Essex News Daily features NJSO Early Strings Program

Essex News Daily goes into Bloomfield’s Watsessing Elementary School to see the NJSO’s Early Strings Program in action:

Watsessing Elementary School’s entire fourth-grade class is currently receiving a hands-on introduction to violin playing from a New Jersey Symphony Orchestra violinist ...

[T]he opportunity for all 32 fourth-graders to be instructed by NJSO violinist Christine Terhune began when the school district applied to the orchestra’s Early Strings Program. Watsessing School was designated to be entered into the program. The BEF paid for Terhune’s expertise while the district supplied the violins ... Observing the students in the school’s basement music room earlier this week, Nazzaretto said the children “take such pride” in what they are doing. Nazzaretto herself is a picture of pride as she looks on. She beams.

And now, after four weeks of practice without real violins, the children have the know-how, and the right, to carefully lift actual instruments from their cases as Terhune instructs them through the 17 steps just to prepare the violin for play. An assistant, Lester Vrtiak, with violin in hand, goes from child to child making small adjustments to their position, occasionally putting aside his violin to run a cake of rosin up and down a student’s bow. Each child is a picture of concentration.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Nazzaretto says.
The children are all standing now. They raise their violins and place them between the chin and shoulder. Today, they are going to practice “piggily-wiggily,” they are told.

Terhune calls out, her violin in place, her bow gliding across its strings in back and forth bursts for each syllable spoken.
“Pig-gi-ly — wig-gi-ly; pig-gi-ly — wig-gi-ly; pig-gi-ly, wig-gi-ly,” she speaks.

The children copy her movements. Sound comes from each of their violins. They are learning to play with rhythm. The previous week, Terhune later says, they practiced rhythm, playing “Mississippi hotdog.”
...

Erin Jorgensen, the school’s music teacher said the violin will help the children develop hand and eye coordination.
“And the rhythm will help them with math,” she said. “It’s like learning another language.”

Vrtiak said the Early Strings Program began 13 years ago as a partnership with the Newark School District. It currently has programs in seven Newark schools and the one in Bloomfield’s Watsessing School.

“They understand what they’re getting is special,” Nazzaretto adds. “This teaches responsibility and builds self-esteem. “Believe it or not, they’re all wonderful.”

Read the full feature at essexnewsdaily.com.

Go Backstage with an Early Strings classroom, and learn more about the program here.