Superstition Springs Students Showcase Growth at Annual Strings Concert

Last week, 5th and 6th-grade students at Superstition Springs Elementary performed in their Strings Concert, showcasing the progress they have made over months of practice. The event featured a variety of musical styles, giving students the chance to demonstrate both their individual skills and their ability to play together as a group.

The 5th-grade orchestra performed Spanish Dancer, Arco-ology, and the fiddle song Boil ’Em Cabbage Down. For many of these students, this year was their first time picking up an instrument. Since school began, they have moved from learning how to properly handle their equipment to reading music and playing pieces with multiple parts.

Throughout the semester, the students focused on the mechanics of playing, such as how to hold the bow, where to place their hands, and how to maintain good posture. They also began exploring how to change the volume of their playing to add more feeling to the music. By the time they reached the stage, they had turned these basic skills into a full performance.

6th-grade students took on more challenging music, including the high-energy piece Sunlight, the quieter Appalachian Hymn, and the mysterious Dark Forest Legend. In these musical pieces, the focus shifts from basic mechanics to more advanced skills, like following a conductor and balancing their sound with the rest of the orchestra.

A major part of the 6th-grade experience is the development of a better tone, or the quality of the sound the instrument makes. As students spend more time practicing, they build confidence and establish a better tone that they are proud of.

The concert offered a unique lesson in teamwork. Because a live performance requires everyone to stay in sync, students have to depend on one another to play their parts correctly. 

Grace Nagy, the Director of Orchestras, noted that the students showed a high level of focus and bravery when facing an audience, often playing their best under the pressure of a live show. 

“Students really rise to the occasion well and bravely play the best they can,” she said. “It's always a uniting experience, I think - all of a sudden when the concert arrives, we must depend on and trust each other to do our part and do it the best we can. I think it unites us in a special, meaningful way.”

Superstition Springs Elementary is dedicated to providing a quality music education experience that fosters both technical skill and personal growth. To learn more about the musical opportunities available and the different programs offered to our students, visit SuperstitionSprings.GilbertSchools.net/Academics/Music.