," McDonald said. "Some studies show that students who study the arts do better on the SAT and they get better grades."

The knowledge and skill the musicians displayed to students in Whisler's class was impressive, students said.

"It wowed me," said seventh-grader Tyler Jefferis, a trumpet player who also is learning to play guitar.

The enthusiasm the students have toward the performance makes playing for them fun, violinist Irene Stroh said. Also, it's interesting to see the different levels of knowledge in students, Stroh added.

The exposure to professional musicians is priceless, Whisler said. The performances also keep Whisler on his toes, since he often uses information from the musicians to gauge his lessons.

"That's one of the things they've really done well is make it educational," Whisler said.

 

 

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Contact news reporter Oseye T. Boyd at 213-5830.

In Your Voice

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anysense wrote:

How wonderful this program is still being offered. Who knows what students have been inspired to take up a musical instrument. Surely more than a few who seldom, if ever, would have this exposure have a better appreciation and respect for the talent and effort to be a musician. I hope this will continue many more years and funding will continue to be available.
4/21/2009 8:59:49 AM