It takes a village … Your support for CAS can assure its future
CAS members perform at the St. Mary’s Ice Cream Social in July.
Members of the Cultural Art Strings have also performed at Gazebo Concerts for several years.
It really does take a village to make things happen. Manchester’s Cultural Art Strings program (CAS) is definitely proof of that adage.
It’s been seven years since Riverfolk Music and Arts initiated Cultural Art Strings as its string music education division; started with a little seed money from Riverfolk and a lot of love and dedication from founders Aileen and Bob Rohwer. As string musicians themselves, the Rohwers noticed the Manchester Community Schools had been unable to support a strings division since the 80s when the program fell subject to budget cuts. Both Bob and Aileen saw a need to offer string instruments and instruction to young student. So, they did!
Since 2012, CAS has grown into a much broader community project that has touched the hearts of many families and supporters. Thanks to this wide-ranging support, it now runs a year-round program of private lessons, group classes and summer day camp sprinkled with twice a year recitals, community outreach concerts, church engagements and more. Over 200 students have gone through the program in this time, and they have performed all over the community–from Blacksmith Shop Concerts to performing for shoppers downtown or guests at ice cream socials; as well as many performances outside Manchester, including Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Blue Lake International Orchestra, and receiving Superior ratings at MSBOA Solo and Ensemble contests.
One of the CAS supporters is Manchester resident Ken Kozora, who started a project more than two decades ago called “Horns for the Holidays.” As a musician himself, he remembers well that when he was in fifth grade someone donated a trumpet that he subsequently learned to play. And as an adult, he found a way to pay that kindness forward to others.
“Music simply brings joy,” Ken says. “I just had a flash of inspiration one day when I was working at a music store. People would come in with instruments they no longer wanted. I knew there were kids who would want to play. So it actually took me about 15 minutes to come up with the idea of being the intermediary who found homes for these instruments. In my work I was in touch with a lot of music teachers. They knew a lot of students who might not be able to afford to purchase an instrument; I had a lot of instruments that needed to bring joy to these kids. It was pretty simple, really.”
Over the years, Ken has seen about 700 instruments pass through his program. But, although he was dealing mostly with band instruments, he ended up with quite a few string instruments along the way as well. That’s where his connection came with CAS. “I met Aileen and Bob through my association with Riverfolk (as a former board member),” he recalls, “and they came to town with all this skill and dedication and passion for helping kids learn about stringed instruments … I talked to them and learned about their mission and the CAS program, and I knew this was a great match.”
He donated a number of string instruments to the CAS and they have been used and enjoyed by many CAS students; some students are still playing the instruments that they started with years ago. “Some of these students would not be able to afford their own instrument,” Aileen says. “Thanks to Ken’s generosity, we have several students who have learned to play on their own instruments that were donated to us.”
CAS also benefits greatly from its association with Shar Music in Ann Arbor, which has also donated or provided instruments at a reduced cost to be used in the Cultural Art Strings program.
Registration for Fall/Winter Session is now open. Families can register online at Eventbrite or email info@riverfolkarts.org to discuss options. The program is open to students age 6-12. No experience is necessary and instruments are available for purchase or rent. Financial aid is also available; determined by a blind committee and provided to families on a sliding scale. More than 40% of CAS students have received financial aid and/or sibling discounts. When financial aid is not available, teachers often end up donating their time.
“Cultural Art Strings attributes its success to the generosity of the Manchester community and the willingness of parents to support our model of teaching in which the parent is involved in the home preparations for lessons,” Aileen said. “In order for our program to remain available and open to anyone regardless offinancial circumstances, CAS is seeking individuals willing to sponsor a student’s music education or portions of our program.”
Sponsoring Levels include $1000 for a year of lessons for one child; a $500 level to sponsor one child for one semester of lessons (16 lessons); and $200 sponsors the purchase of an instrument or supplies for CAS programs.
“Music education has the power to change lives and create lifelong friendships,” says Aileen. “It allows one to use all the parts of their brain covering many subjects from math, reading, science, history, art, and more! It allows us to learn a different language to communicate our thoughts, emotions and stories.”
Parent Jill Noble-White agrees. Her daughter, Sadie, is a CAS student who has attained her goal of playing with the Blue Lake Youth Symphony Orchestra. Next summer, Sadie will tour Europe for three weeks with the group.
“We have been thrilled for Sadie to have the opportunity to be part of CAS,” said Jill. “Sadie came to us to ask if she could play viola after one of her school friends told her about the group. Aileen’s teaching method gets kids involved and part of the group right away. I couldn’t believe how quickly she learned to play. She has come a long way from ‘down wiggle, up wiggle’ (one of the first bow strokes she learned).
“CAS has fostered her love of music and has made her a nearly fearless performer. I love to see the confidence she has attained over the years. She never would have made it to an international stage (at Blue Lake Youth Symphony Orchestra) without CAS.”
Jill adds that CAS is a “big city” opportunity for kids in our small town. “You don’t have to drive your child to Ann Arbor or Chelsea to get a great musical experience,” she says.
The Manchester community has given its support in so many ways for the CAS programs. The Manchester United Methodist Church has provided a venue for practices and concerts, as well as hosting CAS summer camps for several years. This year, the Washtenaw County Parks & Recreation Commission generously sponsored summer day camp at Sharon Mills County Park, allowing CAS to incorporate even more into their curriculum. The Manchester Men’s Club provided a grant that helped CAS faculty and staff to purchase music stands. Ken Kozora and Shar Music have donated many, many instruments to the program; and many individuals have donated money for scholarship funds. But more scholarships are deeply needed so that CAS can continue to offer its amazing outreach to prospective young musicians in the Manchester community.
CAS currently has a four-member faculty–Daniel Winnick, violin and viola; Ryan Seay, Guitar; Jacob Warren, bass; and Aileen Rohwer, cello; but almost two dozen more past and visiting teachers have contributed to the program over the years, and their instruction has also included trumpet, jazz, singing, and more.
“We as a community need to continue to support these Arts programs,” said Jill Noble. “The arts open up so many more avenues for our town’s youth. More young families will consider moving to Manchester if we have diverse programs for children that go beyond those offered by the school district.”
Ken Kozora adds, “It’s all about paying it forward. I have been a musician all my life, and I don’t know where I would be without music being such a huge part of my life. Manchester doesn’t have an orchestra, so CAS fills a very valuable need in the community. Everyone knows that music makes you smart; it teaches you teamwork and discipline, all those great things … but for me, the joy that one gets from music, validates it 100%. Because really, don’t we all need a lot more joy?”
To make a donation to CAS, visit riverfolkarts.org, or contact Aileen Rohwer at aileen@culturalartstrings.org.
Sadie White, who plays viola, has earned a spot in the Blue Lake Youth Symphony Orchestra, and will tour Europe next summer.
CAS Bass players at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp
Guitar Class at CAS Camp
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