The newest issue of Midtown Magazine contains a wonderful article about two success stories from Scott-Free, Wyatt and Carter Coleman- click on the button below to view the entire article as a PDF.
"As we count down the final days of 2010, we take the time to reflect on another successful year at Scott-Free. Along with its camp partners and a generous community of private and commercial donors, Scott-Free has provided the opportunity to attend summer camp to over 125 at-risk children in North Carolina. Since its inception in 2008, Scott-Free has had the pleasure of helping two outstanding young musicians, Carter and Wyatt Coleman. Carter and Wyatt, who had an appreciation and love of music instilled in them at an early age, told me ever since they were two years old they begged their mother for violin lessons. When Wyatt and Carter were four, their mother Lin signed them up for the well-known Suzuki Pro- gram at Meredith College. They credit the program and their instructor Margaret Garris for piquing and further developing their interest in the violin at such a young age. The brothers currently study under Dovid Friedlander, the current Associate Concertmaster of the North Carolina Symphony. Wyatt recently told me, “We love Dovid. He’s brought our talent to the next level and we connect in a very special way”.
Carter is a member of the North Carolina Symphony Young All Stars Orchestra, Mallarme Youth Chamber Orchestra and the Triangle Youth Philharmonic, in which he serves as the Concertmaster. Wyatt is also a member of the Young All Stars and Mallarme Youth Cham- ber Orchestras, as well as the second violinist of the Turismo Quartet. Remarkably, you can find Wyatt and Carter many weekends, not on stage at the Memorial Auditorium or the RBC Center (where they both have performed), but bedside at Rex Hospital or Sunrise Assisted Living performing for the residents. To bring joy or comfort to others through their passion and talent is the driving force behind Carter and Wyatt giving back to the community.
During the summers of 2008 and 2009, Scott-Free, with the help of private donors, sent Wyatt and Carter to the Green Mountain Music Festival in Burlington, Vermont. On their first extended time away from home and their parents, the home-schooled Carter and Wyatt were inspired by the exposure to other musicians and teachers with similarpassions and aspirations. Wyatt told me “Before my two summers at GMMF, I felt my skills were becoming stagnant. During my time there, I discovered talents I never knew I had, and was able to explore the violin at a new level”. Recognizing their extraordinary effort and growth, Scott-Free sent Wyatt and Carter to The International Music Academy (IMAP) in Pilsen, Czech Republic in 2010. It was the first time both Scott- Free and the Coleman twins experienced summer camp outside the US. The IMAP consisted of a four-week intensive program for talented young musicians from around the world. Carter and Wyatt found the collaborative environment of musicians and world-renowned instructors with different cultural backgrounds and influences extremely nurturing.
With aspirations of professional performance violin, Carter is pursuing several conservatories around the country to further develop his skills after high school. Although his appreciation and love for music is still strong, Wyatt, who credits the last two years of his life as eye- opening experiences both musically and otherwise, will study violin as a music major in college; however, he plans on challenging his abilities and letting his curiosity guide him to new horizons. Most importantly, both of these exceptional young men have had an opportunity to grow and mature - the goal of Scott-Free."
By Joshua Gruder