A dramatic backdrop at Ochre Court for some seriously dramatic chamber music by Mendelssohn, Maconchy and Dvorak. Heartfelt thanks again to our fabulous collaborators - Kate, Ashley, Colin, Zan and Megan! Thanks to Morgan Macia for his terrific pictures of the occasion!
On Sunday January 29th 2017, the Newport String Project will present perennial favorite Mendelssohn’s Octet for Strings in the vibrant setting of Ochre Court at Salve Regina University. The concert brings together a dynamic group of musicians working at the leading edge of socially engaged chamber music in Rhode Island and beyond. The program also features Antonin Dvorak’s folk-tinged Miniatures for Two Violins and Viola and Elizabeth Maconchy’s atmospheric String Quartet No 3. The concert is presented in partnership with Salve Regina University and begins at 3.00pm at Ochre Court.
Suggested Donation $10, $25 and $50+
All proceeds support the performance and educational programming of the Newport String Project.
With the first Community Barndance of the year right around the corner, the connections between music and dance are especially on our minds this week.
Researchers from the International Laboratory for Brain, Music, and Sound Research in Montreal, Canada recently set out to compare and contrast the neurological changes within the brain that training in music and dance produce.
Happily, there is plenty of research already out there to support the idea that learning a musical instrument strengthens and builds neural pathways - specifically in the corpus callosum, the area that connects the two hemispheres of the brain. We especially love the metaphor of fireworks going off in your brain. All good news for our young music students at the MLK Center! By comparison, research about the impact of dance on the brain is more scarce.
This recent Montreal study used sophisticated brain imaging techniques which revealed fascinating differences in the white matter structure of musicians and dancers. For dancers, the sets of connections in the white matter were more diffuse and broad. Musicians had the same connections which were stronger, less diffuse and showed more coherence in their fiber bundles.
As lead author Chiara Giacosa explains, "This suggests that dance and music training affect the brain in opposite directions, increasing global connectivity and crossing of fibers in dance training, and strengthening specific pathways in music training,”
These differences might be explained by the dancer's use of the "whole body" which may encourage the fibers to cross over and spread out, whereas musicians tend to focus on specific body parts which encourages very specific cortical activity in the brain.
For more on this research, head over HERE.
So the evidence of benefits of training in music and dance is incredibly compelling - you might say it's a "no-brainer"...
Thanks to the success of our 100 Gifts Matching Grant Challenge, it is with heartfelt delight that we welcome violinist/violist Josie Davis to the Newport String Project as Associate Musician! An accomplished chamber musician dedicated to exploring the ways that music can engage people from diverse backgrounds, Josie will join the team as a teaching artist at the MLK Center and will also perform on our chamber music series. Welcome Josie!
Josie Davis began her musical studies at the age of six with Janet Ciano and Gilda Joffe. She received her undergraduate degrees in violin and sociology at Oberlin College and Conservatory where she was a student of David Bowlin. She has participated in various music festivals including the Bowdoin International Music Festival, New York University’s String Quartet Seminar, the Juilliard String Quartet Seminar, the Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Festival, and has appeared with her sister on NPR’s From the Top. Josie has performed in a wide-range of venues from Carnegie Hall to the Monte Music Festival in India. She is committed to using music as a way to connect with people of different cultures and backgrounds and has taught music to children in Panama and India. Josie is currently participating in a two-year fellowship program at Community MusicWorks in Rhode Island where she performs regularly and teaches a full studio of students. Outside of music, she loves cooking, hiking, pottery, and sailing along the coast of Maine.
The fun thing about Year 4 is that some events are becoming a tradition! This was our fourth time bringing students to play at Trinity Church's wonderful Pumpkin Patch event - since that first year, their musicianship has blossomed as has their enthusiasm for the event!
This year, the performance took place on Hallowe'en eve. The students were thrilled to present some scary classics for the occasion - their spooky variations on Hot Cross Buns (renamed Hot Cross Bones for this occasion by student Diego), a fall-themed version of Twinkle Twinkle and finally a piece called Halloween with a suitably screechy section...
As the grown-ups witnessing their progress, perhaps the most memorable moments were before and after the performance. As the students warmed-up before the performance - they displayed so much focus and intention, asking for last minute tips on tricky sections, helping each other by playing it through together "one more time" for practice. The generosity, warmth and kindness in their contented, excited banter was tangible.
Green room silliness
Emmy even wore a Hallowe'en costume!
After the performance, there was plenty of banter too. One student could be heard saying "Well, I made a few mistakes but I just tried to blend in..." and another student cheerfully responded with, "Oh, you did a great job - I was standing right next to you and I didn't hear anything!"
The day wouldn't be complete without taking advantage of the photobooth complete with haystacks and picket fence.
As the young musicians staggered off with their larger-than-life congratulatory pumpkins, fragments of singing and humming could be heard drifting around the patch...
With the help of beautiful music-making from our dear friends and colleagues Heath Marlow (cello) and Tanya Maggi (viola), the Newport String Project launched Season Four by bringing a string quartet out and about in Newport. Highlights were bringing the quartet to visit students at the MLK Center, pop-up performances of Haydn and Schubert as part of the Broadway Street Fair and warmly received concerts at St Mary's Church Portsmouth and the Newport Art Museum... (Special thanks to Thomas Palmer and Piero Guimaraes for the images)
A huge thank you to Don Farias for these wonderful images from our fourth paper violin making workshop. The newest class of young musicians are off to a wonderful start - congratulations to all the students (and grown-ups)!
We are beyond thrilled to announce the details of the opening performance week of our fourth season!
After a blissful and productive rehearsal retreat at the Avaloch Farm Music Institute, we are busily putting the final polishing touches on a program of string quartets by Haydn and Schubert. The program will also feature some atmospheric duos for two violins by Icelandic composer Hildigunnur Runnarsdottir alongside some Bartok favorites!
There are several opportunities to catch us in action this week!
OPEN REHEARSAL at Salve Regina University, Thursday October 6th, 1-3pm. Admission is free.
POP-UP PERFORMANCE at the Broadway Street Fair at Empire Coffee, Saturday October 8th (Early afternoon)
PREVIEW CONCERT at St Mary's Church Portsmouth, Saturday October 8th, 7pm. Tickets $20, available at the door.
SEASON OPENING CONCERT AT THE NEWPORT ART MUSEUM, Sunday October 9th, 4pm. Tickets available here.
We look forward to seeing you there!
-EmmaLee and Ealain
"Hey have you heard what's happenin' here today?
It's the Newport Community Garden...."
If you were passing by the Great Friends Meeting House last Friday, it would have been hard to miss a festive occasion unfolding. The grounds of the Meeting House is now home to Newport's first community garden thanks to a fabulous partnership of between Aquidneck Community Table, the MLK Center, the Newport Historical Society and a tireless team of community members.
Our students were honored to be invited to perform for the ribbon-cutting and launch ceremony. With violins in tow, our little group set off from the MLK Center. The journey was a brief one but the novelty of walking to the performance location wasn't lost on our excited mini-orchestra. MLK after-school teacher Miss Peggy even brought along an enthusiastic fan club of students from the after-school program to cheer on the young performers.
With the sunshine smiling down, the students opened with a rousing rendition of "Newport Community Garden" (sung to the tune of English Country Gardens) followed by several fiddle tunes. What a treat it was to play for such an attentive crowd of friends, families, teachers, community members and lots and lots of canine friends!
At the Newport String Project, our philosophy is that our youth programming is more than just violin lessons... We hope that our students learn that music gives us an opportunity to consider our place in the world and it is a powerful way to participate in making our community a vibrant and healthy place to be. As we practiced for the performance, we talked about the social justice ideas behind a community garden - healthy food, access, transforming public spaces - and that through music we can celebrate projects like the community garden. It was a beautiful opportunity for the students to play a melodious role in launching what will no doubt be an incredible resource for Newport in the years to come!
Congratulations to Aquidneck Community Table and many thanks to Tara Gragg for these images!
What a treat it was to have the whole crew together - students from all three years of the Newport String Project's existence! (The group is growing so big that we're already planning on rearranging the furniture next time to make more room!) For this concert, our most experienced students really pushed themselves to learn several pieces that incorporated some of the more advanced skills they've been learning this year. By popular vote, they also decided to play a few favorite tunes from earlier in the year. Meanwhile our first year student group included more kindergarteners than ever before! What a journey it has been from paper violins to their first performances with real instruments! We're so proud of you all....
In honor of the final concert of our THIRD season (!), here are just three reasons you won't want to miss our Season Finale...
And finally, one bonus reason you won't want to miss our Season Finale concert? The afternoon will open with a special performance by a plucky group of Newport String Project students.
CONCERT DETAILS
WHEN - June 5th at 3pm
WHERE - The Great Friends Meeting House
PROGRAM - Purcell Fantasias, Tchaikovsky String Quartet in D, Piazzolla Tango-Ballet
ADMISSION - Suggested donation $10, $25 or $50+ For reservations, call Newport Historical Society at 846-0813, ext 110 or email mdelaire@newporthistory.org
This April featured an exciting three-part string quartet residency that beautifully reflected how the Newport String Project’s mission is coming to life. Each event offered something a little different:
Students in action at the Aquidneck Growers' Market
STring Quartets by Gershwin, Schubert and Beethoven At greenvale vineyards
April is upon us and we're thrilled to announce details for three special events that are lined up as part of our upcoming quartet residency. We are delighted to be joined by guest musicians Annalisa Boerner (viola) and Lauren Latessa (cello) for a dynamic program of Beethoven op 18 no 1, Schubert Quartettsatz and Gershwin Lullaby. See below for complete event details:
THURSDAY APRIL 28th - Beethoven with Burgundy at Rough Point, Doors open at 5pm
Join us for the Newport String Project's first performance in the exquisite surroundings of Rough Point. This special event will feature a behind-the-notes, in-depth look at Beethoven's op 18 no 1, with time for all those questions you've been dying to ask about string quartets! Join us for wine and mingling before and after the music and learn more about the work of the Newport String Project and our plans for the future. Audience members will also be treated to a glimpse of some of the incredible rooms at Rough Point. Space is limited and ticket reservations are strongly recommended. Proceeds benefit the work of the Newport String Project. To reserve tickets, CLICK HERE
SATURDAY APRIL 30th - Quartets at the Aquidneck Growers Market, 9.00am-12.30pm
One of our goals is to bring chamber music to surprising places and hopefully bring a smile or two along the way. Pop-up performances can make vibrant live music accessible for all! On Saturday April 30th, you'll find us in the midst of delicious fruit and vegetables at the Aquidneck Grower's Market (indoor market is held at Newport Vineyards) where we'll have some treats for the ears. This event will feature a special appearance by our young violin and viola students at the MLK Center!
SATURDAY APRIL 30TH - Newport String Project at Greenvale Vineyards, 7pm
Join us for an evening of music in the beautiful surrounds of Greenvale Vineyards! With quartets by Beethoven, Schubert and Gershwin (and of course an opportunity to sample and purchase the vineyard's delicious offerings), it's sure to be an evening filled with the promise of spring. Suggestion donation $15, $25, $50+ All proceeds support the work of the Newport String Project.
April is upon us and we're thrilled to announce details for three special events we have coming up as part of our latest quartet residency. We are delighted to be joined by guest musicians Annalisa Boerner (viola) and Lauren Latessa (cello) for a dynamic program of Beethoven op 18 no 1, Schubert Quartettsatz and Gershwin Lullaby. See below for complete event details (special thanks to Jori Ketten for images):
THURSDAY APRIL 28th - Beethoven with Burgundy at Rough Point, Doors open at 5pm
Join us for the Newport String Project's first performance in the exquisite surroundings of Rough Point. This special event will feature a behind-the-notes, in-depth look at Beethoven's op 18 no 1, with time for all those questions you've been dying to ask about string quartets! Join us for wine and mingling before and after the music and learn more about the work of the Newport String Project and our plans for the future. Audience members will also be treated to a glimpse of some of the incredible rooms at Rough Point. Space is limited and ticket reservations are strongly recommended. Proceeds benefit the work of the Newport String Project. To reserve tickets, CLICK HERE
SATURDAY APRIL 30th - Quartets at the Aquidneck Growers Market, 9.30am-12pm
One of our goals is to bring chamber music to surprising places, to catch people by surprise and maybe bring a smile or two. Pop-up performances can make vibrant live music accessible for all! On Saturday April 30th, you'll find us in the midst of delicious fruit and vegetables at the Aquidneck Grower's Market (indoor market is held at Newport Vineyards) where we'll have some treats for the ears. This event will feature a special appearance by our young violin and viola students at the MLK Center!
SATURDAY APRIL 30TH - Newport String Project at Greenvale Vineyards, 7pm
Join us for an evening of music in the beautiful surrounds of Greenvale Vineyards! With quartets by Beethoven, Schubert and Gershwin (and of course an opportunity to sample and purchase the vineyard's delicious offerings), it's sure to be an evening filled with the promise of spring. Suggestion donation $15, $25, $50+ All proceeds support the work of the Newport String Project.
One of the tensions we find ourselves navigating is how to use our precious classroom time to cultivate the discipline necessary for playing a stringed instrument, while also creating an environment where young imaginations can frolic with wild abandon. The early stages of playing violin, viola or cello are notoriously complex – establishing posture and musical fundamentals is a painstaking process requiring lots of repetition. Even with an arsenal of fun games to keep things playful, the rote nature of things can end up feeling a little uncreative. (The education world has plenty to say about the pitfalls of “drill and kill” type repetitions. However, some research out there suggests that, if done in the right way, repetitions may actually help unleash creativity!) So, we wondered, what kinds of activities would enable our students to share their own ideas, to tell their own stories and to unleash their own expressive potential right from the beginning? Our recent Crankie-making experiments have given our students the opportunity to do just that.
For the uninitiated, a crankie is a kind of scrolling picture show also known as a “moving panorama”. It was first introduced to us by December’s guest musician Marji Gere. Crankies have a fascinating history and variants can be found dating back to the 19th century. (New Bedford is home to one of the most famous moving panoramas of all "Grand Panorama of a Whaling voyage Around the World", measuring a whopping 1275 feet!) Crankies are also enjoying a mini-renaissance in the folk music world thanks to Anna and Elizabeth - check out their Tiny Desk Concert here.
For our second Crankie experiment in March, we had two goals in mind - the students would create original text that would fit in with the avian theme of March's fiddle concert and would create images to accompany the text. With that in mind, we invited local poet David Dragone to present two poetry workshops. The students collaborated to create a poem entitled Sky Dance.
Sky Dance
A soaring bird flies in the sky
Proud and tweeting loud.
Birds are like butterflies—
They float gracefully in air
Like planes without care.
Birds fly almost through clouds
I could almost care to see them flare
Flying and sighing
Against the sky so blue
With some dancing away
Without any care
Or flying so light and so far
That they flew out of sight
Beyond all the rainbows
With colors I love
That come out after rain
And don’t let the unicorns throw rainbows
And candy on you. If you look up
Luck is something you’ll need
To see colors paint sky.
Eventually, the rainbows will disappear in the sun
And I will want to play music
Because my name is violin
And I play with a big grin
Across from where a swan floats on a pond gracefully
And then writes a poem.
Alongside this process the students painted an atmospheric backdrop for the crankie, reflecting the changing colors of the sky from sunrise to sunset. Each student also took a line of the poem and added illustrations. The process culminated with a Big Reveal presentation at one of our classes when guest fiddler Rachel Panitch improvised music inspired by their poem. The crankie then received its public premiere at March’s Norman Bird Sanctuary concert to an enraptured audience.
Through this process, we noticed several rich experiences were happening for our students:
For the next round of crankie magic, we're busily dreaming up ways that our students can collaborate to create a musical soundtrack! And while that sounds like a very tall order, the seeds have already been planted - here they are with March's guest fiddler Rachel Panitch collaborating on a new musical composition using graphic notation! Look out world - some very young composers are on the loose...
We all have childhood memories of idolizing the kids that were just slightly older than ourselves, aspiring to be that grown-up, cool etc. Somehow, trying to catch up to those kids was very motivating. Since the launch of the Newport String Project, we have noticed how much our older students are inspirations and role models for the newest students!
One of the values we try to impart to our students is that once you have learned something, you have a treasure to pass on to someone else. This idea is a fundamental part of music-making as an oral tradition. The phenomenon of students helping other students to learn has been a notable feature of Venezuela's El Sistema and of course at Community MusicWorks. Naturally, it takes a long time to nurture and cultivate this atmosphere but there have already been several incredibly promising signs that it is starting to become the norm for Newport String Project students.
Why is peer mentoring such a powerful context for learning? It's a dynamic two-way relationship. The mentors feel empowered and proud to share their expertise and can connect their own learning to positive outcomes for the kids around them. It makes their learning meaningful. The mentees feel especially inspired to learn from kids, close to their age and life experiences.
Another surprising benefit revealed itself recently to us. The time had come for us to introduce the bowhold to our newest class of beginners. We thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to bring in several of the second year students who had expressed interest in volunteering to be classroom assistants. Helping a student make a great bowhold is a finnicky detailed process. With only two teachers and 13 students, it's easy for students to get bored waiting for their turn. However, thanks to second year students J and R, we had two additional bowhold experts in the room making the process fly by. This peer mentoring moment had the unanticipated benefit of streamlining the lesson and enabling the students to stay engaged throughout! After class, J and R could be heard chattering happily how much fun they had and how they couldn't wait to do it again.
Another great peer mentoring moment happened this March when we had a visit from the students of the Rhode Island Fiddle Project in Pawtucket. These teens had spent several weeks developing ideas for what they could teach our young students. What a treat it was to see them in action and to see how much young people can learn from each other when given the space to do so. From a snazzy call and response fiddle tune called Hop Skip and Jump to a folksy rendition of Spongebob Squarepants, our NSP students were enthralled! For us teachers, it was a great reminder that sometimes your job is to get out of the way and let the magic happen for itself.
Ah January! A time for resolutions, fresh beginnings and … gratitude!
A huge thank you to all the supporters who made year-end gifts to the Newport String Project. The program is fortunate enough to have the backing of key funders including the Prince Charitable Trusts, the Newport County Fund and Newport Fed – however, the support of generous individuals like you will help us bring the program to the next level.
You may be wondering “where will my gift go?” Here are just a handful of examples: ways that contributions of all sizes make a real difference.
These are only a few examples but it’s clear to see how contributions of all sizes make a real difference. We appreciate every single one, thank you!
Some of you may remember that in December, we welcomed guest artists Marji Gere, violin, Dan Sedgwick, piano and Joe Bentley, bass for a special residency week. This residency had the added dimension that Marji and Dan not only performed on our concert series, they also participated in open rehearsals and gave fresh inspiration to our students at the MLK Center. It was an exciting week for us and our students - what a privilege to have such creative and inspirational musicians dive into this experimental collaboration with us!
Guest musician and teaching artist extraordinaire Marji has composed a beautiful account of the week which can be found HERE. Here are a few teaser quotes to whet your appetite:
On visiting the students of the Newport String Project:
"Throughout the afternoon, students came in for their lessons professing how much they love their lessons, and asking to stay and watch each other learn. Perhaps more powerful than these verbal statements of happiness were the students' beautiful sounds, the sparkles in their eyes, the energy in their stances, their readiness to connect with their teacher, their peers, their instrument and the music at hand."
On teaching
"More importantly, though, my appreciation and understanding of the student - teacher relationship was refreshed. My belief that teaching is a fine art, and a pursuit of idealism and democracy, was rekindled. "
On the incomparable imaginations of kids as they listen to Bach:
"What did my performance of Bach call to mind? Winged dinosaurs. Mountaintop views. Camping trips. Abstract shapes and gestures. Friendship. Sunsets, and much, much more."
On the magic of seeing a cranky for the very first time:
"Each student took responsibility for the calligraphing of one word of Pablo Neruda's poem, "Gracias, Violines". Then…magically…that listening-inspired artwork came to life and started moving, to the live accompaniment of Bach's Largo. "
On musicmaking as a Newport String Project guest artist:
“These rehearsals culminated in a concert for a full house of rapt, appreciative listeners at the Redwood Library and Athenaeum in Newport. It was a joy to spend the week in musical exchange with kindred musical spirits, and to live, work, and perform in their magical stomping grounds.”
Read Marji's complete essay HERE.
This week, we are joined by guest musicians Marjorie Gere, violin, Daniel Sedgwick, piano and Joe Bentley, bass, for our upcoming concert at the Redwood Library. This collaboration is a special one because it will be a pilot for a new type of residency, that the Newport String Project hopes to experiment more with in the future.
So how will this week be different?
Stay tuned for the "post-game analysis"!
The rainy afternoon was no deterrent at all for our barndance-loving friends. To kick proceedings off, the students of the Newport String Project performed a plucky medley of fiddle tunes with flair. (The Chicken Reel was renamed the Turkey Reel for the occasion by our students - in honor of the approaching Thanksgiving feast!)
Then it was time for the Rusty Pick Up String Band with special guests Tom Perrotti and Mike Fischmann...
After a few simple instructions and demonstrations from master caller Jim Hicks...
they were OFF!
A huge thank you to our partners Common Fence Music and the Boys and Girls Club!
Also many thanks to Don Farias for his fabulous photography!
And don't forget - there'll be another barndance in February!!!!!!!!!!!
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