Miami String Institute Presents A Storybook Beginning

The Miami String Institute seeks to promote and enhance connections between the university and local public schools to nurture the musical engagement of thee surrounding community. The Institute consists of two program directors, Robert Saunders and Giulia Ripani, site coordinators recruited through the university outreach programs at participating schools, undergraduate and graduate student instructors, and close to 100 underserved youth in Miami-Dade County.

Miami String Institute presents and ideal laboratory for educational pedagogy development. Program directors Giulia Ripani and Robert Saunders are currently developing a new teaching method based on storytelling that will be implemented at the Miami String Institute. Youth psychology professor Bruno Bettelheim has extensively documented the importance of storytelling for children’s cognitive growth, emotional maturity, and self-satisfaction. Educational studies have also demonstrated the effectiveness of stories as a means to communicate information in a positive learning environment. However, storytelling is marginally used in string instruction. Our method uses narratives to develop students’ artistry in terms of technical proficiency and emotional maturity.

Running in conjunction with the storytelling curriculum, the Mandolin/Violin Primary (MVP) curriculum created by Robert Saunders is designed to augment the technical and conceptual learning of beginning violin students in after school strings music programs in Miami-Dade County. As part of the Miami String Institute, the program uses parallel instruments to teach foundational skills to beginning violin students. Using mandolin instruments in parallel executive technique learning activities, the students see benefit to their ability to differentiate intervals and modal quality (major/minor chords and arpeggios), their ability to audiate and improvise to harmonic rhythm progression, and increases their interest and enjoyment of violin class.

The collaboration between the university and outreach program will provide students with performing opportunities in different settings, thus overcoming socio-economic barriers. Beyond class activities, concerts throughout the academic year are an important pedagogic strategy to enhance students’ concentration and motivation. Having specific music goals help students develop stronger commitment to  their instruments and the orchestra. Yet, on the belief that in outreach activities musical products should not overcome  musical processes, concerts are not proposed as the mission of our project. Instead, performing opportunities are considered as a means to increase the confidence of the group and strengthen the relationships between young players from different socioeconomic backgrounds.

To engage university students, the Miami String Institute is open to all undergraduate and graduate string students who want to gain experience teaching in community settings. Many pedagogy courses in the music school require students to observe local teaching practices and report on them to receive credit in class. Last year, students from a string pedagogy class section came to Ludlam Elementary to teach small group lessons. Though very successful and fulfilling for both university instructors and Ludlam youth, additional guidance would be useful to make each lesson more effective. The program directors will provide instructors with training and guidance in implementing the curricula at each site. Lesson plans and instructional materials will be acquired through this grant to provide young teachers the necessary tools for success in community engagement. This will foster deeper connections between the University of Miami and the local public school system.

The Miami String Institute envisions a new role for the University of Miami. Instead of maintaining sole focus on research and training, the University would become a bridge between the academic world and the greater Miami-Dade community.