Sabal Palm Strings! Community Partnership School develops new violin program

It is 3:30 on a Monday afternoon in May. It is sunny outside. School is out for the day. And yet — inside a darkish room beside an empty concrete play area at Sabal Palm Community Partnership Elementary School, 11 boys and girls are stepping into a world where few of their peers have been. Few of their parents for that matter.

The third, fourth and fifth grade students, ages 9-11, are learning to play the violin. Their teachers are from the Tallahassee Symphony who, as one said, “are delighted that children can see someone who looks like them making music with this instrument.”

Community Partnership Schools like Sabal Palm work to bring together opportunities for students where none may have existed.

In the case of Sabal Palm, the Children’s Home Society acts as an “umbrella” agency to coordinate a dental clinic and other after-school opportunities for students. Individual donors and philanthropists may also be involved. And thus had entered Andy Harrison, now a Market Executive with Bank of America, and previously a graduate of Sabal Palm.

Shakespeare in the Park: Kelsey Scott escapes boxes, destroys fear in 'gratifying' Shakespeare production

Cinema reopens: All Saints Cinema reopens in revamped Railroad Park this weekend

Ballet concert: Golden anniversary: Ballerina mom creates magical life with Tallahassee Ballet

$20K grant for symphony program

Harrison, who sits on the County Leadership Council for the Children’s Home Society suggested an initiative whereby the Bank of America would provide a $20,000 one-year grant to the Tallahassee Symphony to create a lesson plan and support a beginning violin program for students.

Coordinating with Mandy Stringer, CEO of the TSO, and Director Anna-Kaye Hutchinson, who runs the community partnerships, the collaboration began. The music teachers would receive a salary through the TSO. “Through Community Partnership Schools, we want to be the catalyst to help raise the standard of living through compounding efforts,” says Harrison. He hopes there will be a second grant for the following year as well as grass-roots support from the community to continue and expand the program to Bond and Pine View Elementary Schools later.

But, let’s listen in on the Monday afternoon rehearsal.

Dr. Allyson Royal, a violist with the TSO, quietly walks behind one of the students who stand tall in wide rows facing a teacher-conductor. The ethnically diverse group has a few more boys than girls. From the front of the room, the teacher works with them on their bowing arm, stretching it tall, letting it sweep down — not yet touching strings.

Soon they will begin exercises on open strings, not yet contending with the left-hand fingers as they seek out sometimes elusive A-sharps and D-flats.

“After a performance here by the Mina Quartet from the Tallahassee Symphony last year, we put out notices that we would begin violin lessons at the school, hoping there would be maybe 20 students sign up. In fact, we got 15, which is pretty amazing. We’ve named our group, “Murdock’s Lil’ Mozarts.” Murdock is the puppy-mascot of Sabal Palm,” says Royal.

Tuning up for Hot Cross Buns

Now, after five months of instruction, the eager group will present their first recital at 5:30 p.m. May 15 in the school cafeteria. On the program will be: The Ant Song; Open-String Song; Flower Song; and Hot Cross Buns.

During a break, third-grader, 9-year-old Raegan Stoudmire talks about what drew her to the violin when she’d first heard it played by the visiting quartet.

“It wasn’t really the way it looked,” she says, “but the sound. Something about the sound.” Yes, she says she had to get used to holding it under her chin, but a folded cloth to her little collar-bone made it comfortable.

Unfortunately, for now, the children aren’t able to take the instruments home to practice. Royal hopes that in a year or so there may be a way for more advanced students to rent their instruments.

Still, Raegan Stoudmire is thrilled to be playing the violin. “I just love Hot Cross Buns! I could play it all day!”

Correction: The recital will be Monday, May 15. An earlier version of this story had the wrong day for the recital.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee's Sabal Palm students take to violin with 'Lil' Mozarts'