American String Quartet performs for Beacon Middle students

Students at Beacon Middle School were treated to a special performance by the American String Quartet Jan. 12. Yells and laughter echoed loudly as more than 200 sixth-graders began filing into the school’s gymnasium.

After a brief lesson on concert audience etiquette by the band director and teachers, the students were awed into silence as the quartet began to play several works from their formal program scheduled for the following day on Coastal Concerts’ stage.

The music was received enthusiastically, as evidenced by the students’ cheers and applause. After their performance, members of the quartet responded to questions and posed for pictures with a group of band and choir students.

Robert Barbarita, Beacon band director, said, “Beacon Middle School was proud to have the American String Quartet perform for our students. The performance was thoughtfully organized, professional and engaging to students and staff. I’d like to thank Coastal Concerts for providing this amazing opportunity for our students.”

This event was a part of Coastal Concerts’ outreach program, which seeks to make world-class music accessible to the local community via master classes, music programming and student scholarships.

The engagement and community outreach of the American String Quartet is made possible through the Special Presenters Initiative program of the Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Delaware Division of the Arts.