BY HILLARY VIDERS
SPECIAL TO NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
ENGLEWOOD, N.J.––On Tuesday, Aug. 15, students at The Elisabeth Morrow School’s Summer String Program welcomed Universal Music’s Time for Three, a renowned string trio that performs in major venues from Carnegie Hall and the Philadelphia Philharmonic to the Boston Pops and “Dancing with the Stars.”
At 2:15 p.m., 235 youngsters, ages 4-13, assembled at the school’s Peter Lawrence Gymkhana, where they picked up their bows under the leadership of acclaimed violinist Amelia Gold, and made beautiful music. They were accompanied by 60 teachers and 80 counselors, all of whom are alumni of the program.
As the students played some of the pieces that they had rehearsed, their enthusiasm was palpable. Several dozen family members had come to watch the performance, and they, too, were excited. Aaron Cooper, the EMS’ headmaster, also showed enormous pride while listening to the students play.
A short time later, Gold, the music director of The Elisabeth Morrow School, announced that the iconic Time for Three (Tf3) trio was arriving at the Gymkhana, whereupon the students gleefully began repeatedly chanting, “Time for Three! Time for Three!”
In a flash, double-bassist Ranaan Meyer and violinists Nick Kendall and Charles Yang leapt onto the stage and greeted everyone with a burst of energy and hands waving wildly.
Kendall called out, “You guys are incredible!”
With great showmanship, the trio proceeded to play a medley of their original musical pieces, some of which incorporated singing. Time for Three’s music brilliantly incorporates several different genres such as classical, bluegrass, folk music and pop. They also rework songs by the Beatles, Kanye West, Katy Perry, Justin Timberlake and other pop stars, according to organizers.
The zest and versatility for which Time for Three is famous was on display and had the audience in awe. In several sections, Yang even played his violin with his fingers instead of a bow.
Kendall went on to explain that the signature piece that they were going to play next, “Joy,” was inspired by “Ode to Joy,” from Symphony No. 9, written by Beethoven.
“Despite becoming deaf, Beethoven never lost his passion for music and for the joy that it brings people,” he said. The trio, therefore, created their version of “Joy” as a benchmark for what music means.
Time for Three played “Joy,” once by themselves, and then again accompanied by all the students and teachers of the Summer String Festival. At one point, they invited a young cello student to come up and play with them on the stage. It was the kind of breathtaking experience that can change a youngster’s life.
Time for Three finished by applauding the talent of all 235 students.
As the trio left the stage, Meyer told them, “You can accomplish whatever you set your mind to do. So, go, make it happen! We believe in you!”
The EMS Summer String Festival is unique
Time for Three are some of many world-class musicians that have visited and performed with the students of The Elisabeth Morrow School Summer String Festival. The students hold their own with this array of talent, as they themselves are extremely gifted. Organizers say they are also a very diverse group, coming from as far as Korea and Paris, and some from underserved communities within New York and New Jersey.
One of the things that makes this program unique is the support that it offers students who need financial assistance.
“The costs for students who are not able to pay are covered 100 percent by the Russell Berrie Foundation, who originally seeded the program 22 years ago,” according to organizers.
Amelia Gold takes enormous pride in the Summer String Festival’s financial support of young musicians: “For 22 years, it has been the seed program for the most talented and motivated string musicians ages 4-13 throughout the world. The String Festival is the only program of its kind that supports young artists at the very beginning of their study through the tuition aid program. Must music festivals will give scholarships to its most advanced students, but at the EMS Summer String Festival we invest in our students from the very beginning. The impact of being in a dynamic and inclusive artistic community for this intense and inspiring week brings back 80 alumni every year, many of whom support the next generation of performing artists.”
The EMS’ investment in young musicians has paid off many times over. Many alumni have gone on to top tier colleges and professional careers.
Students in this year’s Summer String Festival speak in glowing terms about the program.
“I’ve been here every summer since I was 3 years old,” says high school student Cathy Tuvisco. “We don’t just learn music. We learn team effort and appreciation for one another.”
The Aug. 15 concert, in which the Summer String Festival students played with Time for Three, was a great success. After the concert, students, teachers and guests mingled amidst an abundance of kudos.
Even the Time for Three musicians were amazed at how gifted and dedicated the young musicians were.
Meyer remarked, “It is inspiring to feel the energy that these young people bring to their music! They understand, as we do, that music transcends all boundaries – age, geography, economy and ethnicity.
Kendall agreed: “These kids are a vessel of positive energy and they have learned a strong work ethic that will serve them well in any profession that they choose.”
Gold credits the success of the Summer String Festival to the brilliance of her staff as well as the students, stating, “We are so proud to combine the country’s most outstanding faculty and the most exceptionally talented students together with the beauty of our campus to create the perfect recipe for artistic excellence.”
Photos by Hillary Viders