As we approach the beginning of our third decade of existence, we are very proud of the String Academy's accomplishments: a full enrollment, students who are winning local and regional competitions, high quality music instruction for the children of Greater Milwaukee, and especially of our Scholarship Program for financially disadvantaged students.

Each year nearly 180 children benefit from studying violin, viola and cello at the String Academy. We raise funds annually to support our Scholarship Program in order to keep our unique, intensive training program affordable for all families. We believe strongly in our mission to provide needy students with the opportunity to study music in a setting of excellence. Since our inception in 1990 we have funded approximately 20 to 30 students annually with
full scholarships. String Academy parents raise a portion of these funds through special projects such as our annual flower sale, but most of the funds come from individual gifts and grants from corporations and foundations.

We are always searching to find talented and financially deserving children for our program. The String Academy has successfully developed the Inner-City Music Program at four Milwaukee Public

Schools: Wisconsin Avenue School, with predominantly Hmong/Laotian and African American students; Alfred P. Kagel School which has a large Hispanic population; Cass Street School; and Escuela Vieau. String Academy faculty give private instruction in violin and cello at these schools and the children come to UW-Milwaukee for weekly group lessons and performing opportunities. This comprehensive learning experience offers much more than simply a music education. The students become self-directed, disciplined and eager to explore new avenues. Students from the
Inner-City Music Program were chosen to perform on our Outreach and Scholarship Benefit Concert this year.

The String Academy faculty is comprised of performing musicians with degrees from prestigious institutions. In addition to performing in many of Milwaukee's major musical organizations, they are specially trained to work with children and have devoted their lives to work in this field. The String Academy faculty presents training workshops to teachers from across the United States and Canada. They also teach courses for UWM's Master of Music degree program in String Pedagogy as well as undergraduate string methods courses. The String Academy itself serves as a wonderful laboratory setting for music education students at the university.

String Academy students, under careful guidance from faculty and parents, engage in a challenging course of study that includes private and group instruction, daily home practice, frequent performances (all together, more than 60 each year!), master classes, and instruction in music theory and ear training. String Academy students have been soloists with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra, Festival City Symphony Orchestra, and other area performing groups. While some students will choose music as their career, all of our students will develop an appreciation for music and the arts in general. Ninety-nine percent of our alumni have graduated from high school, and most have gone on to institutions of higher learning.

The String Academy of Wisconsin is committed to providing quality musical education to Milwaukee's youth, regardless of their families' ability to pay tuition. Therefore, in order to serve talented children who have demonstrated a need for financial support, we rely upon the generosity of individuals, corporations and foundations for support of the String Academy of Wisconsin Scholarship Program. Will you help us provide an opportunity for needy students to study?

Your support is very much appreciated, and I look forward to hearing from you. Please call the String Academy at 414-963-4729 if you have questions or would like further information.

Sincerely,

Darcy Drexler
Executive Director

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The String Academy of Wisconsin at UWM
Inner City Music Program

The Inner City Music Program, which provides instruction in violin, viola and cello, was developed by the String Academy of Wisconsin to help meet the needs of musically talented low-income and minority students who are deserving of professional instruction. The program creates a positive educational experience for disadvantaged students, and helps develop discipline, self-confidence, self-esteem, aesthetic awareness and cultural appreciation in students whose lives can be altered with serious music study.

The mission of the String Academy of Wisconsin is to train string players between the ages of 4 and 18 to reach their fullest musical and personal potential, and to make this training available to talented, hard-working children regardless of their financial circumstances. The purpose of the String Academy's Inner City Music Program is to seek out, enroll, and retain at-risk children from Milwaukee's central city area and to integrate them into the professional environment of the String Academy.

Since the String Academy's inception in 1990, the Inner City Music Program has funded approximately 20 to 30 students annually. Outreach programs in four inner city elementary schools (Albert Kagel, Cass Avenue, Escuela Vieau, and Wisconsin Avenue) bring music training directly to the children.

Music study is a valuable and expensive part of a child's education. Violin or cello instruction is best accomplished through a one-to-one relationship between the student and the teacher over a period of many years. Students need music, concert tickets, quality instruments and instrument repairs, and the opportunity to attend summer music camps and other enrichment activities. For a student taking part in weekly private lessons, master classes, theory and ear training classes, and chamber orchestra for two seventeen-week semesters, plus summer study in a music camp, the cost can be $5,000 per year.

The cost of operating the Inner City Music Program is over $60,000 a year. This includes the costs of instruction, instrumental purchases, rental and maintenance, attending concerts, purchasing of music, administration costs and transportation expenses. The Inner City Music Program receives support from the Milwaukee Arts Board, the Wisconsin Arts Board, a wide variety of foundations and corporations, and from hundreds of generous individuals.

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Donor options

Suggested tax-deductible giving levels:

• Virtuosi: $10,000 and above
• Benefactors: $5,000 to $9,999
• Patrons: $3,000 to $4,999
• Sponsors: $1,000 to $2,999
• Supporters: $500 to $999
• Friends: $100 to $499
• Music Lovers: $25 to $99
• Gifts of any amount are welcome

If you are interested in making a donation, please complete the following Donor Option Form, print it out and send to us by mail or fax.

SAW Donation Form

If you would like to contact us for more information about donation, please click here

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