Last summer I had the opportunity to work with young musicians at the Kids Community Music Camp, located in West Hartford, Connecticut, as part of the Music at the Red Door series. The camp is designed primarily for kids who want to explore their love of music, but don’t have access to resources that allow them to do that.

      The usual day consisted of a violin group exploratory class, dance, singing, a performance and Q&A with a guest artist, and “Bucket Band” – a percussion ensemble with a plastic utility bucket as the central instrument. The kids were split into three groups based on their violin experience: beginners, intermediate, and advanced. From there, each group swapped between dance, “Bucket Band,” and violin. The guest artists ranged from professional organists and singers, to myself, where I played two cello pieces, then talked about my experiences with music and how it has shaped me into the person I am today. Specifically, I talked about how I started, my plans for the future, and how music has helped me with various aspects of my life, for example athletics and work ethic.

      Another guest artist was a very talented singer named Jermaine Woodward Jr. who performs a wide range of music, from choral music to opera and musicals. In his Q & A, Jermaine talked about practicing, the importance of taking risks, and his general experience with music. Finally, everyone ended the day with choir, where they learned and sang pieces such as One Day by Matisyahu, Mi Cuerpo Hace Música, and the hymn Shine on Me. At the very end of the camp the kids put on an “informance” for their family and friends, where they were able to showcase all they learned in just that one week of camp. One thing I found particularly amazing about the “informance” (and just the camp in general) was how all the kids – even those who had never even touched a violin before – were able to play a beautiful rendition of Pocabell’s Canon together within five days of attending the camp.

      I am very happy to have had the opportunity to help children further their musical journey, a cause that I personally find incredibly meaningful. I got my start in music with a similar program about 10 years ago; it was also led by violinist Calida Jones, who teaches violin at Kids Community Music Camp. I am eternally grateful to have been able to contribute to a cause I personally find so impactful: providing others with the opportunity to foster their love for music, similar to what Calida did for me, because music should be open for everyone to learn and enjoy.