Ensembles

The UMass Lowell String Project is composed of five ensembles and one creative music class. 

Prélude Ensemble

Prélude is our introductory ensemble where students learn to hold instruments and bows, play scales and songs in an ensemble setting, and the fundamentals of music. This ensemble receives additional support from UMass Lowell Music Education students who are also learning how to play string instruments for the first time.

Overture Ensemble

Overture is the second-level ensemble where students continue to develop fundamental performance skills, knowledge of music, and exclusively perform music in sections by instrument.

Creative Sound Play

Creative Sound Play is a creative music class for students in the Overture Orchestra. In this class, students learn how to compose original music, creatively utilize resources, and build their own musical experiences alone and in group settings.

Accelerando Ensemble

The Accelerando Ensemble serves two unique kinds of students: (1) students who begin playing string instruments in middle school, and (2) students who require additional foundational support prior to auditioning into the String Sinfonia. In this ensemble, foundational studies are at the core of the mission, and students perform a wide variety of educational repertoire.

String Sinfonia

The String Sinfonia is one of the premiere ensembles of The String Project where students perform at least grade three string repertoire, continue to develop fundamentals of string playing, and begin to learn about musical aesthetics and theory. In this ensemble students receive additional support from student mentors in the Lowell Youth Orchestra.

Lowell Youth Orchestra (LYO)

The LYO is the premiere orchestra of the UMass Lowell String Project. This ensemble is composed almost exclusively of high school students, presents performances in the community (recent engagements in Lowell include The Nesmith House, UTEC, and the Tsongas Arena in support of Meryl Streep's visit to UMass Lowell), works with guest artists, commissions original compositions and arrangements, and performs full-length masterworks from the last 400 years.