THE NEED FOR A STRING PROGRAM & CLASSICAL MUSIC IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

                         [The following letter was published in several newspapers in Loudoun County,
                         Virginia in early 2000. Since then, an after-school program has been instituted.]
                      

As a violinist and teacher for 15 years here, many residents have expressed dismay to me at the absence of strings in the schools. Though scores of children do study violin and the other stringed instruments, many young players forgo them upon reaching middle school because they naturally want a group music experience.

What can public schools offer? As a child in an Oregon mill town I had my choice of a very strong chorus, band and orchestra program, grades 4-12. Our 75-strong junior high string orchestra was exciting and vibrant. We played Bach fugues, Vivaldi concerti, Barber's Adagio for Strings, etc. These string 'classics' were fun and not so hard to play! Even the stragglers could absorb something of this special, very beautiful, music.

This outstanding classical music--the heritage of all-is the real reason for having a string program. This music (most of it classical) stands equally with science and great literature and art as an essential element of a public school education.

Underlying 90% of this written music of the last 500+ years is the string family of instruments. Most of the music, sometimes complex, is a wonderful, non-commercialized exercise in creativity and is designed to arouse positive emotions associated with being productive and creative.

Should not our students be able to re-create this music via the string orchestra, string quartet, and symphony?

Einstein: "It occurred to me by intuition, and music was the driving force behind that intuition. The discovery was the result of musical intuition."

If this connection between classical music, scientific thought, and cognitive maturation--the 'Mozart effect', etc.-be so obvious, why then should the strings be left out? Boys and young men especially need this entry into the art/science unity that is classical music. The violin family itself is the subject of scientific inquiry, and as a technology was nearly perfect 400 years ago.

Thus a string program could, and I believe will, benefit the morale--sensitivity, constructiveness, discipline--of all students exposed to it as participants, friends of participants, or as listeners.

For certain of our children, those who may be less verbal, or those with a speech or even a vision impairment, an instrument of the string family might be just what is missing for them to blossom in terms of self-expression.

For all these reasons and other more obvious ones, Loudoun needs strings in the schools!

Since the voters have shown over and over again their support for necessary school funding, let the Loudoun school board propose a full string program, and let the board of supervisors be advised of the need for it and the public's support for it. If it must start as an after-school program, let older students, the home-schooled, and private-school children be involved also.

John Howard

Lovettsville                                                Back to classicaltrio.com