USC's String Project, the nation's leader in string-music education, will hold its fall registration through September 5 for children and adults interested in learning to play a stringed instrument.

An organizational meeting will take place at 7:30 p.m. September 5, at the String Project Annex, 511 S. Main Street, Columbia. Parents of students and participating adults must attend this organizational meeting and register.

The yearlong String Project offers instruction in violin, viola, and cello to more than 120 third- and fourth-grade students and approximately 20 adults. The USC String Project has been a model for similar programs at dozens of colleges throughout the country.

Each beginning class consists of approximately 20-25 students. Students must attend two hour-long classes each week. Classes are available from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays, or 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays.

The String Project also offers a beginner class for adults at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays. A minimum of 10 students is needed to schedule the class.

Cost for the lessons--which covers materials for the fall semester--is $70 for students and $90 for adults. Parents and participating adults are expected to provide or rent instruments. Information about instrumental rental will be available at the organizational meeting. Classes will be taught by USC music-education students under the direction of master teacher Johanna Pollock of Lexington and program director Gail Barnes, a USC professor of music.

For more information or to register, call Barnes at 7-9568. More information also can be found on the program's Web site at www.music.sc.edu/Special_Programs/StringProject/index.html.

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