Gem Plumbing & Heating Co., recently joined forces with Musica Dolce, a program designed to strengthen the Southern New England Chamber Orchestra and the Youth String Ensemble. Established in 1995, this group began providing both training and experience for school age children. The Youth String Ensemble holds auditions, rehearses weekly, and presents concerts several times each season. The Youth String Ensemble also performs along with the Chamber Orchestra in the fall concerts at Westerly High School and in “seasonal classics”. Nearly 70 players participate from communities in southeastern Connecticut and southern Rhode Island.

Many of Rhode Islands’ schools do not provide programs for student string players, so this program fills this need in our cultural picture. Membership develops performance skills, teamwork, confidence, and discipline in our young musicians.

Gem Plumbing has made a substantial donation to the Musica Dolce program in an effort to strengthen the importance of providing this program to Rhode Islands’ youth.