Youth Orchestra Collects Violins for School 19 Students

Since last fall, parents and students in the Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra have been involved in a music program at Dr. Charles T. Lunsford School 19 in Rochester, helping teach violin to the school's 3rd grade classes. They have also collected close to 50 string instruments which are now in the hands of young musicians.

This week, 17 of the students performed a concert at Bernunzio’s Uptown Music during the Jazz Festival. With a backdrop of colorful guitars, the students – with their teachers Robert Faulkner, Gretchen Judge, and Patty Yarmel – demonstrated how much they had learned over the year. First they played a very simple version of “Apple Pie,” then went on to play more elaborate versions. They also played “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” in more and more complex rhythmic patterns.

Family members and friends were in the audience – and the pride really showed on the students’ faces at the end of the concert. Click here to watch a story about these young musicians on WROC-TV, Channel 8.

If you are interested in contributing a student violin, or making a monetary donation to fund violins for School 19, please contact Susan Basu at 454-7311 x224 or email sbasu@rpo.org.