David E. Robinson, III: Urban Strings Youth Orchestra of Columbus, Ohio Seeks New Director to begin in September 2013

Photos: Urban Strings Summer Camp 2012

David E. Robinson, III:

The Urban Strings Youth Orchestra of Columbus, OH is looking for a new director who would begin in September 2013.  This group of talented, young students was the creation of Mrs. Catherine Willis of F.A.C.E. - Friends of Art for Community Enrichment where she is founder.  She and her late husband, Edward Willis (longtime Columbus Public Schools educator and administrator) came to Atlanta for a wedding rehearsal dinner at Judge Glenda Hatchett's home where David E. Robinson III was performing background music on cello and violin.  Both of them struck up a conversation with him.  When Mr. Robinson told them that he teaches string orchestra in metropolitan Atlanta (Dekalb County Schools) and has a youth orchestra, Mrs. Willis told him that she was interested in getting an urban youth orchestra in Columbus started.  They kept in touch.  F.A.C.E. laid the foundation to start Urban Strings by recruiting talented young string players.

  

F.A.C.E. and Mrs. Willis invited Mr. Robinson to Columbus to do some school presentations, work with students (at that same school), and with the group of students that they put together who would eventually become Urban String Youth Orchestra of Columbus (OH).  Mr. Robinson provided a number of his arrangements - Negro spirituals, gospel, reggae, rock, R & B, hip-hop, etc.  Urban Strings has performed for several occasions in the metro area especially at the King Arts Complex downtown.  In 2010, Mr. Robinson brought his Still Waters Youth Sinfo-Nia of Metropolitan Atlanta to Columbus for a joint workshop and two performances.  This was just the beginning of a relationship in which they will be pairing up to perform in the 2013 National Association of Negro Musicians (NANM) Convention in Nashville, TN July 28-August 1 and for Sinfo-Nia's Fall Benefit Concert in Atlanta October 19, 2013.

Urban Strings has been growing.  Mr. Robinson conducted its first annual Summer Camp in 2012 and is scheduled to do the same the week of June 10-14, 2013.  If you know of students in Columbus or anywhere else who have relatives in Columbus they can reside with for that week, they are welcomed to attend by contacting Mrs. Willis (for information on registration, tuition, etc.).  The energy, excitement, and enrichment these students experience spill into the school-year where they have more rehearsals and performances.

Here is an article on F.A.C.E.

http://tcfapp.org/PortraitView/ViewPortrait/2261

Here is a video of Urban Strings performing James Brown's, "We're Gonna Have a Funky Good Time" at last year's Camp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qj8R_atUJVE

For information on the job opening and/or the 2013 Summer Camp, please contact Mrs. Catherine Willis at (614) 888-9929 or send an e-mail at cat4face@yahoo.com.

Sincerely,

David E. Robinson, III

Founder and Artistic Director

Still Waters Youth Sinfo-Nia of Metropolitan Atlanta, Inc.