Starkville — The melodic sounds of stringed instruments will soon be wafting through the campus of the Starkville-Octiveha County Unified School District.

This week, SOCSD announced that it will partner with the Mississippi State University School of Music and MSU College of Education for the Excellence in Strings program beginning Fall 2023.

SOCSD Superintendent Tony McGee said the program will help expose students to more instruments from an early age and will help expand the district’s music program by incorporating string instruments into existing band and choir programs. said.

“We are always looking for ways to expand opportunities for our students,” Magee said. “With the Strings Program, students begin learning how to read and understand music in the third grade, exposing many students to an instrument they have never experienced before.”

Sixth graders at West Elementary School, Henderson Ward Stewart Elementary School, Overstreet Elementary School, and Partnership Middle School will be taught to play the violin, viola, cello, or string bass as part of their regular class rotation. Classes include students in grades 3 through 6.

SOCSD spokesperson Haley Montgomery explained how this will affect student class schedules.

“We are still working out the details of the schedule, but we plan to ensure that all[third-grade]students can enjoy string classes as part of their regular ‘special’ class rotation,” Montgomery told Dispatch. wrote in an email. “In third grade, each ‘special’ class (i.e. art, music, physical education, library, MakerSpace) is typically visited by her once or every other week per week. From grades 4 through her grade 6, the student has the opportunity to select strings as her one of the special/choice options. “

Instruments will be provided by the school district during classes, Montgomery said, and students will be offered the opportunity to rent or purchase instruments if they want to practice more at home.

Montgomery said the Mississippi Department of Music is designing a curriculum for beginning strings. She said MSU and SOCSD will share two new music faculty to teach string classes.

In the launch video, MSU Dean and Music Professor Daniel Stevens spoke about the benefits of learning music from an early age.

“Students who choose to study music learn a new musical language that is universal and creative and that improves personal discipline, collaboration, self-confidence and mental health,” Stevens said. “…we are delighted to offer string instrument instruction as an avenue for further creativity that opens the door to academic achievement, higher test scores and ultimately college scholarships.”

Stevens also introduced two faculty members who will be teaching in the program, Assistant Professor of Music Serena Sibelli and Assistant Professor of Music Amy Catron.

Magee said the program is currently only open to students in grades 3 through 6, but the district plans to expand the program to grade 12 in the future. This will allow school districts to establish middle school and high school orchestra programs.

“The program will grow organically as we add new student populations,” Magee said. “This year we will be moving from grade 3 to grade 6. As 6th graders move on to grade 7, we would like to further enhance our stringed instrument classes. , we believe there may be more advanced classes as we progress through the school.”