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Announcements Community Outreach

Ovations Strings Program Receives Grant Award

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We are thrilled to announce that our Ovations Summer Strings Academy has been awarded a grant from the Associated Chamber Music Players, an organization whose mission is to stimulate and expand the playing of chamber music for pleasure among musicians worldwide, of all backgrounds, ages and skill levels, by connecting people and supporting chamber music activities for individuals, groups and institutions.

Since the organization began 70 years ago, the Associated Chamber Music Players has helped chamber music players to find one another to share and play music together. More than 2,500 members come from every part of the world and share one interest: the love of making music with others. Since the ACMP Foundation was founded in the 1990s, ACMP has contributed more than four million dollars to support programs for adult amateur players and community-based chamber music education programs for young musicians and others.

 

String students in chamber ensemble

 

This grant award will assist the Academy to provide more opportunity for young string players to participate in Ovations (June 24-29), which focuses on chamber music repertoire, rehearsals and performance for high school and middle school students. Each summer, Ovations brings around 80-90 students from across the northern Virginia region to the George Mason University campus, taking over the School of Music classrooms for one week.

This year’s Ovations program has been made possible, in part, with the support from ACMP Associated Chamber Music Players, and the Academy would like to express our sincere gratitude for their generosity and passion!

 

LEARN MORE ABOUT OVATIONS

 

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Announcements Community Outreach Music

Piano Available To Good Home

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A generous community member from the Fairfax area recently called the Academy about donating her acoustic upright piano to a good home. If anyone is interested in accepting this donation, please contact us asap.

The piano (pictured above) is a Fisher acoustic upright. The piano itself would be free of charge (to a good home); however, the recipient is required to pay for the moving expense, which averages $300-$500 (when using a professional piano moving company) depending on the distance traveled, number of stairs involved, etc. Also, acoustic pianos usually require a tuning from a professional piano tuner after a move as well.

If you think you have a need (and a space) for this piano, it’s a great opportunity to look into. As per usual, we will handle this on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please email us at academy@gmu.edu  (no phone calls please).

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Art

Summer Art Camp For Ages 6-8 Tells Stories Through Art

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Our Creative Discoveries Art Camps for young children are the perfect place for your child to explore storytelling through visual art and to work on projects not typically covered in school classrooms.

The original week of camp is scheduled for June 25-29, taught by Art Education Graduate student Rebeca Chung. Due to the popularity of the program, we have since added a new section for July 23-27, which will be taught by Art Education Graduate student Mary Dolmat!

 

Art camp for young kids

 

“Creative Discoveries is a great arts program where students create art in thoughtful and meaningful ways,” said Ms. Chung. “My focus will be on material exploration, providing art projects that are not typically introduced in the public schools.”

“We will be focusing on storytelling and character development in my camp,” stated Ms. Dolmat. “My students will learn to use art as a tool express themselves. There will definitely be printmaking, collage, and bookbinding involved!”

 

Summer camp for art students

 

The camps will take place on the Mason Fairfax campus in the School of Art university classrooms. With a Lead Teacher, a  Teaching Assistant, and a building supervisor, along with extended Academy staff, children will be well guided, monitored and supervised. Since it is a full day camp (9am-4pm), along with a standard lunch break and snack time, students will be provided with exercises and games to help break up the more focused classroom time.

“I am always learning as I teach my students, and I am inspired by my students as well,” reflected Ms. Chung.
“I’m very excited to be able to share all the different art making processes and mediums in my program,” said Ms. Dolmat.

 

Young student artwork

 

The camp week will finish with a student art exhibit and classroom presentation for family and friends. Let your young child experience the wonder of art and learn new ways to express themselves and their creativity.

 

GET DETAILS & REGISTER TODAY!

 

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Events Music

Peabody Preparatory Music Students Visit Mason Campus

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On Sunday, May 6th, Mason Community Arts Academy hosted two groups of violin students from Peabody Preparatory’s String Department and their teachers, Rebecca Henry and Lenelle Morse, for a very special afternoon of violin music, with performances by both Peabody Preparatory students and Mason Academy students, plus an insightful Q&A discussion with Ms. Henry and Ms. Morse.

Mason Community Arts Academy Violin Teaching Artist Claire Allen, who received her Master’s degree in Violin Performance from Peabody in 2013 and studied pedagogy with Ms. Rebecca Henry, arranged and coordinated the event and campus visit. After a quick introduction and welcome by Ms. Allen, the program began with a group of young students from the Peabody Young People’s String Program performing two short pieces. They then combined with violin students from Mason Community Arts Academy to perform Bourrée by Handel (see video below) and Allegro by Suzuki. Finally, students in Peabody’s Pre-Conservatory Violin Program performed several short selections, including works by Bridge, Sinding, and Bacewicz.

 

 

After the student performances, Ms. Allen moderated a Q&A discussion of pre-submitted questions by MCAA parents and students to Ms. Morse and Ms. Henry. Both Peabody teachers discussed the centrality of a group class in combination with private lessons in their strings program and how it has proven essential for them for the development of healthy young violinists.

Rebecca Henry said, “It gives so much support for the lesson. The kind of things we do in the group are very much in support of the things we do in the lesson. You’re getting reinforcement, we’re working on playing at the frog, on playing relaxed, on the posture, on playing their solos from the group – you’re putting that all in the social world.”

Lenelle Morse agreed, saying, “I’d like to add that group classes give peer inspiration. There’s nothing like having your child in the group and they see what someone else is doing…it really pushes them to the next level in a very healthy way. And there are friendships – there’s nothing like friends you’ve had since you were four!”

The high school students from the Peabody Pre-Conservatory Violin Program also spoke about the importance of group classes and how they shaped their career goals. Megan, a senior who will be studying neuroscience at Duke University this fall, said, “[Group classes] are really, really invaluable. You develop life skills you can’t get anywhere else – especially with communication, comraderie with everyone that you play with – you have to be amicable with them…you learn that social and emotional intelligence from being in group class.” She went on to say that “In group class, it’s different. It’s not all about you. You have to listen and find the balance and it really makes you a more empathetic player and a more empathetic person.”

The students and parents from both schools celebrated the end of an inspirational afternoon with a pizza party provided by Mason Community Arts Academy.

“Five years ago, I was finishing my final Graduate project for Rebecca’s class at Peabody,” reflected Ms. Allen. “If you’d told me then that in five years I’d be helping to build a new string program at a university community music school and be working alongside my most influential teaching mentor for an event, I wouldn’t have believed you. It was such an honor for our violin students to play with and for our colleagues at Peabody, and we are hopeful that today’s event will inspire more of our violin students to take group class in addition to their private lessons!”

 

Visiting Peabody professors
(Left to right: Rebecca Henry, Lenelle Morse, and Claire Allen)

 

Thanks to Ms. Henry, Ms. Morse, and all of the participating Peabody Preparatory students for making the journey to Mason and for sharing their love of music with us.

Mason Community Arts Academy will offer Violin Adventures, a supplemental violin group class for students ages 12 and under, on Friday evenings starting in September 2018. Look out for more information about Fall registration in late July!

 

We would like to thank Claire Allen for her substantial contributions to this article.

 

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Acting Events Music

Spring 2018 Recitals & Shows, June 2 & 3

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Our Spring 2018 Student Recital & Showcase Weekend celebration is coming up on Saturday, June 2nd and Sunday, June 3rd, which includes several music recitals and theater performances showcasing our Academy students of all ages. Come enjoy a fun and free weekend of the arts on the Mason Fairfax Campus!

MUSIC RECITALS

Due to our large number of Music students, we break up performances into hour-long (approximately) Music Recitals that are presented throughout the weekend. All performances are FREE and open to the public.

[one_half]Saturday, June 2
10:00 AM (designated for ages “8 and under”)
11:00 AM
12:30 PM
2:00 PM
3:30 PM
[/one_half] [one_half]Sunday, June 3
12:00 Noon (designated for ages “8 and under”)
1:00 PM
2:30 PM
4:00 PM
5:30 PM
[one_half_last]

 

A light reception with follow each recital. Come and enjoy some great music from performers of all ages and instruments!

PARKING: On Saturday and Sunday, you can park in Parking Lot K for free. It is about a 5-10 minute walk to the Performing Arts Building (note: NOT the Center for the Arts). You can also park in the Mason Pond Parking Deck for  $8, right next to the Performing Arts Building.
DIRECTIONS TO CAMPUS

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR RECITALS

 

FOR OUR ACADEMY MUSIC STUDENTS/ FAMILIES:
READ OUR HELPFUL GUIDE TO A SUCCESSFUL RECITAL EXPERIENCE

 


 

Theater Students acting on stage

THEATER SHOWCASES

Our Acting students who study with Acting For Young People will present several performances throughout the weekend in TheaterSpace (lower level of the de Laski Performing Arts Building). There may be a nominal ticket price depending on which show you choose to attend.

SEE ACTING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS

As we say, ENJOY THE SHOW!!

 

The Academy will be closed for Spring Break beginning Monday, March 25 and will re-open on Monday, April 1. We will be operating with limited hours. For any urgent requests, please call 703-993-9889.

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