Special Initiatives
Strings for Kids, Year Two
2009-2010
Artspace Community Arts Center, Greenfield MA
Artspace Community Arts Center has begun its second year of String for Kids - free, weekly, group violin lessons for 3rd and 4th graders in the Greenfield Public Schools.
In Year One, Sept. 08-June 09, 43 third graders began the program. By June 09 we had 32 students. Of those, 17 will continue their study in 4th grade. Currently, there are 39 third graders registered for SFK lessons in the fall. We will recruit students again – 3rd and 4th graders – in September 2009. We expect to have 80 students in the 09-10 program. Artspace loans, free of charge, the violins for 3rd graders. We ask that 4th graders rent an instrument. Artspace will make sure that 4th graders, who cannot afford to rent, will have an instrument for the year.
Year Two Program Components: Weekly group lessons at four Greenfield schools, September 09 to June 2010 and Sunday ensembles; summer and school vacation intensives; a few summer group lessons; performances on Artspace student serenades and recitals, and at schools and nursing homes.
Summer String Intensive: In July 09, eight of seventeen SKF students who are continuing violin in 4th grade attended our summer string intensive – 5 days, M-F, 9 to noon each day. The intensive was free of charge to SFK students. Every student in attendance made a great deal of progress, especially those needing remedial help. We had 100 % attendance each day.
Summer Group Lessons – Continuing SFK students were invited to 3, one hour, free group lessons this summer.
Beginning Violin Intensive: In Aug. 09, Artspace sponsored a free string intensive for our new SFK students. Sixteen of the 39 new 3rd grade SFK students attended. The program was most successful – 100% attendance each day. The program gave us an opportunity to get to know parents and their young violinists. The Beginning Violin Intensive will become an important part of the SFK program.
Group Lessons/School Year: Weekly group lessons (5 in a group) for 3rd graders will begin in September at Federal Street School as part of the 21st Century After School Program; at Newton Elementary School as part of the Expanded Learning Time Program; at Four Corners Elementary School as part of the after school program; and 4th graders at the Greenfield Middle School as part of the Expanded Learning Time program. We will add Sunday afternoon ensembles here at Artspace so that students will have the opportunity to play with many students, to play in parts, to enhance their performance skills, and to reinforce what is learned in lessons.
NEED: Music, music, music! Pride, Pride Pride! That is what SFK is all about. Greenfield is a poor community with a large portion of the student population receiving free or reduced cost lunches. Music is a life skill. Once you learn the basics, you can continue to make music the rest of your life. Music = Life-Long Pleasure as a maker of music or a listener of music. And music helps to develop your brain, too.
QUALIFICATIONS: Marie-Michel Beauparlant and Cecilia Berger are the two Artspace faculty members who will teach in the Strings for Kids program. Cecilia taught in the program last year. Marie-Michel is new to us this year. She is replacing Anna Wetherby who taught in the SFK program last year and is in Scotland this year pursuing her Masters Degree.
Cecilia Berger – Violin & Viola. B.M., Violin Performance, Lawrence University, WI; M.M. Violin Performance, Bowling Green State University, OH. Member of Pioneer Valley Symphony and Commonwealth Opera Orchestra.
Marie-Michel Beauparlant – Cello, Violin. M.M. Cello Performance, Rice University, Tanglewood Music Center Fellow. Teaching experience includes private studio, beginning string ensembles, Montreal Music Conservatory & Amherst College.
Artspace has worked with schools for over 30 years. Most recently we collaborated with two Greenfield Elementary Schools to create a visual arts curriculum to enhance the Adopt a Salmon science program. For 12 years, we worked with elementary school art and classroom teachers to create visual arts curriculum in conjunction with an annual artist-in-residence.
NUMBER SERVED/IMPACT: projected total of 80 students and their families. Students will have an in-depth music experience, learning to read notation and rhythm and to perform on the violin.
EVALUATION: Feedback from classroom teachers, parents and students will help us gather information to evaluate the program. Student progress – what they have learned – will be the strongest component of the evaluation. Evaluation is on going through student practice logs, lesson progress and participation in other SFK free educational opportunities.
PLAN FOR FULLY FUNDING/SUSTAINING PROJECT: Artspace plans to be involved in the Strings for Kids program until June of 2012. We expect that the Greenfield Public Schools will increase their funding each year and will own the program by the fall of 2012.
SUPPORTING STRINGS FOR KIDS: If you would like to financially support Artspace’s efforts to build a public school string program, contact Mary Kay at Artspace, 413-772-6811. Our projected budget for 09-10 is $41,000.
FUNDING FOR PROGRAM
In the 08-09 school year SFK was funded by many individuals and by Ronald McDonald House Charities, The Music Angel, Greenfield Savings Bank, The Art Angels, NCS Pearson, Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, Greenfield Public Schools, TD Banknorth Charitable Foundation, and the Greenfield Local Cultural Council a local agency that is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.