GREENFIELD — With just weeks to go before school starts and more students than expected looking to play cello, the Strings For Kids Program from Artspace Greenfield is looking for donations to make sure they have enough instruments.
The Strings For Kids Program is hoping to raise $1,700 by the time school starts Aug. 29 to help pay for five new cellos for students. The cellos are needed as the free music program has seen the amount of interested students surpass its available instruments.
“We had so many new third-graders sign up this year for cello that we do not have enough cellos currently that are small enough,” Maria Ramsey, a member of the music faculty at Artspace Greenfield said.
The program, now in its 11th year at Artspace, provides free weekly lessons to Greenfield public school students for either violin or cello, eventually culminating in performances throughout the year.
The students start in elementary school Ramsey said, and can play all the way through high school. Ramsey said many of the program’s students have eventually worked up to playing in the Pioneer Valley Symphony Youth Orchestra.
The program lends the students violins and cellos to play, and will also take care of any maintenance they may need without charge.
The program has about 100 students this year, with 17 looking to play the cello — a total that is more than usual for the program.
Ramsey said the new cellos needed have to be quarter-sized versions, which are small enough for third graders to handle. The instruments come from Montana, Ramsey said, and cost $873 each, including accessories such as bows.
In order to purchase the instruments, the Strings For Kids Program was provided with a matching grant of up to $2,100 from the Classics for Kids Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps bring classical music programs and instruments to students.
But in order to get the full amount, the program must raise $2,100. They have raised $400 so far, and are hoping the community can help them raise the remaining $1,700 by the time students are back at the program when school starts Aug. 29.
To donate, you can visit their website at www.artspacegreenfield.com/strings-for-kids/