Working long hours as a taxi driver, Nelson Garcia finds little time to spend with his six children. So he was grateful when the parent involvement program Parents and Communities for Kids (PACK) on Saturday provided a great chance for some time, and learning, with his two sons, Anthony, 10, and Christopher, 7, pictured.
They were among the parents and students from Fair Haven School building model violins at the Eli Whitney Museum in a PACK-sponsored event. The two-stringed instrument was sanded, nylon strings were stretched taunt, and bows were rosined.
The event coincided with Fair Haven’s effort to start an instrumental music program. The school wants to hire a part-time instructor.
“The kids are hungry to do this type of thing,” said Michelle Humble, vocal music director at Fair Haven. “I’m so happy to see them playing.”
The second half of Saturday morning’s event was run by three musicians from the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, including Chris Coyle, pictured. The professionals played pieces for the students and explained the components of the song. They taught the children about the science behind their string instrument, explaining how sound is produced through vibrations and how the size of an instrument changes the sound. At the end, they helped students tune their instrument and taught them how to play.
“It’s great that they brought professional musicians in as well,” Nelson Garcia said. “I’ve wanted to get them into music programs. It’s such a shame that there aren’t more musical programs at the schools.”
“It’s extraordinary, a dream, and a great way for kids to learn,” said Margaret Mary Gethings, Assistant Principal at Fair Haven. “This type of program is an indicator of where our school is going.”
