Ralph Farris, Cornelius Dufallo, young composer Raquel Calamity, Mary Rowell and Dorothy Lawson (Beth Fertig/WNYC)

NEW YORK, NY October 23, 2007 —Each Fall, the New York City string quartet ETHEL takes part in a project that encourages young Native American high school students to become composers. The group goes to Navajo and Hopi reservations in Arizona in September to work with a couple of dozen students. They perform their works at the annual Grand Canyon Music Festival. This year, ETHEL’s viola player, Ralph Farris, kept this radio diary of his trip. This story was produced by WNYC's Beth Fertig.