KENNESAW, Ga. | Aug 6, 2016

The National String Project Consortium has received a $4,250 grant award from the The D'Addario Foundation that will go towards supporting the Kennesaw State University String Project. This most recent grant award continue’s the D’Addario Foundation’s support of the KSU String Project who previously awarded the KSU program a $10,000 grant in 2015.

The KSU String Project also recently announced that Mr. Christopher Thibdeau, KSU School of Music Interim Assistant Professor of Music Education, will take over the KSU String Project as director for the 2016-17 school year.

About the KSU String Project

The Kennesaw State University String Project began in the Fall of 2012. The program, a member of the National String Project Consortium, is sponsored by the KSU School of Music and provides an opportunity for 4th and 5th grade students to receive instruction on the violin, viola, cello, or double bass. In addition, the String Project provides KSU’s undergraduate music education students the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on teaching experience under the supervision of a master teacher and their university professor.

The KSU String Project currently serves two host sites: Pitner Elementary School in Acworth, Georgia and the Marietta Center for Advanced Academics, a Marietta City Schools magnet school for grades 3-5.  The KSU String Project now serves nearly 110 students and with 14 KSU String Education majors gaining experience as teachers and teacher assistants.

About the National String Project Consortium

The National String Project Consortium (NSPC) is a coalition of String Project sites based at colleges and universities across the United States. The NSPC is dedicated to increasing the number of children playing stringed instruments and addressing the critical shortage of string teachers in the US. The NSPC is affiliated with businesses, foundations, professional music organizations, and individuals who support these goals.

The NSPC supports the creation and growth of String Projects at universities across the country. These String Projects provide practical hands-on training for undergraduate string education majors during their college years, and give children the opportunity to study a stringed instrument.

The Consortium was originally formed in 1998 under the auspices of the American String Teachers Association (ASTA). It is now an independent non-profit organization working together with ASTA and other music organizations to serve string education and string development across the United States.