Aspiring musicians learn basics of stringed instruments at Destin summer camp

Devon Ravine, Northwest Florida Daily News
·1 min read

DESTIN — The gentle sounds of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" played on a dozen stringed instruments filled one of the rooms at the Destin Community Center on Monday afternoon.

It was the first day of Sinfonia Gulf Coast Youth Orchestra’s five-day summer camp for beginners who want to learn how to play stringed instruments.

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Sinfonia Youth Orchestra Conductor Aaron King Vaughn showed his group of new musicians the basic layout of the violin, viola and cello, as well how to identify the strings. They also learned how to play using a finger-picking style called pizzicato and how to play using the traditional bow.

Sinfonia Gulf Coast Youth Orchestra Conductor Aaron King Vaughn and violinist Emily Kent (standing) demonstrate the proper way to hold a violin and use a bow to music students (front to back) Nora Reyes, Amelia Reyes and Tripp Cox during a week-long camp for stringed instruments.
Sinfonia Gulf Coast Youth Orchestra Conductor Aaron King Vaughn and violinist Emily Kent (standing) demonstrate the proper way to hold a violin and use a bow to music students (front to back) Nora Reyes, Amelia Reyes and Tripp Cox during a week-long camp for stringed instruments.

Over the course of the week, students will continue to practice and improve on their skills and learn a number of songs they will play during a concert at 4 p.m. Friday at the Community Center on the the last day of the class.

“We have some classical songs,” Vaughn said of what the students will learn. “But we also have some popular songs like 'Lean on Me' and 'We Will Rock You.' ”

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Sinfonia Gulf Coast Youth Orchestra hosts stringed instrument camp