By Sebastian Stefanovic
TFO Violist
In May, I played my last concert of the Florida Orchestra’s season — Gustav Mahler’s epic Second Symphony, “Resurrection.”
For all TFO musicians, it meant being reborn into a summer away from our colleagues, venues and patrons, but also a chance to live a different life for a few months. Instead of traveling to play in a summer music festival orchestra or taking time off, my summer was a little different: I spent seven weeks corralling 30 middle schoolers who had never touched an instrument before.
As part of TFO’s Strings Project, this was the second year of TFO’s partnership with the Greater Ridgecrest YMCA to create a program for fifth to eighth graders that would take them from zero to a concert performance in just two months. Generously hosted by Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, we introduced the cohort of kids to daily stretching and breathing exercises, music theory, movie production, haikus, composition and more.
Before last summer’s inaugural program, I had little teaching experience. As a professional violist, I had taught a few private lessons with experienced teenagers, but doing a group class with a couple dozen beginners was far outside my comfort zone. Luckily, TFO’s greatest unsung heroes were there to save the day — the Department of Education and Community Engagement (ECE).
My co-teacher in this summer camp was the incredible Luz Vazquez, ECE’s senior string specialist. From Luz, I learned the best way to teach a bow hold (make a rabbit with your right hand), how to encourage good left-hand technique (make an umbrella over the strings), and good ways to grab the attention of a chattery room (don’t get loud, get quiet). I watched in awe as she trucked through our camp days and then pivoted to one-on-one lessons as I went home and collapsed — more exhausted than performing any Mahler symphony.
Luz does this year-round, her energy and commitment unparalleled. She shows up for every single student, drawing their respect, admiration and love.
Over the summer, ECE Director Michelle Kim-Painter and Manager Christina Lai kept everything running smoothly, sourcing 30 instruments of various sizes and supplies such as water balloons, paints, shoulder rests cut from a block of foam, and fruit snacks to fuel our burgeoning musicians. All is provided to the program by TFO at no cost. We were also assisted by two interns who were about to start studying at USF’s music school; a middle school violin student Luz teaches privately, who acted as her assistant and a direct inspiration to the campers; and an adult amateur local community member, who came to learn and teach in equal parts. If it takes a village, we truly had one — musicians of all ages and experience levels coming together to give everything for these kids.
The students’ progress from the first week (which was mostly dedicated to learning how to take instruments out of cases without breaking anything) to the last (where we presented a final concert to family and friends) was remarkable. Along the way, we wrote poetry and set it to music. We made a movie for which the campers wrote, drew, narrated and created a soundtrack. We taught dictation — how to hear music and write it down — a learning process that truly seems like magic. And we spent time journaling about dreams, challenges and general feelings about the world.
Most rewarding was the final week. The goofing around diminished as they prepared for their final performance. They started asking to practice during lunch and for extra tips, their sense of professionalism growing. It paid off. The concert was the best they had played. I will never forget the collective gasp from the audience in the first year of the program, as their beloved young people raised their instruments in unison, standing up straight with focused determination and pride. Reflecting on their experience afterward, multiple students told me, “I never knew I had any talent.”
This summer, some of those students from last year returned. Since camp, we learned, many had joined their school orchestra, band or choir for the first time. This year, a handful professed their interest in continuing to play, and we were able to help make that happen by donating instruments to a few outstanding students, no strings attached (except the four that are supposed to be!). Even the ones who won’t continue with music have learned lessons in focus and self-belief.
This summer program is immensely special and important to me, but it’s just one part of what our ECE department does all year. In addition to Luz and a new junior string specialist, ECE has two teaching artists who split their time between performing onstage in the TFO string section and visiting schools around Tampa Bay to assist orchestra directors, create resources for students and help students present pre-concert lobby performances at TFO’s main venues.
I truly believe in the impact of TFO’s education and community engagement team on our community and the music world. None of us musicians onstage would be there without the guidance and support of a teacher who believed in us. When you buy a ticket to a concert or contribute to TFO, you’re doing so much more than ensuring excellent performances continue in Tampa Bay. You’re supporting the futures of young people in your community.
In honor of the creativity of these special young musicians, I leave you with three of their very contrasting haikus:
today the sun shines
rain joins the sun in the sky
rainbows will appear
I love my mommy
a cozy sweater of joy
my mommy loves me
I like to eat food
because it is very good
I would like some more
