For two years now, no wind instruments have been heard in Lyme School - a sad situation for all who have either started or wanted to start a band instrument in fifth grade. Fingers crossed that next fall this may change!Meanwhile, who has kept the instrumental program alive at Lyme School? Thirteen young students in grades 1 through 4! Last fall five first-graders began their exploration of the violin, and even with just one group lesson at school each week, they are doing beautifully. These students are: Gray Lawrence, May Tadlock, Noah Kobylarz, Piper Magleby, and Soren Hass-Collins. We hope to hear a lot more from them in the future. Keep up that practice!
Meanwhile, Oliver Santos, also in first grade, had started even before first grade - at home, with a very small violin when he was four; he even came to some of the group classes then happening at school with the older players; and for two years he has taken weekly remote lessons with me. He is zooming through the many songs in Book 1 (Suzuki), and has soloed on some of our videos this year as he continues with both the remote lesson and a short lesson in person at school every week. Oliver also has great things in store, learning each new song quickly and with a fine ear for music. He is the sole representative at the moment of the second-year violin class.
Ewan Cameron, Bennett Greenway, and Henry Halter are in their third year of violin, and have always been diligent practicers. They have also had a remote lesson every week for the past two years, and have made enough progress that they all now play the weekly group lesson at school with - the fourth-year players! These are Isla Cameron, Linnea Hudenko,
Lucia Santos, and Sofia Mecchella. Like the others, these fine players have also been faithful to weekly remote lessons for two years, and since earlier this year we could add in-person instruction weekly at school, they have emerged as capable and confident violinists. . . .and performers: we have made several short music videos this year, which Mr. Chapin has put on Morning Meetings. Parents have at least had a glimpse of the progress as we have sent the videos to them, too.
Most recently, on St. Patrick's Day, Bennett, Ewan, Henry, Isla, Linnea, Lucia, and Sofia brought the spirit of the occasion to the halls of our school. Each of them, stationed all over the school, gave solo renditions of the lively Irish jig "The Road to Lisdoonvarna," afterwards assembling in the lobby for an equally rousing group session.
We plan to make another video soon! And even better, a professional violinist from Hanover, Betty Clendenning, who taught the string program at Hanover for many years (and also was a career violinist with the renowned Cleveland Symphony), invited us to bring our music to Kendall in Hanover this spring! I have encouraged each of them to choose a favorite piece from their growing repertoire for this exciting event. More on that in the near future.
The enthusiasm and hard work of these very young players has been a joy to work with, and I am very proud of all of them, not only for their achievements but for keeping instrumental music alive at Lyme School!