It's not the kind of music most teenagers listen to. But,
for student musicians from five midstate high schools, it's what they came to
hear at Cumberland Valley High School. It's called Chamber Music; classical
music composed for a small group of instruments instead of a full orchestra.
Peter Sirotin, Artistic Director for Market Square Concerts,
the sponsor of the concert, noted the difference between orchestral and chamber
music: "While orchestral music is a large party with colors, vibrancy and
full of life and energy," he explained. " chamber music is like a
gathering of friends."
The concert and lecture featured the Linden String
Quartet with clarinetist Christopher Grymes. Between musical selections, the
musicians discussed their instruments with the students and demonstrated how
they work in chamber music compositions.
"For those of you not familiar with the cello,"
explained Felix, holding his cello to the audience. "It has, actually, the
same strings as the viola, just all an octave lower."
Clarinetist Christopher Grymes played sample of different
playing sounds. "If I play very deep and low on my instrument," he
said, "it ends up being this barrel-chested sound."
The educational outreach program was sponsored by Market
Square Concerts in collaboration with Harrisburg Symphony, aimed at getting
more young people to appreciate this style of music.
Catherine Cosbey, one of two violinists in the quartet,
said their program is aimed at young people already involved in music, but who
are not sure how far they want to go with it in their future. "We hope we
can share with them some of the reasons why music can be such a profoundly
important thing in your life," she said.
Cumberland Valley Sophomore Victoria Re, first violin in
the school orchestra, was one of those students impressed with what she saw and
heard from the professional musicians on stage. "Whenever we play,"
she explained, "we always think, oh, maybe we're not good enough. But,
watching them, I think it gives us more confidence about how we can play."
Re's classmate, Ty Stoner, viola player with the school
orchestra, agreed.
"It really changes your perspective of how good you
can be and where you can go with your instrument," he said.
