spotlight
Inspiring the
Next Generation A decades-long partnership between the Charlotte Symphony and Northwest School of the Arts continues to inspire the musicians of tomorrow. After a quick tune, the musicians of Northwest School of the Arts Orchestra split into sectionals – the cellos follow Charlotte Symphony cellist Denielle Wilson to work on the opening bars of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition while the first violins work on fingerings and technique with Kathleen Jarrell, assistant principal second violin for the Charlotte Symphony. These coaching sessions are part of a decades-long partnership between the Charlotte Symphony and Northwest School of the Arts, a CMS Magnet School that provides specialized arts instruction for students in grades 6–12.
Denielle Wilson, who recently joined the CSO, worked with NWSA cello students for the first time last month. “The students were very responsive and flexible. On the first day I was trying to get an idea of their playing levels and what they were comfortable with, and I found that they were all good at figuring out how to make music with their instruments independently, and that makes me excited as a coach!” Kathleen Jarrell, on the other hand, has been coaching violin at NWSA for more than ten years. “It’s been exciting to see the orchestra program’s growth. I love
The CSO’s Northwest Residency Program is an immersive music education program in which NWSA students work intensively with professional Symphony musicians through individual, sectional, and ensemble settings. “The students look forward to seeing the coaches come in,” said NWSA Orchestra Director Erica Hefner. “I see students taking more ownership over their role in the ensemble, whether it’s by being a leader, or by identifying their strengths and challenges.” 14 spotlight: Inspiring Future Musicians
CSO cellist Denielle Wilson coaches at NWSA.
