The Martha’s Vineyard Chamber Music Society (MVCMS) is experiencing great success with “Access and Inspiration”, the program funded by MVYouth. Our student instruments are loaned every October. This year, we loaned all 3/4 and full size violins, indicating students are playing longer and moving into larger instruments as they grow - a goal of the program.

For inspiration, we offered two highly successful Artist-in-Residencies which ran for a week each, March 25 to April 1, and November 4 to 12. In March, Andres Vera, cellist with The Quartet San Francisco made his third visit to the Vineyard. Accompanied by Joseph Christiansen, second violinist in the Quartet. Together they brought a youthful exuberance, masterful classical playing, and strong teaching skills. In November, the entire Quartet visited, working with the high school orchestra and helping students prepare solo pieces for festival auditions, performing for the high school music department, and at the Edgartown and Charter School. The Quartet coached and performed with “The Swedish Fish String Ensemble” at the Oak Bluffs School, a tremendous confidence building event for the students.

At this, the end of our funding, we feel sure of our ability to sustain the residency program. We secured additional funding through grants and generous patrons. Our work continues and we look forward to working with MVYouth again in the future.