The Singing Strings, under the direction of John and Jenet Clement, is now in its 32nd year. It is based in Canada’s smallest province, Prince Edward Island, which has a population of 139,000. The orchestra was originally part of a school group-taught music program. In 1999 the program became independent of the public school education authority, and the Singing Strings now gives individual instruction in a conservatory system to students from 7 to 17 years of age. Each student also plays in one of the three orchestras according to their level, regardless of age.



In 1978 the P.E.I. Lieutenant Governor asked that students from the String program play a musical background for his New Year’s celebrations at Government House. The event was a great success and the Singing String Orchestra became well established in the musical life of the community. (This year the orchestra performed at Government House for the New Year’s Levee where the first performance occurred 30 years ago.)



In such a small Province, where there were few trained string players, the students had more opportunity to develop their performance skills than they would have had in a larger center. As a result the Singing Strings became very active in the community, and performed for Brownie teas, Pancake Breakfasts, Senior Citizens' Parties; for their Royal Highnesses Prince Charles, Princess Diana, Prince Edward (twice), Prince Andrew and Lady Sarah Ferguson; for Pierre Elliott Trudeau and every Prime Minister since, three successive Governor Generals, Lieutenant Governors, American State Governors, and a multitude of celebrities (such as Roger Moore – the Saint), who have chanced to pass through our friendly Province.



The Singing Strings have twice represented Canada at the World Congress of the International Society for Music Education: first in Eugene, Oregon, USA (1984) and then in Amsterdam, the Netherlands (1996). This year the Singing Strings will represent Eastern Canada at the 10th International Festival of European Youth Orchestras in Florence, Italy.