As is the usual, the new year brings about the time for the Strings and Band students to further study developmental exercises and also new music. The Strings Ensemble members have told me that they are especially enjoying learning a musical work called "Dance of the Tumblers," from the opera entitled "The Snow Maiden," written by the famous nineteenth century Russian composer Nikolay Rimsky - Korsakoff. The original music was composed for the most accomplished of musicians, but our arrangement, by Sandra Dackow, makes this music accessible to our student's impressive skill levels. The Dance of the Tumblers is an episode in Act 3 of the opera, in which acrobats dance for the Tsar Berendey. This piece and others will be featured at the Spring Concert, on June 6th.