“It’s just like learning a language. It has to be something you are doing as part of your life
a win-win for all students
every day. The more you play your instrument, the more you learn.”
In addition to weekly group practices, students in the Cheney String Academy also receive weekly one-on-one instruction from Eastern music students. “This is an opportunity for the Eastern
Playing an instrument can have benefits far beyond just learning how to play. “There are studies after studies that show how music helps the academics. When you’re learning music you are also learning about rhythm, which
students to work with this age group, to see how
incorporates math. You are learning the history
these kind of classes are organized and how they
of the composers and the history of the time
function. The Eastern students get hands-on
when that music was composed,” Marshall said.
training,” Marshall said. Eastern students also help Cheney String
Suzuki’s method of teaching also emphasizes more than just learning how to play an
Academy musicians practice their solo material
instrument – it has an underlying principle that
for winter and spring recitals. To prepare for her
focuses on creating a well-rounded person.
spring recital, Paige practiced four days a week, playing through each song twice. “The students are told they should only
“Dr. Suzuki’s intention was not to teach great string players, his intention was to cultivate human beings,” said Marshall. “To make them
practice on the days they eat or breathe; to make
appreciate art, to make them better people.
this a part of their everyday life,” Marshall said.
That is the bigger picture.”
Below: Dr. Julia Salerno, who teaches violin and viola at EWU, shares her knowledge with students in the Cheney String Academy. Opposite page: Dr. John Marshall, professor of cello at EWU, originally started the String Academy in 2005 on the Eastern campus.
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