May 20 2023
Boston String Academy

Boston String Academy

Presented by Rockport Music at Shalin Liu Performance Center

Boston String Academy (BSA) is a non-profit organization, inspired by the Venezuelan El Sistema model which believes in music as a vehicle for social change. We provide rigorous string instrument instruction to children in under-served communities. BSA aims to provide instruction of the highest quality, laying a musical foundation that could take a child to college or conservatory. Our program makes mastery of a string instrument reachable by eliminating obstacles that stand in an inner-city family’s way. 100% of tuition is subsidized, programs are offered in/near the children’s schools, and private lessons and instrument rentals are included in the orchestral training.

BSA was founded in 2012 by Marielisa and Mariesther Alvarez, and Taide Prieto. They are graduates from The Boston Conservatory, and of El Sistema programs in their home countries of Venezuela and Peru, and have modeled BSA on that experience. We currently offer three programs in the Chinatown and Allston neighborhoods, serving more than 120 students.

The Academy has collaborated with renowned artists including Midori Goto, Gustavo Dudamel and Sir Simon Rattle, and with organizations such as the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the Boston Cultural Council, Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, Boston Landmarks Orchestra, Longy School of Music, Boston Conservatory, Boston University, New England Conservatory, Johnson String Instrument, Celebrity Series of Boston, and Harvard University.

Our students have performed out of state and internationally and have been selected to participate in festivals such as the Dudamel Foundation’s “Encounters/Encuentros” in Mexico City, National Take A Stand Festival in Los Angeles, Boston University Tanglewood Institute, Sphinx Performance Academy, Greenwood Music Camp, Kinhaven Music School, among others. In December 2018 BSA’s Youth Strings was invited to perform at Princeton University as part of maestro Gustavo Dudamel’s residency. In 2019, twenty of our most advanced students attended the “Orquestra Geração” festival in Lisbon, Portugal. In 2021, renowned violinist Midori selected BSA’s Youth ensemble to premier a new work for violin and strings, premiered in June 2021.

In Spring of 2016, Marielisa and Mariesther Alvarez were chosen among the 100 most influential people for the Hispanic community in Massachusetts. BSA won the 2019 Commonwealth Awards, which honors exceptional achievement in the arts, humanities, and sciences in the state of Massachusetts.

Admission Info

Free, reservations encouraged.

Phone: 9785467391

Email: info@rockportmusic.org

Dates & Times

2023/05/20 - 2023/05/20

Location Info

Shalin Liu Performance Center

37 Main Street, Rockport, MA 01966