How much of our lives do we spend looking at a screen? Our phones, computers, tablets, and televisions keep us informed and entertained, but they can also keep us sitting alone and disconnected from the people around us. Perhaps it’s time to put down the screen and pick up an instrument.

Learning to play music as an adult can be challenging, rewarding, and surprisingly social. It exercises the brain by requiring concentration, memory, listening, coordination, and patience. But perhaps even more importantly, making music with other people creates a sense of connection that a screen simply can’t provide.

That idea is at the heart of the Community String Project in Bristol. We believe adults should have the opportunity to discover the joy of making music, regardless of whether they played an instrument as a child.

Our adult group classes offer affordable instruction in classical guitar, violin, viola, cello, and bass. You don’t need to be a musician. You don’t need to read music. You simply need to be curious and willing to give it a try.

There is something special about sitting in a room with other people, learning something new, listening to one another, and eventually creating music together. It gives us a reason to put aside our phones, meet new people, and become part of something larger than ourselves.

And the Community String Project isn’t the only way adults can experience this. Throughout our area, there are choruses, music studios, ensembles, and other organizations where adults can learn, perform, and make music with others.

We invite anyone who has ever thought, “I’d love to learn to play an instrument someday,” to stop waiting for someday.

Come hear us perform and try an instrument for yourself at one of our upcoming workshops:

• Barrington Public Library: Thursday, Sept. 17, at 6:30 p.m.

• Bristol Parks and Recreation: Thursday, Sept. 24, at 6:30 p.m.

You may discover that learning music isn’t just about learning an instrument. It’s about keeping your mind active, meeting people, and becoming part of a community.

So, for a little while, put down the screen and pick up an instrument. You might be surprised by what happens next.

Robert Arsenault

Bristol

Founder, Community Strings Project