String Project Featured in National Documentary

Marywood University’s String Project was selected to be featured in a national documentary that was made by the music company J.W. Pepper. The documentary is about the National String Project Consortium’s (NSPC) Virtual Orchestra celebrating its 20th Anniversary.

The Virtual Orchestra involves all the string project sites housed in different universities around the nation. The NSPC commissioned a special work by composer Brian Balmages, who has written a piece for triple string orchestra of different playing levels titled “Greater Than...”.The piece enables students at any level of play (from beginner to advance) to be involved. Students film their individual parts, and all the parts will then be combined in a film collage of students from across the nation, to be shown on a large screen at the 2020 American String Teachers Conference in March in Los Angeles, Calif.

The NSPC is a non-profit organization that implements new and supports existing String Project sites across the country. String Project sites provide public school children with the opportunity to learn to play stringed instruments. They are also a collaborative effort between higher education and public school districts, benefitting children and communities that often do not have orchestra programs in their schools. String Project sites also provide undergraduate and graduate college music education majors with the opportunity to experience authentic teaching while pursuing their degree. Currently, there are 42 active String Project sites located in colleges and universities across 23 states serving more than 3,000 students.  

Marywood University’s String Project is an after-school pre-collegiate string program for students ages 7-18. Participants take small group lessons in violin, viola, cello, and double bass; participate in orchestra; and perform in concerts. String Project participants are divided into three levels, beginner, intermediate, or advanced, based on their experience. Approximately 125 students enroll in Marywood’ String Project each year.