Visit, performance from Juilliard trio brings students closer to music

Sarah Harding never expected to enjoy listening to classical music, much less perform it.

But the LBC Middle School eighth-grader has been doing both for the past three years, thanks to the Singleton-Miller Strings Orchestra program at her school.

Sarah and hundreds of other students got a special opportunity Tuesday - a short recital by three professional musicians through the Juilliard in Aiken program that is in the community this week.

In addition to formal performances, the musicians are also appearing at workshops and concerts at schools throughout Aiken County. They performed at St. Thaddeus Episcopal Church for students from LBC, Schofield Middle School, A.L. Corbett Middle School and the host school, Mead Hall.

Their recital was followed by a musical program from students of violin teacher Joanne Stanford.

Sarah said she grew up playing the piano and guitar but never dreamed of adding violin to her training.

"This has brought so much to me," she said. "It fulfills me as a person and has given me opportunities to do stuff like this today. It's amazing, and I love it."

LBC music teacher Joyce Culp was delighted last year with the visit of a Juilliard string quartet to the school, but the opportunity for her kids to visit the historic Episcopal church for a classical program is even better.

"This just increases their excitement," Culp said. "My eighth-graders are sad because there's no strings program at Midland Valley High School. Hopefully, this will be enough to inspire them to keep playing."

The Juilliard trio that appeared Tuesday included cellist Claire Bryant, violinist Francesca Anderegg and pianist Daniel Fung. Bryant returned to Aiken for the second time, having devoted much of her week in 2009 to a residency at Schofield. She greeted those students yesterday.

"It's nice to come back a second time and feel you are part of a family again," Bryant said. "It deepens the experience."

A native of Camden, Bryant has a busy schedule in New York City. Yet she has found time to start a chamber music program in her hometown, participating in two weeklong residencies for about 280 elementary students.

"I really was inspired to do this by this community and the Juilliard in Aiken experience," Bryant said.

Sandra Field, the president of Juilliard in Aiken, was pleased to hear that the organization's mission is extending to other communities through the musicians.

"We have heard from some of the most outstanding artists," Field said. "Everyone will be amazed by them. We just want to expose our students to players of this quality and hopefully inspire them to work toward a much higher standard."

Stanford said her students have worked since September toward the concert.

"It's so important for them to attend a live concert and hear the different instruments, seeing musicians at another level," she said.

Contact Rob Novit at rnovit@aikenstandard.com.