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■ to do proper fingerings or maybe tricks to navigate them through tricky passages.

“Mostly, though, I feel like a cheerleader, giving them moral support.”

Madden said she aims to teach students how to play as part of an ensemble — which involves watching others, listening to the different instrument parts, and learning basics such as how to mark up their music.

“These are industry standards,” Madden said, “so if they want to go out in the big world and play in a professional orchestra, they need these foundations.”

Elizabeth Fashian, a 16-year-old violinist, appreciates Madden’s relaxed teaching style.

“I like it because we really get to learn a lot, and there’s not a lot of pressure,” she said. “We’re allowed to make mistakes, and it’s fine.”

Although the group is not heavily concertbased, members do occasionally present free performances (attended mostly by family and friends).

The school has two semesters a year, following a traditional academic calendar (January to May and September to December). The cost is $120 a semester.

Madden said she enjoys seeing inter-generational relationships develop.

During a break in the recent rehearsal, Hilliard resident Dan Thyng, 75, a bassist, stood talking with 17-year-old cellist Josiah Morrow.

“It’s fun to see these kids come in and see how they improve over a period of a few years,” said Thyng, one of the mentors, who plays with the Greater Columbus Community Orchestra, among other groups. “The enjoyment on their faces of playing, it’s wonderful.”

The group also has allowed Madden to fulfill her dream of conducting.

During a run-through of a song called, “American Landscape” at rehearsal, she gestured and cajoled, and afterward offered tips and encouragement.

“I sort of stumbled into a bed of roses,” she said of the venture. “I’m so privileged to be able to stand there and wave my arms, not make a single sound, and see what this trust and collaboration create.

“It’s such a joy.”