No matter your age, the musicians behind the Griffon String Quartet are trying to hit the right notes while striking a chord in the community. Violinists Roy Meyer and Alex Norris, violist Oryann Tsaig, and cellist Jesse Nummelin lead community-wide efforts that bring string instruments into schools and nursing homes alike. While both groups get to experience live music, the impact is different. According to the National Institutes of Health, music therapy can improve a patient’s mood, reduce agitation, and stimulate memory recall. Midsummer’s Music Executive Director Allyson Fleck shared during Friday’s Pay to Play with United Way of Door County a story of how music helped connect a nursing home resident struggling with Alzheimer’s and dementia to her past.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Meyer, Norris, Tsaig, and Nummelin become teachers when they travel to schools in the region, many of which do not have their own orchestra programs. Fleck says their “instrument petting zoos” and storytime concerts are often the first time children are introduced to string instruments.

On Friday, Midsummer’s Music announced details for its 2026 Winter Retreat for young string musicians, which will take place Jan. 16–17 at Prince of Peace Church in Sturgeon Bay. You can find more details here.