Southside Elementary plays along

Sound exploded from the crowd of children gathered in the Southside Elementary School cafeteria as Sandy Cameron began to play.

Cameron, 32, moved her bow back and forth across the strings, picking out a playful tune she composed herself. While the piece doesn’t have a name, she said at the end of her performance she didn’t think she had ever had so much fun playing her instrument before.

Cameron is an acclaimed violinist who came to Sarasota on April 12-13 as part of the Southside School Foundation of the Arts fundraiser. 

She’s performed around the world, at such locations as Royal Albert Hall in London, New York’s Lincoln Center, the Hollywood Bowl and the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Germany. 

It was at a 2018 performance at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in 2018 with trumpet player Chris Botti,  that SSFA board member Rachel Feldman first heard her.

“When Sandy is in full performance, she becomes her instrument. You can’t tell where the instrument ends and she begins,” Feldman said. “I wanted to share that with our community. When Sandy plays, beauty comes out.”

When Feldman asked Cameron to come to Sarasota and play for an SSFA fundraiser, Cameron had one condition.

“I said, ‘If I’m going to play to benefit the kids, I want to at least play for the kids,’” Cameron said. “These kids might grow up to be teachers who guide our next generation, or CEOs who give money to the arts. They’re both equally important to support the arts.”

Cameron played for a school assembly on April 12, which the children enjoyed. They laughed as she played while walking among them, which Cameron says is a true expression of their reaction to the music.

After the performance, the students were invited to ask Cameron questions. Questions such as, “Why do you play the violin?” and “What other instruments do you play?” and “How old is your violin?”

She said she started playing the violin when she was 8, because her parents bought her the instrument and her grandfather loved violin music. When she told them how old her violin is (crafted in Italy almost 300 years ago), the students were astounded.

Clara Ledesma, a fourth-grader, said watching Cameron made her want to play an instrument herself.

“I thought it was awesome she could play so good,” she said. “I play the piano. She inspired me to play the piano a lot more and practice more.”

Ava Harlan-Vale plays the guitar and said Cameron’s performance made her want to practice.

“She’s really good,” Ava said. “I liked the sound of her playing.”

Cameron and Ainsley Costello, a former student of Southside Elementary, played for Southside Elementary School on April 12 and  SSFA event on April 13.

The fundraiser Cameron performed at will benefit SSFA at the school, which funds a dance teacher’s salary and Broadway-style plays the students put on every year.