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Edelweiss Quartet entertains Lloyd students
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The musicians of the Edelweiss Quartet performed at Lloyd Elementary on Feb. 16 to teach the children about the importance of music. Oboe player Natalie Biller (left) had Lloyd students Marc Judy (left) and Elizabeth Hahn help add spice to the song “Pop Goes the Weasel” by manning the instruments that provided the “pop!”
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Oboe player Natalie Biller (left) welcomed 14 Lloyd students on stage to add a unique twist to “Blue Danube” by having the students bang on pans and crank egg beaters. Manning the egg beaters were Mariah Cruz, Joseph Hynes, and Robert Fay (right).
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The musicians of the Edelweiss Quartet paused in between songs to give Lloyd students a short tour through their instruments. Jeff Bremer showed the students the different sounds he could make with his bow and then just his hands on his string bass instrument.
By SARAH FOOR
Students at Lloyd Elementary knew they were being treated to a concert. But when they saw the instruments on stage, things didn’t look quite the way they might have imagined.
“Our aim is to open up a new world for the kids,” explained Alexander Stuart, a clarinet player for the local Edelweiss Quartet which visited the school Feb. 16.
The band consisted of two oboes, one clarinet and a standing bass played Kathryn Dick, Natalie Biller, Stuart and Jeff Bremer, respectively. With some humor and hands-on activities, the quartet acquainted the students with their instruments and shared a unique musical experience.
“Everyone in our group teaches music privately and we play as this quartet as well. We do this because we want the kids to be amazed by music, and hopefully make it a larger part of their lives,” said Stuart, who previously taught music in Austintown schools for 30 years.
The Edelweiss Quartet worked hard to balance songs from classic composers, while still keeping their selections short and familiar to the children. The group played everything from the Disney selection “Colors of the Wind” to the classic English tune “Greensleeves,” and each musician paused between songs to tell the children more about their particular instruments and their sound.
The quartet welcomed interaction with Lloyd students. Students Marc Judy and Elizabeth Hahn helped the musicians provide the “pop!” during “Pop Goes the Weasel,” and 14 third-graders were welcomed on stage to bang on pans and crank egg beaters during a unique take on “Blue Danube.”
At the close of the assembly, Lloyd principal Tom Lenton spoke about the importance of music to his students.
“We hope you liked the great music you’ve heard today,” he said. “If you’re interested in playing an instrument, our music teacher Mrs. [Alice] Cooley would be thrilled to get you started. It’s never too early to start playing music, even in kindergarten.”
The members of the quartet agreed with Lenton’s observation.
“The students of Lloyd are at about the age where all of us started playing music. Today is a success when we’ve inspired even one student to pick up an instrument and get started,” said Bremer, the bassist.