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Missouri State University’s Music Department begins the 9th annual String Project this month. Second and third grade students around the Springfield area will be taught through a series of classes how to play the violin, viola or cello. KSMU’s Julie Greene has the story.
The String Project is taught by MSU music students under the direction of master teachers Elizabeth Johnston and Rosanna Corbett.
Johnston is the orchestra teacher at Pershing Middle School and has been involved with the String Project since it began. Aside from helping elementary students learn an instrument, the project also helps MSU’s student teachers.
“We give them the opportunity to teach classes in a safe environment under the guidance of experienced teachers so that if they do make errors or mistakes, someone is there right beside them to say ‘Hey, let’s try it this way,’ or maybe ‘Great job, you did this well,’” Johnston said.
Since the String Project’s formation, Johnston has seen several of her former students excel.
“I am very pleased to say I’ve seen a lot of our students become leaders in their orchestras, and I’ve also seen a lot of our students go on to be members of some of the youth orchestras in town. We even have several students that are now in the Springfield Youth Symphony that were kids that started out in String project.”
At the end of the project, students have the option of performing in a recital to showcase their newly developed skills.
The sessions begin September 23. For more information about the project, Pershing Middle School and Rountree Elementary will be hosting informational meetings on September 18 at 4 p.m.
For KSMU News, I’m Julie Greene.