Canton Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is pleased to offer three summer music camps. Two week-long camps for violin, viola, cello and string bass students will be run by Ralena Dahlheimer, CSO Youth Strings Instructor, and will feature sectionals with professional musicians from the Canton Symphony Orchestra. New this year is a week-long steel drum camp lead by McKinley High School Band Director Zachary Taylor. Beginning String Camp, will run June 10 through 14 from 9:00am – 3:00pm at the Zimmermann Symphony Center (2331 17th St. NW, Canton) and is intended for beginning students of violin, viola, cello and string bass. It is recommended for students entering grades 4-6 in the Fall of 2019 and designed for those who have been playing their instrument for 6 months through Suzuki Book 3. The week will focus on building string technique, performing beginning string orchestral repertoire, music theory, music history as well as music and movement. Cost is $300.
Intermediate String Camp, running June 17 through 21 from 9:00am-3:00pm at the Zimmermann Symphony Center (2331 17th Street NW, Canton), is intended for intermediate and advanced students of violin, viola, cello, and string bass. It is recommended for students entering grades 6-12 in the Fall of 2019 and designed for students in Suzuki Book 4 and higher. The week will focus on building string technique, performing intermediate orchestral repertoire, and both music history and theory fundamentals. Cost is $350.
Steel Drum Camp, is a new offering this year and runs June 10 through June 14 from 9:00am – 12:00pm in the McKinley High School Band Room (2323 17th Street NW, Canton). This camp is intended for those interested in learning steel drum technique and is open to students with little or no experience on the instruments. It is recommended for students entering grades 6-12 in the Fall of 2019. Cost is $100.
About the instructors: Ralena M. Dahlheimer is a native of Canton, Ohio and earned her Bachelor of Music Education Degree from the University of Mount Union and her Master of Arts in Education as an Intervention Specialist from Malone University. She currently serves as the Director of Strings for the Canton City School District teaching at McKinley High School (Downtown and Main Campus), Early College Academy at Souers, College and Career Readiness Academy at Lehman, and Altitude Career Tech and Wellness Academy at Crenshaw. Ralena is also a Co-Founder of the 501(c)3 program En-Rich-Ment (Enjoying the RICHness of Music Education Nurturing & Training). This program gives inner-city children the opportunity to learn any musical instrument at no charge to the family.
Zachary Taylor is the Director of Bands at Canton McKinley High School in The Canton City School District. He earned a Bachelor of Music Education, from the Dana School of Music at Youngstown State University, and a Masters in Music Performance from Kent State University. Mr. Taylor has served as the Band Director at Steubenville High School in Steubenville, Ohio and on the instrumental music staff at Carrollton High School and Coventry High School. Zachary has studied percussion with Dr. Glenn Schaft, Ted Rounds, Rob Ferguson and Ron Coulter. As a versatile performer, Zachary has performed with many organizations throughout northeast Ohio including: The Brass Band of the Western Reserve, Matrix Indoor Drum line, Heavenly Metal Steel Drum Band, Pantuner Harmonix Steel Band, Flash in the Pan Steel Drum Band and The Sounds of Sousa Concert Band. He is also a founding member of the “Somewhere in the Sun” steel drum duo with Tyler Husosky. Mr. Taylor is also an active steel band arranger for Steel Pandemic Records.
A limited number of funds is available for scholarship assistance with string camp for youth who demonstrate financial need. Participants who are interested in need-based scholarship should complete an application.
Information about the camps and scholarships is available at cantonsymphony.org/summer-music-camp or by calling Dan Cavalancia, at 330-452-3434 ext 610.
Founded in 1937, the Canton Symphony Orchestra is a fully professional ensemble and organization dedicated to performing concerts that enrich, educate and entertain. Under the direction of Gerhardt Zimmermann, the orchestra performs classical, pops, holiday, and educational programs. Most performances are at the Zimmermann Symphony Center, 2331 17th Street NW, Canton (adjacent to McKinley Senior High School). Parking at the Zimmermann Symphony Center is free. For more information, please visit www.CantonSymphony.org.
