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MEDIA FACT SHEET
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Overview
The National String Project Consortium (NSPC) is working to expand music education programs for grade school children throughout the US, and to alleviate the shortage of string teachers for the public schools.
In a String Project, children gain the opportunity to study a stringed instrument (violin, viola, cello, or bass) beginning in the third grade at a participating local university or college campus. Teachers in the String Project are undergraduate music majors who gain valuable hands-on teaching experience under the supervision of the program’s Director and a Master Teacher—seasoned public school string teachers who mentor and advise the undergraduate teachers.
• In 2001, public schools could not fill 25 percent of vacancies for string music teachers. As aging teachers move closer toward retirement, the number of vacant and unfilled jobs is expected to rise.
• More than half of the undergraduates who participate (55%) say they will teach music immediately following graduation. Another 39 percent say they’ll teach immediately following completion of graduate school – two clear signs that the National String Project Consortium is achieving its goal of helping to eliminate the shortage of string teachers in the United States.
• On average, participating grade-school children are nine years old. Most children are learning to play the violin (69%), followed by cello (15%), viola (14%), and bass (2%).
• Fees for the children to participate are kept very low so that every child who wishes to participate can do so. Many of these programs attract a diverse racial and ethnic blend of children from the communities they serve.
Participating Colleges/Universities
Arizona State University
Ball State University
Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music
California State University (Sacramento)
Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam
Illinois State University
Lawrence University Conservatory of Music
Marywood University
St. Cloud State University
Texas Tech University
University of Arizona
University of Dayton
University of Georgia
University of Hartford/The Hartt School
University of Kentucky
University of Massachusetts at Lowell
University of Memphis
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
University of North Texas
University of Oklahoma
University of South Carolina
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
University of Texas (Austin)
University of Texas at San Antonio
University of Wyoming
Weber State University
For More Information
Robert Jesselson
National String Project Consortium
803-777-2033
RJesselson@Mozart.sc.edu
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