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Summer got off to a musical start for seven promising young Caymanian musicians when they attended the String Orchestra Camp at Florida State University in Tallahassee last month.

The Year 8 and Year 9 students, all intermediate-level string instrument players who are enrolled in Cayman Arts Festival’s after-school music education programme, were among more than 90 young musicians - mostly the United States - to attend the annual one-week summer camp for string players.

In the past, only advanced-level participants of Cayman Arts Festival’s after-school programme have been given the opportunity to attend overseas camps. But music teacher Fran McConvey, who organises the after-school programme activities at John Gray High School, said there were strategic reasons for giving intermediate-level students the chance to receive higher level instruction and to perform with other young string players abroad.

“We want to boost the Year 8 and Year 9 group to help advance their abilities as they enter their final years of high school,” she said.

After a week of training and practice with the other students, the camp concluded with the young musicians performing in two concerts at the Ruby Diamond Concert Hall at Florida University.

“It was the first time they performed with a conductor,” said McConvey, who accompanied the group on the trip. “It was a fantastic opportunity for all of them and they learned they could hold their own with other young musicians from all around the United States.”

The seven students included violinists Makennah Wright, Sian Euter, Zoie Bush and Stephen Mason, viola player Naomi McLaughlin, and cellist Jada-Kae Lawrence and double bass player Khalia Dawkins.

“Stephen Mason is to be particularly commended for performing as a member of a string quartet in front of an audience of hundreds,” McConvey said.
In addition to making new friends who share their passion for music, the students learned to tune their instruments and what it was like to play in a large ensemble.

“All of our students worked very hard and rose to the challenge,” said McConvey. “I am very proud of them all.”

The directors of the String Orchestra Camp were also impressed with the seven young Caymanian musicians.  “We were told they absolutely enjoyed having our kids at the camp and said they are keen to have us continue to bring students there in the future,” said McConvey.

Cayman Arts Festival Executive Director Marius Gaina said giving music students the opportunity to get intensive instruction overseas at places like the String Orchestra Camp helps them develop as musicians.

“It broadens their musical horizons by allowing them to learn from other teachers, while at the same time giving them the opportunity to meet and perform with other young musicians their same age. I am not surprised at all to learn that they performed so admirably with the student string players from the United States.”

Gaina expressed his gratitude to the Cayman Islands Ministry of Youth, Sports & Heritage as well as the Ministry of Education for providing some financial support for the students to attend the camp.

“We have never been able to send that many students to an overseas camp before and we welcomed their generous contribution.”