IN Peters Township October/November 2017 | Page 35

Pictured L to R: Kaylee Petro, Abby Stech, Uma Thachapuzha and Andrew Zhang. work with the elementary school ensembles as they rehearse. “Music has completely impacted my life,” says Kaylee. “I’ve met so many amazing, caring people who have become lifelong friends and can’t imagine a world without my cello. It has opened up a lot of opportunities for me, like a chance to participate in the PMEA Junior District Orchestra and a level of the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony. Playing cello means the world to me and sharing my music with others is an incredible thing.” Two years ago, three freshman girls from the Peters Township High School orchestra decided that the district needed something to connect orchestra students of all grades. Abby Stech, Juliette Langley and Tabitha Beck started a summer orchestra camp for kids in McMurray that took place at the Peters Township Public Library. They planned and ran the camp for kids in the 5th, 6th and 7th grades. It was a wonderful opportunity not only for the kids, but also for the counselors! Because the camp was such a success, several high school students decided to continue it and try a second year of summer strings camp. This summer’s camp proved to be an even bigger success than the previous year. More kids participated and a larger variety of instruments were used during the camp. “We hope to keep this camp going as a yearly event,” says Kaylee Petro, one of this year’s camp leaders. “This has been such an amazing experience, and we hope to continue inspiring young musicians.” For more information about the summer camp, visit mcmstrings.wixsite.com/summer. In addition to the summer camps, students at Peters Township High School have also formed a club called Music Mentorship. It was started by graduate Sneha Hoysala to help and mentor kids in the elementary music program. As part of the club, a few high school musicians from band and orchestra travel to the elementary school on a bus at the end of the day and PT MUSIC STUDENTS MENTOR YOUNGER PEERS THE ABBEY PLAYERS PRESENT FUN-FILLED FALL PERFORMANCES On Sept. 17, The Abbey Players took t he big, bad wolf to court in their production of “The Big Bad Musical.” The show was held at the Peterswood Park Amphitheater and was part of the Parks and Rec summer concert series. On Oct. 15, the theater troupe will present a dramatic interpretation of Shel Silverstein’s “The Giving Tree” at the Peters Township Public Library. The show will begin at 2:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public. In the next few months, The Abbey Players will be working hard toward their next project, “Godspell,” the troupe’s spring musical. The Abbey Players is a community theater troupe for kids in 7th through 12th grade that promotes performance, prayer and charity. For more information about upcoming auditions or to join The Abbey Players, contact Lorra Brannen at [email protected]. n Peters Township | October/November 2017 | icmags.com 33