Grant provides 8 right-sized cellos

Smaller cellos are a better fit for these fifth graders

Rosalie Koenig with Zubaidah A., Zinah A., and Livi J.
Instrumental music teacher Rosalie Koenig shares in the excitement with Bach students Zubaidah A., Zinah A., and Livi J.

Bach Elementary fifth grader Livi J. loved learning to play the cello that she—along with every other fifth grader in the district—received at the start of the school year.

But there was a problem.

“It was too big!” said the 10-year-old.

Several other fifth graders had the same problem. So AAPS instrumental music teachers Rosalie Koenig and Ingrid Pylvainen applied for a grant from the Ann Arbor Public Schools Foundation to buy quarter-size cellos to fit smaller students.

The happy result was a grant of $4,312 to purchase eight new quarter-size cellos. Four have been spoken for, and four will go to new owners as soon as word gets out that they’re available. The eight replaced cellos will be returned to the inventory.

Students typically use a half-size, three quarter-size or full-size cello. But these new cellos are a much better fit for these girls, said Koenig.

“The half-size was just way too big for them, so they are very excited about their new instruments,” said Koenig, who teaches at Bach and King elementaries and Slauson Middle School.

Livi is so happy with her new cello, in fact, that she’d already given it a pet name.

“I call it Boo-boo,” she said.

 

 

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