Play with friends, learn new musical skills, and make unforgettable memories this summer!

July 21 – 25, 9:00-3:00 pm
$690
Optional aftercare Mon-Fri, 3:00-5:00 pm
$100

Ages 6-8, 9-11, 12-14
Violin, viola, cello, bass

Sharing the ethos of CCM’s West Side Strings Program, the Summer Strings Experience creates a friendly and personalized learning environment, where students feel comfortable taking risks and learn to celebrate the process as they acquire skills of music-making. Students will be placed in age/level appropriate groups to develop and enhance their ensemble skills through a rigorous study of ensemble literature along with other young musicians and improve their overall musicianship through string technique sessions and a variety of engaging workshops and activities. Students will have the opportunity to perform in Friday afternoon’s showcase.

In order to create an intimate and rewarding learning experience at Summer Strings Experience, students of all ages should be able to play, at minimum, one octave scales and a piece from Suzuki Volume 1 or equivalent. Students between ages 12-14 should be able to play two octave scales and a piece from Suzuki Volumes 2-3 or equivalent.

Register by May 1st.

Call the CCM office to register: 978-369-0010

Assistantship Opportunities

Learn about becoming a Summer Strings Experience Assistant (high school and college music students).

• How to Register

  Application Instructions for Summer Strings Experience

  1. Complete this Signup form
  2. Register and pay by following the link at the bottom of the signup form.
  3. Upload your placement video.

   

  Registration Deadline & Late Registration

   

  The registration deadline for both Summer Strings Experience and Instrument Play is Thursday May 1, 5:00 pm. Registration will close at this deadline. Late registrations (after May 1) may be accepted on a space-available basis with an additional fee of $50, by calling the office at 978-369-0010.

  Under-Enrolled Programs 

  In the unlikely event that a program is under-enrolled, the program will be cancelled 2 weeks prior to the start date and a full refund will be given.

  Withdrawals & Refunds 

  • Tuition, excluding a $50 registration fee per individual, will be refunded if the request is made via email PRIOR to Monday, March 3.
  • 50% of tuition will be refunded if request is made via email prior to the registration deadline of Thursday May 1, 5:00 pm.
  • No refunds will be issued after the registration deadline of Thursday May 1, 5:00 pm.

• Placement Video

  All participants need to submit a placement video. Videos ensure students are placed in the group that is most appropriate for their level and age. 

  1. Please prepare and record a piece of your choice that demonstrates your best playing and a scale of your choice in 1 or 2 octaves, according to your ability.
  2. Upload your video as “unlisted” to YouTube, Vimeo, OneDrive, or Google Drive. 
  3. Paste the link to your video in the last question of the Signup form.

• What does the daily schedule look like?

  9:00 am–Develop Your Strings Technique

  10:00 am–Ensemble Enrichment

  Snack

  11:15 am–The Art of Expressive Movement or Elective

  Lunch

  1:15 pm–Yoga or Fun with MusicArt

  2:15 pm–Musical Storytelling

  3:00 pm–Dismissal

• Summer Workshop Descriptions

  Develop Your Strings Technique 

  Students will develop their technical skills on the instruments, including but not limited to posture, left-hand fluency and efficiency, right arm actions, tonal development, shifting, vibrato, and double stops within a flexible format that can be customized to suit each student’s individual needs.

  Taught by Long Okada and Minyung Suh

  Ensemble Enrichment

  Students will have the opportunity to collaborate with other like-minded young musicians in an age/level appropriate group. Students will practice awareness of blend and balance in terms of intonation, style, phrasing, and character, and will reap the rewards of working towards a common goal using verbal and non-verbal communication. Students will have the opportunity to perform a work selected for its pedagogical importance with special emphasis on the development of ensemble performance skills..

  Taught by Emma Gies and Minyung Suh

  The Art of Expressive Movement (age 6-9)

  Music and Movement introduces concepts like rhythm, melody, and harmony in a social and imaginative way in order to create vivid musical foundations. Students embody music joyfully through creative games, improvisation, and expression. Musical subjects are explored and taught at an age-appropriate level, depending on the age and experience of each class cohort. 

  Taught by Maria Mandico, guest instructor

  Joy of Fiddling 

  Through the folk and traditional music approach, students will improve their listening and awareness by learning fiddle tunes by ear, with sheet music provided at the end of the session. This workshop aims to enhance the student’s ability to listen actively, execute with confidence, and experience more joy and connection collaborating with others through the fun fiddling tradition.

  Taught by Emma Gies

  Yoga for Musicians (age 10-14)

  Our yoga workshop is filled with imagination, laughter, breathing techniques, and music-infused yoga poses. Designed to release tension and fatigue caused by playing the instruments, this inclusive class is both energizing and calming as it incorporates yin poses and creative one-breath-per-movement (Vinyasa) sequences that are tailored to the group’s needs. After students explore a sense of play on their mat, this workshop ends with a gentle relaxation guided by live flute music. Students should have a water bottle and prepare to be barefoot. Some mats are available to borrow, but please bring your own if you have one!

  Taught by Maria Mandico

  Fun with MusicArt

  Students will make percussion and string instruments with familiar household items and build a foundation for their artistic imagination and creativity without using their primary instrument. Students will also learn how a string instrument is made to deepen their understanding of what a string instrument is.

  Led by Long Okada

  Musical Storytelling

  Students write, score, and produce their own short storytelling production from start to finish, facilitating a healthy group dynamic while allowing individual students the freedom to express themselves creatively. On day one, the group writes a compelling story following a typical narrative arc. Throughout the week, students break into smaller groups to compose music as the sonification of major moments in the story’s plot, then come back together and bring the story to life with live narration and their musical performances. At the end of the week, students have an opportunity to present their musical story to family and friends in a showcase concert!

  Taught by Emma Gies, Maria Mandico, and Long Okada