When the final drum bangs this weekend at Birch Music Performance Center in Egg Harbor, it will be time for the strings to take center stage. It will be a fast turnaround for Birch Creek staff with the Percussion and Steel Drum session ending on Saturday and the first symphony students moving in on Sunday and Monday. The students will have to work quickly too as they adjust to not just a new location but in some cases the first time they have had in-person instruction in close to a year. That is on top of learning 17 new pieces of music over the next two weeks while working with visiting artists as well.

Birch Creek Music Performance Center Executive Director Mona Christenson says that what makes performance-based education so special.

The first symphony show is scheduled for July 1st when they feature their concerto competition winners while tackling the work of Beethoven. The symphony session will also host their Independence Day Celebration with a 3 p.m. concert on July 3rd. You can listen to our entire conversation with Christensen on our podcasts page.