Recently, Ms. Kramer and students from the STEAM orchestra class formed a four-string quartet. They had an idea to do something that could seamlessly bring the concepts of STEM and the arts together in a way that truly separates STEAM Academy from any other high school. This four-string quartet had the opportunity to record their session in the sound studio so that they could share their work with the school. The three students who formed the four-string quartet with Ms. Kramer are Leonardo Torres, Madeline Camp, and Cameron Chittenden. The studio recording was mastered by Aven Chapman. When each of these students were asked why they joined the orchestra, it’s no surprise why each of them jumped at the chance to record with Ms. Kramer.
Leonardo told us that when he had originally joined the orchestra in elementary school, he had wanted to be just like his sister. Although he took a bit of a break from it, he said that he joined his middle school’s orchestra and has been playing ever since. When Madeline was asked about her experience with playing in an orchestra, she said that she originally began playing viola when her mom had gotten her interested in it, and she’s been playing viola since 4th grade. Cameron had a similar experience joining an orchestra where other people in her life originally sparked her interest in orchestra. She said that she had a lot of friends in the orchestra that had convinced her to join, and looking back she’s glad that she did. Leonardo, Madeline, and Cameron all said that they wouldn’t only enjoy recording in the studio again, but also want to carry their music beyond the classroom and into their future careers.
On November 11th, the day finally came when the quartet recorded in the sound studio to create a piece that is true to the core of STEAM Academy. In this recording, they played a total of five songs: Minuet and Trio, Repartee, Hoedown, Songs of Taiwan, and The Ash Grove.
Each of these students is passionate about their music and wants to carry it into the rest of their lives, and they aren’t the only ones. Ms. Kramer put this project together to help students to develop their skills and to use them in a new way that allows them to share all of the work that they have put into their music beyond a single concert at the end of the year. This opportunity also allows these students to focus more on their individual skills and to create a piece of media that they can be proud of, as well as something that they can give back to STEAM.
