Project Proposal
This grant enhances the instrumental music students’ experience through instruction, collaboration, and mentorship with local professional musicians who assist in creating and developing the students’ performance skills in band, strings, and guitar classes.
Amount Funded
$30,000
“The Omaha Chamber Music Society String Quintet’s performance was inspiring and left a lasting impression on everyone. Oftentimes, student responses and questions following a guest speaker or performer come about as easily as wisdom tooth extraction. This was not the case after the performance of Strum. Some asked about gear and technique and others were deep and existential, eliciting the essence of what it means and takes to be a professional musician. From the progressing student learning basic techniques to our highest achieving All-State level students, I believe everyone was moved and motivated.”
Mr. Brad Rauch, CHS Orchestra Teacher
Students Impacted
Approximately 300 students each year.
Commitment to Closing the Opportunity Gap
This project allows students a more individualized method of instruction and would create more opportunities for the students to perform and compete favorably with the state’s other highly rated programs. For example, this year Central’s orchestra program will be partnering with the Omaha Symphony. Students will attend rehearsals and concerts and Symphony musicians will serve as guest soloists and teach master classes. Also, the Music Mentors will work side by side with CHS students in preparation for spring concerts and District Music Contest.
Translation to College and Career Readiness
In these lessons, students practice the fundamentals of string playing and musicianship, and they learn nuances and artistry of musicianship from professional players and educators whose careers have filled them with wisdom to share about the instrument and life lessons learned in music. The timing of this is perfect for our older students on a path toward studying music in college or pursuing a career in music and it will hopefully encourage ninth and tenth graders to do the same.
“Watching them play for me was mesmerizing. I was so captivated by the quality of their sound, the beauty of their instruments, and how well they all worked together. It was wonderful to see what, in the far future, a lot of hard work and dedication leads to.”
Danny Cox
Bass, Class of 2026