Athens Arts League, HSO team up for violin camp
Published 6:45 am Wednesday, June 27, 2018
- Students Ariel Robinson, Jenny White, Paris Kelly, Jacob White and Samantha White walk while playing violins during the violin camp hosted by the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra at High Cotton Arts in downtown Athens.
Sweet, soothing sounds are emanating from inside High Cotton Arts this week as the Athens Arts League hosts a violin camp for children deemed underserved by the arts.
The Huntsville Symphony Orchestra is at High Cotton Arts in Athens working with six children referred by the Limestone County Department of Human Resources and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Limestone County. Anonymous sponsors worked with Athens Arts League to cover most of the cost.
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Clare Grisham, who helped bring the violin program to Athens City Schools, heard about Athens Arts League providing painting and sketching classes for children through DHR, the schools and Boys & Girls Club. She helped facilitate a meeting with the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra to bring the violin camp to Athens.
Kristi Kargic, with the Huntsville Symphony, was teaching the group of students Tuesday. She said giving students the gift of learning something new is a passion of hers.
“It had a huge impact on me as a young person,” Kargic said. “I’m from Athens, but had to go to Huntsville as a child to get these experiences. I want to bring it to my home community.”
This week’s program is a pilot program, which Kargic said she hopes to expand to the general public next year.
“We are interested in looking at future partnerships with Huntsville Symphony Orchestra when Scout Music House opens later this year,” said Athens Arts League board member Holly Hollman, who oversees the Scout Music House Committee. “Giving the community more opportunities to explore the arts is our mission. We are thankful to Clare, the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra and our sponsors for having an interest in bringing a summer violin camp to Athens.”
The students will have a recital at 1 p.m. Friday, June 29, at High Cotton Arts at 103 W. Washington St. in Athens. The public is welcome to attend.
