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The (musical) kids are back in town

SPA ensemble
Ģż
SPA participants reap the benefits of the College of Music's Musicians’ Wellness Program.
SPA participants reap the benefits of the College of Musicā€™s Musiciansā€™ Wellness Program.

Last summer, the College of Music andĢż (SPA) kicked off a new partnership to welcome 22 talented string studentsā€”ages 11-17ā€”to our campus forĢżan intensive scholarship program emphasizing cultural diversity.Ģż

SPA Cahill
Associate Professor of Double Bass Susan Cahill coaches an SPA participant.

This month, June 20-30, itā€™s dĆ©jĆ¢ vu as auditioned youths engage in lessons, master classes and performances with their instructors and guest teachersā€”all under the auspices of the Sphinx Organization and thanks to a DEI Impact Grant from the CU Boulder Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

SPA Requiro
Associate Professor of Cello David Requiro (left) with other SPA participants.

Thatā€™s a lot to plan and implement. Yet for Alex Gonzalezā€”returning SPA faculty member and College of Music assistant professor of violinā€”itā€™s all a joy. ā€œItā€™s wonderful to see how the SPA gives the kids space to grow, presenting them options as they pursue music,ā€ he says.

In between, Gonzalez explains, the students do more than improve their skills on violin, viola, cello and bass: ā€œFor example, Jim Brody, who runs the College of Musicā€™s wellness program, instructed them in healthy playing habits. Itā€™s so important for them to learn how to prevent injury and avoid poor practice positions.ā€ Gonzalez also notes a master class by violinist Andrea Segar whoā€™ll join the College of Music faculty as assistant professor of violin this fall.Ģż

Success stories are many. Among the 22 students whoā€™ve flown in from around the country, a few are returning from last summerā€™s inaugural SPA on our campus; and, according to Gonzalez, three students from the first cohort have applied for admission to CU Boulder and were acceptedā€”including SPA alum Ryannah Blackman who will join Gonzalezā€™s violin studio as a freshman performance major this fall. ā€œShe told me, ā€˜The SPA made me want to settle here,ā€™ā€Ģżhe says.Ģż

A member of the Sphinx Virtuosi where heā€™s concertmaster, touring extensively with the group across the country and abroad, Gonzalez understands first-hand that the road to success in music isnā€™t without its challenges. But programs like the Detroit-based Sphinx Organization, established in 1997 to focus on ā€œincreasing representation of Black and Latinx artists in classical music,ā€ have done much to ease and advance that journey.

Intense teaching and motivation are valuable, of course, but the SPA provides something else, Gonzales discovered: ā€œThereā€™s a sense of community here, friendships have developed,ā€Ģżhe says. ā€œThese kids are sharing their love of music, of being together. I think it lifts them up.Ģż

ā€œTheyā€™ve worked hard but they got Sundays off, so they went on field trips. They went to the Pearl Street Mall and they took hikes. They got to see Boulder.ā€Ģż

See you next year, SPA!

SPA faculty and students will perform in Grusin Music Hall tonight and this weekend.

Photos: Kathryn Bistodeau, Sphinx Organization

SPA ensemble