An Excerpt From

Alternative Strings: The New Curriculum

By Julie Lyonn Lieberman

Those of us already teaching alternative styles have had the wonderful opportunity to see students come alive with interest, become more deeply involved in rehearsals, and practice with greater stimulation at home. Fiddling clubs have sprung up across America, thanks to the efforts of educators such as Bob Phillips, founder of Fiddlers Philharmonic. Projects including the Lakewood Project, where rock violinist Mark Wood worked with Beth Hankins's students to create a string rock show, keep students involved....

...Through listening to, discussing, and playing many different styles, your students will develop an appreciation for the individual gifts offered by each genre. When you send out the message that differences enrich us as musicians and as people, and that neither homogonization nor heirarchy is the goal, you help your students recognize that we can live together with mutual respect for our differences. This, in turn, can make your students feel more recognized as individuals. After all, there is no such thing as a homogenous class in America-or anywhere in the world at this point in history-even where appearances indicate a shared racial background.