THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 44, NO. 10 | OCTOBER 14, 2022
LEAVEN PHOTO BY MOIRA CULLINGS
Ashley Stanfield, a substitute viola player for the Kansas City Symphony and a member of the Opus 76 Quartet, teaches a violin class at St. Agnes School in Roeland Park on Mondays after school. The class of more than 30 students will be taking a short recess soon for the arrival of Stanfield’s child, but classes will resume upon her return.
Symphony violist promises young pupils
‘YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS’
By Moira Cullings moira.cullings@theleaven.org
R
OELAND PARK — When Ashley Stanfield first offered a violin class for students at St. Agnes School here last February, she expected ..15 to sign up. “We ended up with 53 last year,” she said. “It was crazy and fun and chaotic and wonderful.” This year, more than 30 St. Agnes students are learning the instrument for an hour after school on Mondays. “I was shocked at the number of kids and overwhelmed a little bit in the beginning,” said Stanfield. “It’s such a nice problem to have.” Stanfield is a professional viola player who is currently a substitute for the Kansas City Symphony and a member of the Opus 76 Quartet. The opportunity to share her knowledge with the students at St. Agnes has been gratifying. “The kids are so sweet and so enthusiastic about it,” she said. “We have a lot of fun.”
LEAVEN PHOTO BY MOIRA CULLINGS
Martin Cabrera practices how to hold his violin during a class at St. Agnes School in Roeland Park led by teacher Ashley Stanfield.
‘A really beautiful instrument’ Emma Reyes, a third grader at St. Agnes, was excited to take Stanfield’s violin class “because this is my favorite instrument.”
Reyes had never played violin before she started the class last year. “It makes a really nice noise,” she said. “It’s a really beautiful instrument.” St. Agnes second grader Channing Glast also started the class last year. “Well, my mom said I had to do it,”
she explained candidly. But Glast soon discovered that learning the violin is fun. She also plays the keyboard and said learning the two instruments is a different experience. She enjoys playing a string instrument “and seeing my friends and also playing songs.” The after-school class is mostly made up of first through sixth graders. Because of the high interest, Stanfield had help last year from multiple volunteers, including St. Agnes music and theater teacher Rachel Lackups. This time around, she hired another teacher so the class could be split in two. She also has help from one of her own violin students, Polly Ayala, a senior at Bishop Miege High School in Roeland Park. “I want to do violin as a career,” said Ayala. “I thought it would be a good learning opportunity, so I did it and I love it.” Teaching young students has brought back memories for Ayala. >> See “I WAS” on page 4