American String Workshop & Foundation for Young Artists advances string education internationally

More than seventy string teachers from as far away as Spain and the Philippines, across the United States and as close as Ann Arbor gathered on the campus of Concordia University in Ann Arbor June 20-26 to exchange ideas and refine their teaching skills under the tutelage of an international faculty at the American String Workshop. In addition twenty-two 13-18 year old string players were in attendance at the Foundation for Young Artists Camp held in conjunction with the ASW at Concordia.

Doctor Robert Culver, Professor of Music Education at the University of Michigan, internationally renowned string clinician and Marshall Music strings consultant is the director of both camps. In the early 1990’s Dr. Culver realized there was a need for an environment where string educators of all levels could gather to enhance their skills and address all aspects of string education. The result was a seven day workshop including classes for teachers with little or no string experience through veteran teachers including violin/viola, cello, bass, conducting, jazz, technology, pedagogy classes as well as addressing the everyday experiences string teachers encounter in the classroom.

Marshall Music Company was the driving force in reviving the workshop last year after a five year hiatus when it became difficult to find industry support for the workshop to help defray the cost for educators. Marshall Music’s general manager, Bruce Woodhull, committed the resources of Marshall’s to develop a network of support nation wide for the workshop. Bruce convinced the prestigious Eastman String Company to join Marshall’s in providing sponsorship and encouraged string shops and school service dealers across the country to provide financial assistance to local teachers to attend the ASW. The result has been an international phenomenon with educators able to defray as much as two thirds of the tuition to attend the workshop.

The Foundation for Young Artists had its debut in conjunction with the ASW. A long time vision of Dr. Culver’s was to offer advanced high school string players an intense one week “boot camp” of instruction from leading string teachers. The students had supervised practice sessions throughout the entire day beginning in the morning with a mater class and general warm-up session. Then it was off to individual practice areas were they worked on specific goals assigned them by their coaches who continued to monitor the students two to three times an hour throughout the day. In the evening the FYA students joined the ASW attendees in reading sessions of string music. By bringing together talented young string players with the nation’s most dedicated string educators attending the ASW, Dr. Culver hopes to enhance the students’ awareness of the possibilities in music education and performance while expanding their technical abilities.

Practicing six to eight hours a day is asking a great deal of anyone let alone teenagers who should be enjoying their first full week of summer break. The combination of dedicated students, a motivating staff and the environment fostered by the American String Workshop all came together to make the camp an overwhelming success. The students left energized and ready to encourage their friends to attend next year.

Marshall Music is committed to advancing string education in the state. In the past two years Marshall’s has underwritten the ASW, FYA, a string recruiting video and a cross-curricular educational program entitled Arts to the Core that provides general classroom teachers with the materials and video to teach core subject concepts through music and enhancing student awareness of music thereby encouraging participation in a string or band class. Plans are underway to provide an exclusive professional string shop in the Lansing store featuring the finest in artist quality stringed instruments to open in November.