Bridge the gap

The Wright State University School of Fine and Performing Arts hosted aspiring high school music students at its third annual Fall Strings Festival on Oct. 6 to Oct. 8.

The three-day festival attracted 19 high school students who performed with 16 Wright State string majors. High school participants received coaching and rehearsed alongside a Wright State string major.

“For the high schoolers, no matter where their playing level is, they’re going to be successful because they’re sitting amongst people who are strong players,” said Bill Jobert, senior lecturer of bassoon and coordinator of music education.  “They also get to make a connection with someone that’s in college.”

The festival was instructed by guest conductor Ann Smith, a recipient of the 2020 Wright State Alumna of the Year Award and an orchestra teacher at Plano East Senior High School in Plano, Texas.

“I hope they take away the passion and joy that I have for music,” said Smith.

Nathan Mamitag, a senior at Troy High School, said playing the violin with Wright State students is something he wanted to see if he was capable of doing. “This is a big deal for me,” he said.

Wright State Orchestra faculty members Jackson Leung, D.M.A., In-Hong Cha, D.M.A., Thomas Sobieski, Kevin Nordstrom, D.M.A., and Franklin Cox, Ph.D., participated as coaches at the festival.

The festival wrapped up with high school participants and Wright State students performing together in a Chamber Orchestra concert and concerto competition in Schuster Hall.