Harry Potter isn't the only magical experience happening for area residents.
The Magical Strings of Youth, an internationally acclaimed string ensemble, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 2 at Rodeheaver Auditorium, Grace College, Winona Lake. The free performance is part of Strings at Winona Lake Music Institute.
In addition, violinists and string quartets of the Strings at Winona Lake Music Institute will perform for free at 11 a.m. Aug. 4 at Rodeheaver. Their performance is part of Billy Sunday Day.
The Magical Strings of Youth is directed by Betty Haag-Kuhnke. They perform pieces by such great composers as Johannes Brahms and George Frideric Handel. According to information provided by Ardis Faber, associate professor of music, Grace College School of Music, the violinists of the Magical Strings of Youth are known as the musical ambassadors of peace as they travel around the world promoting culture and goodwill. The name was bestowed upon the group by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Galvin.
The young violinists range in age from 4 to 17.
In the United States, the Magical Strings have performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Grant Park Symphony, and appeared on "AM Chicago," "Good Morning America" "The Phil Donahue Show" and "Kids Say the Darndest Things with Bill Cosby."
The young violinists have played at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center and performed twice at the White House. In November, the Magical Strings entertained audiences at Lincoln Center, New York City, as part of the Galvin Foundation Symphony of Toys benefit for needy children.
In Europe, the performing ensemble opened the Stradivari Festival in Cremona, Italy, played for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican, performed for Princess Margaret of the British Royal Family, were honored by Boris Yelstin in Moscow and President Nasurbaev in Kazakhstan and President Lee in Taiwan.
Nasurbaev said, "Politicians come and go from our country, but no one has made a more lasting impression than these young violinists."
Haag-Kuhnke's students were featured entertainment for the Kellogg Hannah Neil World of Children Awards, and performed at the 37th Annual American Academy of Achievement Awards Ceremony. At the ceremony, John Williams, conductor and composer of the film score for "Star Wars" honored the group by saying he "was no longer concerned about the music of our youth after hearing the performance of the 'Magical Strings.'"
The Magical Strings of Youth, a performing group of the Betty Haag Academy, have traveled to Korea under the auspices of UNICEF, with proceeds from their concert benefit the children of Ethiopia and Bangladesh.
As for Haag-Kuhnke herself, she received her bachelor of music and master of music degrees from Indiana University, where she was the recipient of the Goodbody Fellowship and the coveted Performer's Certificate. Upon graduation, she performed in concerts as a soloist under the auspices of the Federated Music Clubs while playing professionally with the Atlanta Symphony.
She first introduced her unique method of playing to the Arlington Heights, Ill., public schools before founding her own school of performing arts over 30 years ago. She worked directly with Shinichi Suzuki in Matsumoto, Japan. She has taught pedagogy at Stanford University, DePaul University and Northwestern University. Her workshop demonstrations have been presented in Germany, China, Portugal, Australia and throughout the United States.
She was the recipient of the John F. Kennedy Center Award for Programs for Children and Youth. Her name was selected to appear in the 1974 International Biographical Sketch of Who's Who in Music, the 1988 Who's Who in Music, the 1989 Who's Who in American Executives, the 1993 International Woman of the Year, and the 1994 Illinois String Teachers Association Outstanding Studio Teacher of the Year Award.
