Beautiful music filled the Mt. Hope High School Performing Arts Center Wednesday night as 150 students from Bristol and Warren took part in the annual Community String Project Winter Youth Concert.

The program, which was under the direction of Alicia Ruggiero, Wendy Rios, Amanda Neves, Shannon Petrik, Emily Plunkett, and accompanist Mathew Marion, featured the Community String Project Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced Youth Strings, the Middle School Ensemble, High School Ensemble, and Middle School and High School orchestra.

The Community String Project’s mission is to “provide affordable and accessible orchestral string lessons, transforming lives through an innovative music program.”

“It was a great concert and we continue to work to improve our instruction and events,” noted Program Director Alan Bernstein, “I think the key to our continuing success is our excellent faculty.  They care about their students and give 120 percent to provide the best instruction. The community is very supportive of our events and our parents are very supportive both in their children's instruction and in their involvement in CSP activities.”

CSP offers accessible and affordable string lessons to children, teens and adults in Bristol, Warren, Barrington, Portsmouth, East Providence, Tiverton, Little Compton, Middletown, Seekonk, Swansea, Somerset and Fall River.       

Lessons are available for children in grades 3 to 5, students in middle and high school, and adults. There are 16-week fall and spring sessions, as well as summer camp and lessons. Instrument rental is also available.

“We also strive to improve how we do things with each session and each concert, building upon what has worked in the past and improving those things that have not,” Mr. Bernstein said. “We listen to parents’ suggestions and do our best to incorporate them. Most of all, we are committed to our mission of affordable and accessible string instruction for all students.”

For more information, visit: www.communitystringproject.org, or call 401-500-1243.