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Roberta Guaspari-Tzavaras has taught violin to East Harlem children for 13 years. "I get them revved up, excited about music, and they stay focused," says Guaspari-Tzavaras. So when budget cuts ended her program in 1991, Guaspari-Tzavaras wouldn't take it lying down. She rallied parents and the community. When she and her young students held a benefit concert, Itzhak Perlman joined the standing ovation. The program was able to continue and it also brought her the "Hero for Today" award from the Reader's Digest Association.
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Isaac Stern is also a big fan of Guaspari-Tzavaras's dedication and fruitful efforts, but it's her students who really count. "She helps us when we mess up," says nine-year-old Wendy Casteneda. "The violin gives me beautiful music. And I'm an 'A' student because of it. I dream of playing at Lincoln Center someday."
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Guaspari-Tzavaras's students have performed with the New York Symphony, the Julliard School's Music Advancement Program and at the White House, so Wendy's dream may just come true.
A documentary film about her called Small Wonders was nominated for an Academy Award in 1996. Further developments inspired by this teacher include a feature film, released in October 1999. Music of the Heart starred Meryl Streep as real-life violin teacher Roberta Guaspari-Tzavaras.
Page created on 7/29/2013 3:07:13 PM
Last edited 1/6/2017 9:28:18 PM
View the trailer for the movie Music of the Heart, which stars Meryl Streep as Roberta Guaspari-Tzavaras. This movie is partly based on the documentary, Small Wonders, which stars the real Roberta and some of her students.
Roberta Guaspari-Tzavaras is my hero because she taught music on the violin. I love any kind of music, so I think she is a wonderful teacher. All her students are taught to focus on what they are doing. Roberta let children learn how to play an instrument and have fun. I think Roberta is a very gifted person to be able to teach children how to have fun with an instrument.
