Violin
Bringing Classical Music Back To The Bronx
In 1999, CFK learned that P.S. 73 in the Bronx had lost its music program due to lack of funding. This left the school’s twenty-five violins gathering dust — with eager young musicians missing the opportunity to learn. We had to find a way to bring music back to P.S. 73 — and to make the program last.
CFK founder Ted Madara contacted Derek Mithaug a department head at Juilliard, who recommended several accomplished violinists in their program who might be strong teaching candidates. We found a perfect match in Majid Khaliq, an outstanding Juilliard-trained violinist with a firm commitment to teaching. Without funding, though, the program would remain dark.
Two members of the CFK community, Ricardo Pascoe and Arielle Tepper, stepped up to sponsor a one-year pilot. Nine years later, the program is still going strong and this spring 14 of Mr. Majids violin students attended the Carnegie Hall performance of Lemony Snickett's "The Composer is Dead". Additionally, the CFK Violin Program has been featured on NBC's Today Show.
Program Mission & Goals:
- Help students learn to read and interpret music notation
- Provide a solid foundation in musical vocabulary
- Encourage children to develop technique and confidence in their performance skills
- Focus students minds on setting and accomplishing goals, regardless of the challenges they face
- Teach kids that the beautiful music they can make — and the happiness it brings — is well worth their efforts
Majid’s Teaching Philosophy:
"The violin is said to be closest to the soprano voice in music. To me, it is an instrument of passion and the teacher’s job is to evoke, honor, and foster that passion. I also stress not just performance, but understanding music theory, so kids develop the tools they need to control their instruments and to thrive: not just on the violin, but in life. Every child has potential, but a good teacher sees that possibility and helps it grow."