Pinecrest students have ‘R & R with the Royal Strings’

Most of the students at Pinecrest Elementary School probably had never been exposed to string instruments. On Friday morning, that changed.

The second- to fourth-graders became better acquainted with the help of the Royal Strings, an area musical quintet. For about an hour there was music from the cello, bass, viola and two violins as well as interaction with the musicians.

The appearance of the Royal Strings, who visited Hastings schools in 2009, was made possible through a “What If” grant provided by the Hastings Public School Foundation. Those grants were announced last month.

The applicants for this grant were Mary Ellen Fox, Sarah Lockwood, Margaret Cox and Andrea Scheuzger, all musicians. Scheuzger is also the school orchestra director.

Fox was familiar with the group, which has made appearances at the Renaissance Festival.

“You think of R and R and you think rest and relaxation, which the music can be,” she said. “But we want to recruit and retain students’ interest in string musical instruments.”

The purpose of the grant was worded this way in the application: “To open the world of string instruments to elementary students and to strengthen the skills and deepen the interest of current string players.”

Mindy Andrews is a member of the Hastings Public Schools Foundation and was at Pinecrest Friday.

“A visit from the Royal Strings provided elementary students with exposure to a medium of music many have never experienced before,” she said. “Students were introduced to the string family instruments by live, professional musicians who interact with the students in a genuine and fun manner. They played amazingly well. It was a captivating and exciting way of presenting different types of music.”

The musicians also spent time with other students in Hastings schools Friday.

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