LUMBERTON — Huadong Lu was 12 when he first drew a bow across the strings of a violin.
The first time he heard its soft and silvery song, he fell in love. Now, the professional violinist is looking to help give that same experience to children in Robeson County through the Robeson County Youth Symphony and strings summer camps.
Lu serves as the symphony’s director.
“I have seen a lot, I’ve been a lot of places, and when I conducted some students in the Lumberton area, I found out the students are under-served,” Lu said. “There’s no opportunities for these kids, so I talked with the Robeson school orchestra teachers about starting a youth symphony.”
Although the Robeson County Youth Symphony, which was formed in February this year, won’t meet again until September, Lu is offering a strings summer camp in July to keep young musicians trained when they leave school for the summer.
Lu was born and raised in Guangzhou, China. After graduating high school, he was admitted into the Conservatory of Music in China and played in the orchestra in Guangzhou. Soon after, he moved to America, where he attended Kent State University and the University of Akron, both in Ohio. While pursing his degree, a faculty member asked Lu to teach his son how to play the violin.
“I loved teaching, I enjoyed it very much,” Lu said. “I considered teaching in schools and enrolled in the master of Arts in teaching program.”
Lu graduated in 1993 with master’s degrees in violin performance and education. His first job teaching was in Lincoln, Neb., where he was a string orchestra teacher. He also taught in New York before moving to Fayetteville and, two years ago, came to The University of North Carolina at Pembroke to teach strings and direct the university’s orchestra.
Lu currently gives private lessons to students in Cumberland and Robeson counties. He said he believes the Robeson County Youth Symphony as well as the orchestra summer camp will benefit young musicians who often play watered-down versions of classical tunes by Bach and Mozart, among others.
“Youth symphony is totally different from a school ensemble,” Lu said. “In the camp and symphony, the students will have a chance to be challenged by playing original, real classical music — not arrangements.”
Lu said exposing young musicians to classical music at the camp and in the symphony will help them be on the same or a higher level of competing musicians, giving them the upper-hand for college scholarships and music programs across the state.
The strings camp will run from July 15 to July 28 at Robeson Community College from 9 a.m. to noon. Students will learn music theories and ensemble-playing skills and participate in small group lessons and sectionals with professional orchestra educators and musicians and a full rehearsal with Lu. A concert will conclude the camp on July 29 at 7:30 p.m.
Lu said space is still available, but students must have played a string instrument for a minimum of one school year to participate in the camp.
The cost to attend the camp is $100, and full and half scholarships are available. Lu said anyone wishing to sponsor a child for the camp can contact him at 845-537-5636. For information or to register, visit rc-youthsymphony.simplesite.com.
