Free Community Event!
Join us in supporting Routt County students from the Steamboat Middle School 7th Grade and 8th Grade Bands, and Steamboat Mountain School 5th-8th Grade Orchestra as the next generation of musicians takes center stage. At this special Strings School Days event, local students showcase the skills they’ve developed through hands-on instruction and perform alongside Greg Ward, a critically acclaimed saxophonist and composer, and Matt Gold, a Chicago-based guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer.
About Strings School Days:
Strings School Days is a unique music and arts education program provided by Strings Music Festival at no cost to schools, students, or teachers. Annually, the program serves over 3,500 pre-K through 12th grade students in 19 schools throughout the Yampa Valley. The program provides an opportunity for local students to learn from, rehearse with, and perform alongside world-renowned, professional musicians. Through this program, Strings aims for students to appreciate diverse cultures, develop a broader worldview, and move forward with confidence as arts supporters into their adult lives.
About the Mentors:
Matt Gold is a guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer based in Chicago, Illinois. His work draws from diverse traditions of electric and acoustic music. Gold has performed across six continents and contributed to more than fifty recordings as a collaborator and instrumentalist, garnering critical praise from Pitchfork for playing “one of the most exhilarating guitar solos of recent memory, in any genre.”
Greg Ward is a critically acclaimed saxophonist and composer known for his dynamic voice in contemporary jazz. A versatile performer, he has collaborated with artists across jazz, classical, and experimental music, including Makaya McCraven, Linda May Han Oh, and the International Contemporary Ensemble. His work reflects a deep understanding of jazz tradition while pushing creative boundaries, often incorporating elements of rock, soul, and chamber music.