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Support Creative Strings

Help Us Change the Culture of Music Education

Creative Strings helps musicians and teachers develop the confidence, creativity, and practical skills to improvise, collaborate, understand music more deeply, and engage authentically with a wide range of musical styles.

We are working toward a broader vision of music education—one in which creativity, listening, experimentation, collaboration, cultural breadth, and personal expression are valued alongside technique and written repertoire.

We also believe these transformative learning experiences should be available regardless of a person’s financial circumstances.

Your support helps us provide scholarships, flexible and pay-what-you-can education, free learning resources, teacher training, school and community outreach, and programs that positively influence how music is taught and experienced.

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Why this works matters

Music Education Can Prepare Musicians for More

Traditional music education gives many string players invaluable technical skills, discipline, and experience performing great repertoire.

But many musicians receive little opportunity to:

  • Improvise
  • Understand harmony
  • Learn by ear
  • Create their own musical ideas
  • Explore diverse musical styles
  • Collaborate without relying entirely on written music
  • Make artistic decisions in real time
  • Develop an individual musical voice

This can create a culture in which musicians become highly skilled at following instructions but remain hesitant to experiment, take risks, trust their ears, or express their own ideas.

Creative Strings is working to change that.

We help students and teachers build a broader and healthier culture of music education—one that combines high standards with creativity, flexibility, collaboration, curiosity, cultural awareness, and joy.

Our goal is not to replace traditional music education.

It is to expand what musicians and educators understand a complete musical education can include.

Through workshops, online education, school programs, teacher training, performances, free resources, and partnerships, we help musicians become more confident, versatile, collaborative, and expressive.

We also work to ensure that financial circumstances do not prevent musicians and teachers from participating.

We envision a culture of music education where creativity, improvisation, collaboration, and personal expression are considered essential parts of every musician’s development.

Changing music education from the inside out

Lasting Change Begins With Musicians and Teachers

Meaningful cultural change happens when musicians experience a different way of learning—and when teachers gain the tools and confidence to bring that approach to their own students and ensembles.

Creative Strings helps educators create learning environments where musicians can:

  • Take creative risks without fear of failure
  • Develop and communicate their own musical ideas
  • Learn through listening, experimentation, and collaboration
  • Improvise and make decisions in real time
  • Explore jazz, fiddle styles, contemporary music, and global traditions
  • Connect harmony, rhythm, technique, and expression
  • Balance high standards with curiosity and joy
  • Become adaptable musicians rather than only accurate performers
  • Use their individual voices while contributing to an ensemble
  • Approach unfamiliar musical situations with confidence

When one musician changes how they understand themselves, the impact can last a lifetime.

When one teacher changes how they teach, that impact can reach hundreds or thousands of students over time.

When an orchestra, school, university, or institution adopts a more creative and flexible approach, the culture of rehearsal, practice, performance, and learning can change for an entire community.

Your support helps Creative Strings equip musicians and educators who can carry this work into classrooms, studios, orchestras, universities, festivals, and communities around the world.

A group of people standing next to each other.
String quartet playing outdoors.

Our Mission in Action

What Creative Strings Makes Possible

Support for Creative Strings helps individual musicians gain access to transformative experiences while also advancing a larger movement toward a more creative, inclusive, flexible, and responsive culture of music education.

Our work includes:

Scholarships for Workshops and Camps

Financial assistance allows students, teachers, emerging professionals, and lifelong musicians to participate in immersive Creative Strings workshops and programs. Scholarships help ensure that financial circumstances do not prevent talented, motivated, and curious musicians from accessing life-changing educational experiences.

Pay-What-You-Can Online Education

Creative Strings Academy offers flexible and pay-what-you-can access so musicians can participate at a price that reflects their circumstances. This model helps create an international community where musicians can continue learning, practicing, and connecting regardless of geography or income.

Free Educational Resources

Our free videos, play-alongs, lessons, guided practice sessions, and educational resources give musicians around the world access to practical creative music education. These resources help musicians begin exploring improvisation, harmony, rhythm, stylistic versatility, and creative practice without financial barriers.

Teacher Training and Cultural Change

We help string teachers, ensemble directors, and music educators incorporate improvisation, harmony, creativity, diverse styles, collaborative learning, and student-centered exploration into their teaching. By equipping educators, we extend the impact of Creative Strings far beyond any single class or workshop. Each trained teacher can influence generations of students and help build a healthier culture of musical learning.

School and Community Outreach

Creative Strings brings innovative musical experiences to schools, youth orchestras, colleges, community organizations, professional ensembles, and other institutions. These programs can help transform how musicians approach rehearsal, practice, collaboration, creativity, and performance.

Guest Artists and Diverse Musical Traditions

We create opportunities for musicians to learn directly from exceptional artists representing jazz, fiddle traditions, world music, contemporary styles, and other musical communities. This helps broaden musicians’ understanding of what string playing can be and strengthens respect for different musical traditions.

Community and Belonging

Creative Strings programs bring together musicians across differences in age, experience, geography, culture, and musical background. Participants are encouraged to listen, contribute, support one another, and grow within a creative community

Ways to Support Creative Strings

Choose How You Would Like to Help

Whether you give financially, contribute your expertise, introduce us to a partner, or help someone attend a program, your involvement can make a meaningful difference.

You can help change an individual musician’s life while also helping build a more creative and inclusive future for music education.

Make a Donation

Support Creative Access and Lasting Change

Your donation helps Creative Strings expand access to creative music education and direct resources where they can have the greatest impact.

 

Donations may support:

  • Student and teacher scholarships
  • Pay-what-you-can educational access
  • School and community outreach
  • Teacher training and curriculum development
  • Guest artists and program faculty
  • Free educational resources
  • Customized institutional training
  • Technology and online program delivery
  • Program evaluation and impact measurement
  • General operating needs
Thank you for your support!

What Musicians and Teachers Say

"Prior to the course I was always waiting and it wasn’t going anywhere. After meeting Chris, I have seen some big changes with a ‘let’s make sh*t happen’ attitude! In Melbourne I had my first summer as a consistent session musician. In Tokyo I decided to work on a solo project I never had courage to do before the course. Chris has completely changed the relationship between the violin and myself..."
Elle Shimada
Elle ShimadaPerformer/Producer/Composer (Tokyo and Melbourne)
"The workshop offered videos, feedback and mentors that responded to all my goals (accompaniment, techniques, soloing w harmonic knowledge, connecting my voice with my viola). Also there was an opportunity to connect & watch other attendees on their journeys."
Alva Anderson
Alva AndersonSinger and violist
"I am really excited to incorporate Chris' curriculum into my teaching. My high-school students LOVED it!"
Shana Hobin Stewart
Shana Hobin StewartHigh School Orchestra Teacher, NY
"There is literally no one I know who has studied the business of music more thoroughly than Christian. He’s not only a master musician; he’s one of the most knowledgeable people you’ll ever meet in learning how to make a living."
Joel Harrison
Joel HarrisonGuggenheim Recipient, Composer, Guitarist (NYC)
"It has been an ‘ear-opener’ for me as a classically trained free-lance professional orchestral violinist.  It has been humbling for me to realize how much I don’t know about harmony, rhythm, and ear training. Chris has encouraged me to find my “own voice” on the violin, inspired me to improvise away from the music stand, and to trust my own creativity.  Most of all, I have never had this much fun playing the violin!!  Chris has made a huge contribution to my musical life.” 
Belinda Swanson
Belinda SwansonNorth Carolina Symphony Orchestra
“My 3 teen daughters haven’t been that excited about practicing. But when they got done playing to your videos they were so excited that they could actually play along with Senorita and said how much fun you were… and they loved your encouraging comments during the videos. A Mom can only say so much! Way to go! “
Martha Hannaford
Martha HannafordFiddler/Vocalist, Concert Promoter and Instructor at Fiddle Bee
" You gave me the essential keys to understand how to improvise. And especially to dare to play, even if we don't know anything about jazz or the codes of improvisation. Everything you shared with us was clear and practical, I know what I have to work on and how I can practice. Thanks for your passion and the way you convey your knowledge and your experiences. " 
Flora Trivelli
Flora TrivelliViolin Teacher, Switzerland
“My students have never been more engaged in their work and my job satisfaction has doubled after this course as I have enjoyed making stronger connections with my students. I feel so much more invigorated by my work helping them develop their musicianship through their own creative voice. "
Austin Scelzo
Austin ScelzoMiddle School Orchestra Teacher
“Right from day 1 of the Creative Strings Workshop, the vibe was open, welcoming and encouraging, and Chris made it clear that it was all about each player going at their own pace, pushing themselves beyond their own comfort zones, and making new discoveries and connections in our own playing and this creative string community. I felt so supported and encouraged and I made so many friends and professional contacts in this “leave your ego at the door” environment.”
Sue Buzzard
Sue BuzzardOrchestra Director at Rockport Public Schools
"Thank you for an amazing and eye-opening experience. Chris's approach is always affirming and inspires the student to believe in their own potential and unique musical voice.
It's a wake-up call to everyone who says 'I can't improvise'. Whatever level you have reached 'technically'- whether amateur, teacher, performer- Chris' teachingg is life-changing, and will unlock your creativity through your instrumental voice."
Sally Beamish
Sally BeamishProfessional classical violinist & composer for theater, film & TV, "British Composer Award for Lifetime Achievement" recipient
"Thank you for this amazing journey on improvisation and creativity. I believe I have material I can practice on for the next 10 years!"
Kalina Jankova
Kalina JankovaMusic Entrepreneur & Educator, Sweden
"I'm so happy and relieved to have found a teacher that understands the frustrations of coming from a rigid classical background, and more importantly one who knows a way out into a wider world!!"
Sarah Cross
Sarah CrossViolinist, Netherlands
"The amount of knowledge gained in 7 weeks online boot camp far outpaced 2 weeks of daily attendance at more traditional jazz camps."
Michael McWilliams
Michael McWilliamsViolinist
"If you’re looking to master what it means to be a modern musician, this workshop is going to teach you everything from honing your improv skills to learning to play in multiple styles — think rock, jazz, blues, and more. You’ll learn how to be more adaptable in your musicianship, become your own accompanist, and meet other amazing players through live stream sessions. If you're a student, teacher, or performer who's looking for a way to explore your own voice in a new and meaningful way, consider this awesome opportunity."
Neil Gilfillan
Neil GilfillanSuzuki Cello Teacher
"The highly organized musical plan of being able to understand & play improvisational music with feeling via the live zoom sessions was both highly inspiring and challenging"
Michael Doucet
Michael DoucetSinger & Violinist
"Christian Howes provides a much needed bridge to classically trained musicians and others who want to expand their playing and begin to play within a more creative context.Bravo!"
Timothy Smith
Timothy SmithFiddler & Recording Artist
“The Creative Strings Workshop has been a game changer for me. In a short amount of time, I've made huge leaps forward in my playing and grown in confidence. I'm finding that I'm utilizing elements of what I've learnt in everything I do, from creating, to teaching and facilitating, to singing rhythmic patterns as I'm washing up!”
Fritha Jenkins
Fritha JenkinsAssociate Lecturer at the University of the Arts, London
"The course gave me a boost and reframed the way I approach my music career. I went from being passive, taking opportunities when they were offered, to focusing on my goals and reaching out directly to potential clients. By narrowing down the work I did and becoming confident in charging what I’m worth, I’ve significantly increased my annual income."
Andy Lentz
Andy LentzPerformer

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About Creative Strings

Creative Strings is a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding access to creative string education and positively changing the culture of music education.

We help musicians and teachers develop:

  • Improvisational skills
  • Harmonic understanding
  • Rhythmic confidence
  • Stylistic versatility
  • Creative independence
  • Collaboration
  • Listening skills
  • Personal expression
  • Confidence inside and outside traditional musical settings

Our programs serve students, teachers, professionals, ensembles, and lifelong musicians through:

  • In-person workshops
  • Online education
  • School and community outreach
  • Teacher training
  • Institutional consulting
  • Performances
  • Free resources
  • Curriculum development
  • Professional development

We believe technical excellence and creative freedom belong together—and that every musician should have opportunities to develop both.

Learn About Creative Strings
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