The Porterville Strings Summer Camp at Harmony Magnet Academy teaches young musicians how to play a variety of string instruments from violin, viola and cello to double bass. In addition to string instruments, students also learn piano, depending upon which group they're in at the summer camp.
Founding director Rodelyn Lipumano-Smith and her husband, Gregory Smith were at Harmony on Tuesday, organizing the students, staff, and volunteers.
There were 65 students in attendance, with Porterville Strings staff Tuesday at the week long summer music camp. And the Summer Camp has always been the heart of the organization, Rodelyn said. Since they started an all year-round program. "After two years it felt like there was something missing, that could fit things together," said Rodelyn. "So we brought back the PS Summer Camp."
Linda Tejeda, long time Porterville Strings musician, who's now working in an administrative position and is recruiting new music teachers for the organization said, "This year is all about re-launching Porterville Strings."
Alexander Granger, who plays the violin and viola, conducted a class for the fundamental, or beginning group of students in the HMA multipurpose room. They were practicing two pieces of music, "Dark Matter" and "Bow Regards Parade."
Granger, and other Porterville Strings music teachers, helped instruct students while they practiced, with Granger patiently, and energetically helping students with their practicing. He spoke about trying, and continuing to try and get notes right. He was positive and encouraging, saying, "The kids have so much energy and excitement. That it encourages me to meet them at their level."
It's $60 for the week long summer camp offered every year for 17 years. And the students have a choice whether to take private lessons with one of the instructors after camp. It's also up to the instructors to help students privately.
Tejeda played the violin in elementary school and began studying with Porterville Strings when they originally had their summer camp in 2009. She has been with them for the full 17 years, studying, teaching, and working with the organization. She used to take her violin to 4th grade students in basic music class, where they were learning note reading and playing the recorder, and the students were really excited because some of them had never seen a violin. "I'd ask them what music they'd like to hear and play Star Wars, or the theme from Titanic. Or even Vivaldi's 'Winter.' There is a lot of classical music online, but they don't know it's by famous composers.”
Porterville Strings Summer Camp is a one week long summer camp for students and for music teachers it's about a week and a half program. The youth orchestra is a new program, and completely separate, said Gregory and it started in 2023. They wanted to engage students during the school year and provide them access to private music instruction. Porterville Strings' partnership with the Tulare County Symphony League brought that to fruition.
"75 percent of the scholarships went to Porterville area students. With those scholarships, a music camp becomes affordable for those students,” said Rodelyn.
Daniela Maciel, who was volunteering at the summer camp, said she began with Porterville Strings in 2017, and played violin with them until COVID-19. She started playing violin in elementary school much earlier. "It was the highlight of my summer growing up. It taught me discipline and helped me evolve my love for music." Currently she's attending UC Berkeley and studying cognitive science and finished her first year.