Classical string trio performs for Garnet students

CHESTERTOWN — Three members of a classical string quartet held a concert for students at H.H. Garnet Elementary School recently, opening new musical worlds through compositions based on “Gulliver’s Travels.”
On Monday, November 28, 2022 Kumiko Sakamoto, Lauren Spaulding and Christopher Whitley of the Thalea String Quartet performed for fourth and fifth graders at Garnet.

The quartet is the current Doctoral Fellowship String Quartet at the University of Maryland. They were here in Kent County for a performance the day prior as part of the National Music Festival’s Resonance concert series.
Sakamoto and Whitley are violinists and Spaulding plays the viola.

Each spoke and performed solos and they played together as a trio for the students.

Their performance included pieces from Bert Appermont’s musical interpretation of Jonathan Swift’s 1726 book “Gulliver’s Travels.”

The musicians would play a piece and then ask students how it made them feel.

The reactions could range from happy to sad for the same composition, showing how music affects each listener differently.

“We all bring our individual selves when we listen to music,” Whitley told the students.
The musicians spoke about how early some children start learning music, with Whitley and Sakamoto being younger than the day’s audience members when they began.

Others, like Spaulding, may pick up their instruments later. She said she was 15 years old when she began playing the viola.

“So for anybody who hasn’t started yet, it’s not too late,” Spaulding said.

The National Music Festival, with support from the Kent Cultural Alliance, is arranging for every artist and group performing in the 2022-23 Resonance concert series to visit a local school.

Earlier this fall the Canadian Guitar Quartet visited Galena Elementary School.

“We are proud of this educational effort, and grateful to the Kent Cultural Alliance, without whose support this would not be possible,” said Caitlin Patton, executive director of the National Music festival.

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~ KCPS – HHGES