Merit School of Music Presents STRINGTACULAR, 6/2

Merit School of Music invites the public to enjoy Stringtacular, a free concert on Sunday, June 2 at 2 p.m. at Harrison Park Fieldhouse, 1824 S. Wood Street in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood. This awe-inspiring celebration of string instruments brings together over 200 young players from throughout Chicago, all enrolled in Merit's Suzuki-Alegre Strings music education program. For more information, visit meritmusic.org or call 312.786.9428.

Headlining this year's Stringtacular is Merit's Suzuki-Alegre Strings Ensemble, a showcase ensemble of 18 of the programs' most dedicated and talented violin and cello students, recently returned from representing Chicago and the U.S. at the 16th Suzuki Method World Convention in Matsumoto, Japan last March.

"Our Suzuki-Alegre Strings Ensemble may play mostly classical and Latino folk music, but these kids are looked up to as rock stars by the Merit community since their return from Japan," said Thomas Bracy, Executive Director, Merit School of Music. "For our younger players just starting in the program, these 18 talented, dedicated students are true role models, proving the wonderful things that can happen if you take your music training seriously, and practice, practice, practice."

Merit's World Convention delegates, many who had never traveled outside Chicago before, joined more than 2,100 fellow violin and cello players from all over the globe to showcase their talent, perform for their peers, and participate in lectures and classes taught by the world's leading Suzuki instructors. The invitation from convention organizers underscored international recognition for the program's unique blend of the Suzuki method of classical instruction with traditional Latin folk music.