Violins in hand, Reinhard second graders performed a number of tunes for parents after having completed an introductory strings program. Teacher Kelly Brandstadter explained that parents were invited to the performance to see firsthand what their children have been learning and to encourage community involvement in the Bellmore School District’s music program.

“The program is a wonderful peek into what students will learn if they choose to play a string instrument in the third grade at Winthrop Avenue School,” Ms. Brandstadter said.

During eight forty-minute sessions, the students learned the parts of the violin, the proper way to hold the instrument and to play songs from a variety of genres by plucking the strings. Furthermore, musical concepts and skills including composition, melody, harmony, pattern recognition, playing in unison, rhythm counting and the identification of pitch were also reinforced. Students also had the opportunity to learn about and try their hands with alternate string instruments such as the viola, cello and bass.