Students Enhance Musical Skills Through Visit From Balourdet Quartet

Members of the Rye Middle School and Rye High School orchestras had the unique opportunity to collaborate with professional musicians when they welcomed the Balourdet Quartet to campus on March 17. Through this enriching experience, the students engaged in instructional activities designed to deepen their understanding of musical concepts such as counting, bow control, and interpretation.

“The students were very focused and engaged, and I could hear improvement in their playing as the quartet worked with them,” orchestra teacher Lizbeth Burrow said. “Watching the quartet perform was also inspirational to the students because they could hear professional musicians and hear a variety of musical styles.”

The sixth grade orchestra group rehearsed the “Finale” from Tchaikovsky’s “Serenade for Strings;” the combined seventh and eighth grade ensemble worked on “Amadeus!” from Mozart’s “Symphony No. 25;” and the high school orchestra worked on “The Marriage of Figaro Overture” by Mozart. The students first performed their pieces for the Balourdet Quartet, who then joined them on stage to provide feedback and hands-on coaching to enhance their performance.

In addition, the students practiced counting in the stylistic context of their music and performed without a conductor to strengthen listening skills. They were also encouraged to use descriptive language to characterize sections of their music, helping them connect more deeply with interpretation and expression.

“When they played the music again after counting, there was definitely an improvement,” Burrow said. “I hope the students were inspired by their time with the Balourdet Quartet and they are able to take these teachings into new music as they continue their musical journey.”