The advantages of music education are well documented but support for these programs continues to face hurdles. Now embarking on its 15th year, EYS provides a unique solution to these problems by working directly with schools to tailor a program to their needs, raise funds, and inspire students to succeed both in and out of music class.
Electrify Your Strings! (EYS) is a music education phenomenon that FIRES UP students, teachers, and local communities by injecting a high voltage dose of energy and much-needed funding into a school’s music education program. This intensive experience boosts student self-esteem and motivation, increases school-wide, family and community engagement, and helps raise money for participating schools.
Created by international recording artist, electric violinist, and music education advocate Mark Wood, EYS accomplishes this by having our team of teaching artists work with orchestra, choir, and band students to put on real life, real world rock concerts at their schools, local theaters, or arenas; with ticket sales directly benefiting the participating music departments.
The premise is simple – we work with school music directors to design a tailor-made rock orchestra makeover culminating in a live performance at the end of the experience. Profits from tickets sold to the event directly benefit the school’s music programs. The musical selections are surprising – and include Wood’s own compositions, plus his exclusive arrangements of classic rock and contemporary music. For schools that want to go all out, Wood and his team will also design an accompanying program for the school’s choral and/or band department.
We seek to awaken student musicians to their highest potential, opening them up to the adventure of music. EYS transforms quiet young musicians into expressive people who can’t wait to learn! Imagine a fifteen year old rushing to orchestra because he or she can’t wait to play. Imagine an energized concert hall buzzing with anticipation for music played by these students. EYS makes this happen!
Over the span of a typical 2-3 day visit, we coach students to express themselves fully through their music and let the world know who they really are! Visits range in size from school-centric events to large-scale extravaganzas that include music students from the entire school district. In its larger form, the final concert events have included upwards of 1,500 kids onstage performing in front of 15,000+ people.
