KCMF Strings Advancement Program in-school programming provides a boost to the advancement of high school student string players raising their technical and artistic skills.
KCMF aims to bring local school strings programs back to a place of growth and vibrancy through providing programming where it is needed most. KCMF will bring support to SKHS instrumental string classes in a way that is most meaningful and impactful to the students through working directly with the students during the day in their music classes.
The Kingston Chamber Music Festival (KCMF) is dedicated to advancing the art of chamber music for future generations of artists. Since the shuttering of music programs during the pandemic, strings programs for local youth have not bounced back. Arts enrollment at schools in Washington County, Rhode Island is the second lowest in the state after Providence County. When comparing data from the RIDE Arts Data Dashboard it is clear that visual arts enrollment at South Kingstown High School increased 6% from 2021-2022, whereas music enrollment has shown 0% increase for the same time period. KCMF is focused on supporting school music departments by providing the additional mentorship, instruction and support that youth musicians need to excel as our next generation of professional artists.
Starting the fall of 2025 KCMF will be working with the South Kingstown High School (SKHS) Music Department to provide small ensemble instruction for student string musicians. This program grew out of communication with SKHS Instrumental Music Director, Fritz Benz. Mr. Benz as a non-strings player is eager to have the support of a professional strings musician to provide face to face instructional support to his students. Only ½ of the string players take private lessons, so the in-school instruction is a critical part of their growth as musicians.
The KCMF Strings Advancement Program will be taught by Megan Koch, KCMF educator and cellist with the RI Philharmonic. The program will support basic strings skills development through technique studies for sectionals as well as full classes of up to 22 high school students. Ms. Koch will work separately with sections of the ensemble providing the violin section a boost to fundamental technique, and the cello section more advanced technical and artistic mastery. Students will work on left hand positioning, ear training, bowing technique, scale and arpeggio work, and much more in preparation for performances.
Ms. Koch will support the SKHS string classes for 60-90 minutes once every other week for 30 weeks from October 2025 to June 2026, providing hands-on instruction to advance the technique and artistry of the music students. Additionally Ms. Koch will provide an additional 5 sessions specifically focused on performance skills prior to the school’s 4 annual concerts. With a total of 20 class sessions supporting the SKHS music program, students will get the detailed instructional attention required to raise their skill and confidence as musicians.