Illinois State University String Project
The award winning Illinois State University String Project is an after-school music program that offers low-cost instruction on stringed instruments to children in the community. The program supports existing public school string programs and provides a string education to children who are homeschooled or enrolled in schools where no string program is available. String Project also provides valuable teacher training experience for ISU's string majors who serve as teaching assistants.
Students in String Project meet for weekly group classes under the guidance of ISU faculty, graduate, and undergraduate music majors. Students perform two large concerts each year at ISU's Center for the Performing Arts. Other performance opportunities include solo recitals for students enrolled in private lessons, the Honors Recital, and appearances at community events such as the Worldwide Day of Play and Make Music Normal.
The ISU String Project began in 2001 with the support of the College of Fine Arts and a major grant from the American String Teachers Association. The ISU String Project was named the 2013 National String Project of the Year and is a member of the National String Project Consortium.