The Great String Revival

For decades, school string programs have been overshadowed by bands and choirs. Many teachers say it’s time to change that—and they’ve got lots of ideas about what you can do to help.

By Dave Simons

Marching bands are a perennial parade highlight. Pep bands keep basketball fans in the game. Concert choirs feature prominently in holiday performances. But what about orchestras? According to the Austin-based Amati Foundation (a nonprofit group that supports programs for the stringed arts), over the past several decades the number of public school districts offering instruction for violin, viola, and cello has plummeted, from as high as 80 percent in 1960 to less than 19 percent today. Lack of public funding for stringed instrument education is a leading culprit, but there are other factors as well. Not only is there a pronounced shortage of qualified string instructors, but there is also a commonly held belief among administrators that string playing is somehow a second-tier activity.

Susan Bechler, a former instructor at Livonia, New York’s Victor Central School, witnessed the decline firsthand. “I saw the string programs in my rural county close one after another during the 1960s and ’70s,” says Bechler, who retired in 2006 but continues to teach privately. Schools that only offer band instruments are excluding a significant portion of the student population to whom stringed instruments “speak,” she says. “And it’s not that there are ‘more kids for the band,’ either. When we look at the huge number of adult hobby string players and fiddle/folk musicians, it is clear there is a group of people who want and need this choice.”

To a certain degree, the move away from strings in schools is understandable—it’s clearly somewhat impractical to have an orchestra trot onto the court and play “Theme from Star Wars” during the halftime show. But even in school districts that offer a regular slate of concert activity, performances that include strings are fast becoming a rarity. As a result, string programs continue to be overshadowed or even marginalized by the more visible school bands that march in parades, perform at sports events, and compete on a national level. What can be done to reverse this trend?

The answer to this question was certainly clear to Lisa Goldman, instructor at the Hilltop Elementary School in Beachwood, Ohio, who took it upon herself to launch an orchestra program a decade ago with a meager budget of $100. “At the time we had a very successful band and choir program, yet no strings,” she recalls. “So I literally made a cold call to the superintendent as a parent in the community, advocating the start of an orchestra program. The superintendent gave me one grade to work with and said, ‘Okay, let’s see what you can do.’” Now in its tenth year, Goldman’s orchestra has far surpassed expectations, to the point that enrollment currently exceeds the school’s choir program. “Our budget, facilities, and equipment are all in great shape, as is our support from the administration, school board, and the community. As a result, the orchestra program is thriving.”

Recruitment Tips

For schools that are eager to bolster an existing string program or, like Goldman, launch a program from scratch, tapping into student talent is key. What’s the best way to go about recruiting orchestra members? For starters, present the program in the best possible light. “Keep your demonstration upbeat—this isn’t the time to admire the glorious sound of Samuel Barber’s ‘Adagio for Strings!’” says Goldman. To appeal to younger students, Goldman suggests citing well-known sound effects that were created by strings; for older students, pictures or videos of orchestral events can raise interest.

To make the string program as visible as possible to prospective students, orchestra teachers should make themselves available at school open-house nights, fairs, fundraisers, and school board meetings, in addition to offering public performances on a regular basis. “If given the chance to make a choice based on what truly appeals to them in terms of sound, kids seem to find their way to what they want to play,” says Bechler. “Getting my information out was enough to have a suitable number of students join up.”

Of course, having a skilled, enthusiastic instructor on board makes all the difference in the world. As Bechler puts it, “Instructors need to be well prepared, positive, and ready to spend lots of personal time and energy. They should be interested and educated in child development issues, involved in the greater school community, and have a profound understanding of pacing in short- and long-term instruction.”

There’s also something to be said for teachers who are patient and likable. “Some music teachers, including string teachers, can come across as unapproachable,” says Bechler. She recommends putting aside thoughts such as “I could have been a concert violinist,” or “I want to bring culture to this school,” or perhaps “I’m only taking those who show true talent and dedication.” She says, “That kind of attitude doesn’t usually work.”

A “feeder” program, beginning at the elementary school level, is often the best way to reach up-and-coming players early on, says Margo Sokolow, who has worked as an instructor at West Orange High School in Montclair, New Jersey. “A hands-on demonstration using more advanced students is very effective,” she advises. “The vocal music class period is perfect for this—that way, you could seek the advice of the vocal music teacher as to which students might be particularly interested in studying a stringed instrument.”

Cathie Hudnall, orchestra director at Brookwood High School in Snellville, Georgia, has taken part in special eighth-grade nights just for students at feeder schools who are preparing to enter the high school. “We have our student officers create a display board, which shows pictures from different activities and events,” she explains; this display stands behind a table manned by selected student officers and shrewdly topped with a big bowl of candy for all visitors. “Once I had one of the high school counselors [on hand] to answer questions about scheduling orchestra for four years. And I had students answer questions. I tried to pick students who were involved in all areas of sports, clubs, and activities so that eighth graders could see how orchestra fits with everything.”

Sokolow adds that scheduling extracurricular playing time can also draw in potential recruits and should be a regular part of any string program. Performances in nursing homes, at music festivals, or shopping-mall holiday concerts are real perks for orchestra students. “Also, attending concerts and taking special music trips are very exciting,” says Sokolow. “And inviting professional musicians to the school to perform and work with the groups is stimulating, too.”

Once you’ve recruited enough students to create a viable orchestra, it’s likely that the ensemble’s activities will be enough by themselves to generate further interest. That’s when you begin to have the luxury of doing things like grouping students according to ability. “Each spring at Brookwood High,” says Hudnall, “all the high school and rising ninth graders who want to be in an upper high school class are auditioned to determine their ability level. I am fortunate to have 261 students in our program, and they are divided into four different levels and five different classes per day.”

Selecting the Repertoire

Let’s assume at this point that you already have the players you need. Now what do they play? Presenting material that is both suitable for the students and appealing to concertgoers requires careful consideration. While the students’ ability is obviously a factor, says Bechler, “frankly, one of the first criteria is that there is something about the piece that I can enjoy playing or hearing. If I don’t like it, no matter the content, it’s tough to teach it well.”

Naturally, strings and symphonic music go hand in hand, and Sokolow has had great success using arrangements of many different types of classic works for her various programs. “I usually pick one piece from the light classics or pop repertoire, as well as one that stretches the students’ technical abilities—a difficult key, higher positions, new bowing skill, and so forth.”

Bechler, who also favors choice arrangements of symphonic masterpieces, agrees that it is important to choose works that employ different keys, time signatures, styles, tempos, and forms. By selecting compositions from different eras, Bechler can add a music history component as well. “I also like to include one crowd-pleaser or kid-pleaser per concert,” she says. “I carefully check to make sure that each section gets a chance to shine during any given program.” While most of her music selections are “above the middle,” Bechler will modify parts if need be.

String Support

Perhaps most essential to the long-term viability of a school’s string program is the ongoing support of the school’s administration and the community at large. Again, visibility is key to this effort and is often easily achieved through performances at community festivals, board meetings, and PTA meetings in addition to the regularly scheduled school concerts. “While this may result in extra work for the teachers, I believe it is absolutely necessary for the strength of the program,” says Sokolow.

Teachers must also be proactive in order to ensure that orchestra funding, scheduling, equipment, and class environment are commensurate with the school’s other music programs. “Be sure you are scheduled as part of the school day—not during recess, before and/or after school,” says Goldman. “Invite administrators to your class, and offer to assist whenever possible in order to troubleshoot scheduling or budgetary issues.” Other proven strategies include inviting a college-level instructor to perform and answer questions, or getting the local paper to do a positive story on the orchestra.

Above all, be sure to keep the lines of communication open. “Send letters home to parents every quarter describing the progress of the group, including hints for encouraging practice time,” says Goldman. Teachers might also consider weekly e-mail updates to parents and administrators.

Sokolow agrees that parental involvement should be a priority. “It is essential to have good communication with the parents of your students, which allows the teacher to not only notify parents of any problems that might arise, but to inform them of the great progress their child is making while encouraging parents and students alike about the importance of private study.”

--Dave Simons, November 2008, © MENC: The National Association for Music Education. This article originally appeared in the November 2008 issue of Teaching Music magazine.