StringFest

STRINGFEST

A unique three-day string clinic brings together the orchestra students of neighboring schools and a professional conductor for an intense collaborative rehearsal and concert experience. Culminating in a public performance at Walk Festival Hall, StringFest transforms young string students from rival districts into one cohesive ensemble.

2009 - 10th ANNUAL STRINGEST!

By Thursday, November 12, the middle school orchestra students of Star Valley and Jackson Hole will be putting the final touches on their culminating concert of the 10th Annual StringFest, a youth education program of the Grand Teton Music Festival. Each year, this unique clinic connects 80 young musicians with Festival violinist Barbara Scowcroft for three days of intense collaborative rehearsals and workshops to get ready for their public performance on the Festival’s concert stage. The concert is free and open to all ages, no tickets are required, and it takes place Thursday, November 12 at 7PM in Walk Festival Hall.

During this 10th year of StringFest, Artistic Operations Director Liz Kintz looks back on the success of the program: “more than 800 local string students have participated in the program and have had the opportunity to learn from Barbara Scowcroft.” She continued, “Barb has an intuitive ability to direct students not only with strength and intensity, but with compassion and patience. Each year I watch Barb at work and see the difference she is able to make with the kids in such a short period of time. It's remarkable.”

StringFest kicks off the Grand Teton Music Festival’s in-school education programs each year – the students of Jackson Hole Middle School and Star Valley Junior High School start working on their music for StringFest as soon as the school year begins. Barbara Scowcroft, who is also a Utah Symphony violinist and director of the Utah Youth Symphony, will visit the seventh and eighth grade orchestra classes of Vincent Gutwein (Jackson) and James Aribzu (Star Valley) November 10 and 11 to work with each group separately before they join forces for an all-day rehearsal followed by their combined performance in Walk Festival Hall on Thursday, November 12. StringFest 2009 follows on the heels of the Wyoming State String Clinic, an intensive orchestra experience for high school students that just took place in Jackson Hole on November 2 and 3.