Violinists, violists, cellists, and double bassists at St. Mary’s International School prepare to tighten and rosin their bows, as the MS & HS String Ensemble is open for business. Organized by the Director of Instrumental Music, Mr. Griggs, the musical group aims to provide a creative outlet for string players. While more concrete details, such as when practices are held, remain to be announced, it has already attracted some positive attention from people who previously hadn’t had the chance to express their talent on string instruments at school, or are excited about a productive year for the String Ensemble.
A Brief History
Various string ensemble groups had been formed at school since the 2022-2023 school year, but the official String Ensemble, organized by Mr. Griggs, was the first to be able to perform at a concert during the previous school year. “My job title is the Director of Instrumental Music,” Mr. Griggs explained in an interview, “So people think of me as just being the Band Director. But my job is to support all instrumentalists, no matter what instruments they play. And St. Mary’s doesn’t have a curricular string program, so this is the best way I could help.” However, since this was the first time a String Ensemble had ever performed at a school concert, namely the Spring Instrumental Concert, everybody in the Ensemble and the leader, Mr. Griggs, were testing new waters, and multiple difficulties arose during the arduous process. Notably, there were some issues regarding a lack of members and practices. “…We were somewhat unprepared for the concert due to a lack of practice,” wrote Matti (’29), veteran violin player who started playing the violin when he was two, in a digital interview, “but with Mr Griggs’s guidance, we were able to deliver a performance that showed both our growth as musicians and our dedication to working together as an ensemble.” Indeed, the String Ensemble’s performance of ‘Canon in D’ by Johann Pachelbel, a German Baroque composer, was well-received by the audience, despite its brevity.
More to come?
Despite the challenges that the String Ensemble faced in its first year, there is still hope that the Ensemble will become, like the Junior Varsity and Varsity Jazz Band, a staple in the school’s musical scene. There are already a few enthusiastic newcomers, like Kai B (’29), a returning freshman who previously attended St. Mary’s as an elementary school student, who looks forward to being a contributive member to this year’s Ensemble. “I am absolutely ecstatic,” Kai said when interviewed, “because I like to play music and I find it quite enjoyable.” With new members and a renewed sense of determination to integrate the String Ensemble into St. Mary’s culture, only time will tell if Mr. Griggs and the members of the Ensemble will succeed in their goals.
