String Explorer is Back!!
After a few semesters off due to Covid, we are excited to announce the return of String Explorer available for students in PEAK! Students will have the opportunity to study violin, viola, cello, or bass during PEAK hours at Fancher Elementary in Mt. Pleasant, MI!
Read on for more information!
Who is Running the Program?
The American String Teachers Association (ASTA) student chapter at CMU will be teaching the string classes on Wednesdays from 5-6 PM at Fancher Elementary beginning October 6th, 2021.
All of the teachers are music majors, most being music education students.
The program in organized and overseen by Professor Fiste with assistance from Christine Lynn, a cellist with a degree in music therapy, and Stephen Bollinger, a graduate student at CMU who has several years of teaching experience in the public schools.
Who Can Participate?
All students grades 3-6 are welcome to participate!
Length of the Program
The length of the program will be for the entire school year although students can decide to participate for the first semester only.
Concerts!
Students will present a short concert at the end of each semester. Typically, the concerts are held at Fancher Elementary during String Explorer time to avoid scheduling difficulties.
Cost
There is no cost to participate except a possible rental instrument ($10 - $61 per month depending on the instrument) and a book purchase around $8. In other words, the instruction is entirely free.
Rental instruments are available through Marshall Music in Lansing at $21/month (violin/viola), $41/month (cello), and $61/month (upright bass).
The ASTA chapter also has ½ and ¼ sized violins to rent for only $10/month.
The rentals from Marshal music include a complete insurance plan, repairs, maintenance, free exchanges and upgrades.
The ASTA instruments include a partial repair plan (minor repairs) and a partial maintenance plan (basic maintenance).
While we cannot guarantee that your violin will not get damaged, our chapter taught the program for 2 ½ semester prior to the Covid pandemic without an incident of damage to instruments. We will instruct every student how to take care of their instruments.
If an ASTA instrument is totaled, the cost to replace it would be $120.
Renting an Instrument
To rent an instrument at Marshall music, please visit
www.marshallmusic.com/rental. Click "Rent Now!" in the top left hand corner. We will email you the size of instrument you will need to rent after we measure the students.
To rent an ASTA instrument, please let me know by email at fiste1ja@cmich.edu. We will provide an instrumental agreement for you to sign.
Both Marshall and ASTA instruments will be brought directly to the String Explorer class.
How to Register
- Fill out the registration form at the bottom of the page or at https://forms.office.com/r/iPwtAuN6B1
- Fill out and sign the liability release.
- Take a pic or scan the liability release form and email it to fiste1ja@cmich.edu
Please direct questions to Professor Jamie Fiste at
fiste1ja@cmich.edu.