Author: Regina Schneider

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Faculty News

Area Coordinator: Amanda Goodwin

Introducing our Academy Strings Area Coordinator, Amanda Goodwin! The Area Coordinators provide a central connection for Academy faculty and staff with all private lesson studios at the Academy. They are experienced teachers and music professionals who serve as a resource, colleague, and leader within their instrumental area. We asked Amanda her thoughts on becoming a strings area coordinator.

“I’m excited to be serving as the Strings Coordinator because I have a larger role in helping the Academy grow its programs. I love the opportunities MCAA provides for their students and it’s my hope that, through increased communication between the administration and teachers, we can offer new experiences for them.”

Amanda Goodwin

1) What is your earliest music memory?

One of my earliest music memories was attending a kids concert at the Kennedy Center when I was about 5. I don’t remember what they played, but I do remember how cool it was to watch all the violinists’ bows play in sync. 

2) What do you like most about playing your instrument?

I absolutely love when a piece requires me to dig deep into the string and sustain the sound. There’s something so satisfying about sustaining a sound on the violin. Those are the moments that allow me to really share all my intense passion and energy with an audience.

3) What is one of your hobbies or interests outside of music?

I really enjoy spending time with my dog, Ollie. He’s very energetic and demands (yes, demands) that I be as active as he is when we’re playing. He prefers that I run with him to retrieve his toy after throwing it and refuses to play fetch.

4) What has been a highlight of teaching at the Academy?

My highlight of teaching at the Academy is when a student realizes what they are capable of doing with the violin and gets motivated to see what else is possible. It’s especially fun if the student is shy and starts to come out of their shell because of music. 

5) How do you prepare yourself to have a productive practice session?

I prepare myself for a productive practice session by using a practice journal. I identify sections of pieces I want to work on for the day or make a goal to improve a specific technique. Doing so gives my practice sessions more direction and ensures I’m using my time efficiently.

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Faculty News

Area Coordinator: Dr. Radina Dosseva

Introducing our Academy Piano Area Coordinator, Dr. Radina Dosseva! The Area Coordinators provide a central connection for Academy faculty and staff with all private lesson studios at the Academy. They are experienced teachers and music professionals who serve as a resource, colleague, and leader within their instrumental area. We asked Dr. Dosseva her thoughts on becoming the first piano area coordinator.

“I feel very grateful to be serving as Piano Area Coordinator at the Mason Community Arts Academy this year. This position has given me the opportunity to interact with my colleagues more frequently and to share new ideas and opportunities with them. I’m excited to see what we will accomplish as we put our collective minds together.”

Dr. Radina Dosseva

1) What is your earliest music memory?

I have two music memories from my childhood that had a lasting effect on me. The first is of my mom singing me to sleep with beautiful Bulgarian folk songs. The second memory is of my dancing to the rhythm of the music as my older sister practiced the piano.

2) What do you like most about playing your instrument?

What I like most about playing the piano are all the unique and emotion-inducing sounds that this all-in-one instrument can produce. Its gentle timbre allows me to become completely absorbed in the music for hours at a time. I also really enjoy playing prima domra (a type of mandolin) with a folk orchestra in the area because it encourages me to listen carefully to my fellow musicians, which leads to a more unified ensemble sound.

3) What is one of your hobbies or interests outside of music?

One of my interests outside of music is learning about foreign languages, cultures, and customs. In addition to Bulgarian and English, I also studied Spanish, some Japanese and Italian, and a little Korean. I love to read books and watch movies in foreign languages to help me practice my skills.

4) What has been a highlight of teaching at the Academy?

A highlight of teaching at the Academy has been the incredibly supportive staff. They help foster an environment that inspires creativity, encourages collaboration, and allows teachers the freedom to share new ideas and make decisions that benefit their students. I love working with everyone at the Academy – we are like a big family that always has each other’s backs.

5) How do you prepare yourself to have a productive practice session?

Before I begin any practice session, I make sure that there are as few distractions around me as possible. I can concentrate better when I have a quiet environment to work in. Next, I look over the music carefully and set practice goals that I can achieve within the time that I have available for practice. 

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Community Outreach Instruments in the Attic

Glen McCarthy Shares Passion for Music at Sandals

MCAA guitar teacher, Glen McCarthy was generous enough to include Instruments in the Attic (IiA) on his vacation to Sandals, Jamaica over winter break. 

This is not the first time that Mr. McCarthy donated an instrument on IiA’s behalf. Not only has he brought other instruments to the Sandals Foundation as a part of his travels, but Mr. McCarthy regularly facilitates donations to school music programs throughout the Northern Virginia area. 

Our Today writes:

Glen McCarthy, a music teacher at Mason Community Arts Academy, and Dionne Reid-Richards, a project manager in the technical division at Sandals Resorts International, both share a common passion for music and a commitment to imparting this love through music education.

With the help of the Sandals Foundation and Mason Community Arts Academy’s Instruments in the Attic
programme, they are set to achieve just that with the recent donation of musical equipment to the Calvary Wind Ensemble, based at the Calvary Baptist Church in Montego Bay.

Our Today

You can learn more about the story in the link above. MCAA thanks Glen for continuing to support music education and outreach not just here in the Northern Virginia area, but around the world.

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Piano Available

Piano Available to Good Home

A generous family from Alexandria, VA recently contacted the Academy about gifting their Chickering upright piano to a good home. If anyone is interested in accepting this gift, please contact us ASAP.

The piano is approximately 85 years old and is free of charge; however, the family requests the recipient to pay for the moving expense, which averages around $250-300 (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. We will handle this on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please email us at academy@gmu.edu  (no phone calls please) and put “Piano Available to Good Home” in the subject (or simply Reply to the Newsletter email). A recipient will be matched as soon as possible.

Please note that these opportunities typically come up several times throughout the year, so keep checking the Academy Newsletter!

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Faculty News

Faculty Enrichment Fund Awardee: Dr. Nina Kiken

The Academy values the importance of our teacher’s professional development. The Faculty Enrichment Fund annually provides partial and full reimbursement for teachers to attend conferences, workshops, and teacher training sessions. 

Our viola/violin teaching artist, Dr. Nina Kiken, attended a Suzuki pedagogy course:

“This fall I participated in a pedagogy course centered on teaching Suzuki Book 3. Thanks to the support of the Faculty Enrichment Fun, I was fortunate to study with Suzuki Teacher Trainer David Strom, from the Northern Virginia Suzuki Music School. In class, we studied the repertoire in Suzuki Book 3, learning about the new techniques introduced in each piece, and methods to teach more advanced bow strokes, left hand facility, and nuanced musical ideas. More broadly, classroom conversations focused on building interpersonal skills amongst the teacher, student, and parents, in order to create a supportive learning environment.  

The class facilitated a community of teachers, where we could reflect on our own teaching and seek advice on particular challenges incurred in our private studios. The weekly discussions were a great reminder of why we study music: to build self esteem and independence, access beauty, and allow for freedom of expression both with and away from the instrument. Over the duration of the course, I observed eight hours of Strom’s lessons in his private teaching studio. In this component of the course, I saw how intentional language can greatly affect lesson dynamics. I also appreciated the necessity for creativity and flexibility in order to best connect with each student. 

The Suzuki Book 3 course was such an energizing opportunity to think critically about my own teaching and revisit pedagogical ideals I studied in school. I liked it so much that I’m currently enrolled in the Suzuki Book 4 certification!”

Written by Dr. Nina Kiken
Edited by Regina Schneider