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Film & Video

New Summer Film Camp Focuses On Documentary Storytelling

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Mason Film & Video Studies Professor Sam Meddis, formerly a deputy managing editor and video team lead at USA TODAY, will direct the new “Making Of A Documentary” summer workshop for teens, where students will produce fact-based films depicting the stories of real places and people around them.

In contrast to our popular Summer Filmmaking Workshops, which tend to explore fictional storytelling and characters, the two-week Documentary workshop, June 18-29, will blend filmmaking, journalism and principles of photography to provide students with an immersive experience which will help them see with new eyes and greater empathy things in the real world that are often unobserved or taken for granted, and to tell that story. Working as filmmaking teams, students will learn how to better collaborate and communicate with their peers, and produce their own short documentary film.

 

Film and video summer camp

 

In addition to producing short documentaries, students will also watch, and learn how to interpret, some of the world’s top documentaries. They will study in a collaborative environment designed to help produce a lifelong appreciation of documentary films.

“We live in an increasingly visual society,” explained Mr. Meddis. “This course will help equip students to more fully participate in it by learning the fundamentals of visual storytelling and communication. Students will experience the personal satisfaction that comes from expressing themselves creatively.They will begin to acquire skills that they can apply to a wide range of fields in in their education, future careers and beyond.  Most important, they will realize that filmmaking is great fun!”

In previous roles at USA TODAY, Sam Meddis helped oversee news coverage and operations of usatoday.com, coordinated training programs for print and online editorial staff, and supervised the editorial technology group. He is a founding member both of usatoday.com and USA TODAY the newspaper. At Mason, Mr. Meddis was awarded a GMU Adjunct Teaching Excellence Award in 2018 and  a GMU Teacher of Distinction commendation in 2017 for his work in the Film & Video Studies program.

 

 

“My favorite part of the workshop is the final day,” said Mr. Meddis, who produced the video above, “when students’ films are presented in the class for family and friends, and we all get to applaud their fine work.”

Although not required as a prerequisite, students who have previously taken our Filmmaking Workshops are highly encouraged to attend. Spaces are limited for this program – sign up now!

 

GET DETAILS AND REGISTER TODAY!

 

 

 

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Music

Summer Kodaly Program Uplifts Music Teachers And Their Classrooms

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The Kodály Teacher Training program at Mason has been a life-changing, transformative boost to K-12 music and choral teachers for many years. Using folk song materials and other curriculum endorsed by the Organization of American Kodály Educators, our faculty provide you with resources to help your students come alive as never before, with their singing improving dramatically by the end of year one!

The Kodály Level courses I, II and III are the core courses of Kodály Training. Participants are able to take one two-week level course per summer (with “For-Credit” and “Non-Credit options), with this year’s dates being July 16-27, 2018. Courses are packed full of information, hands-on experiential learning activities, homework assignments (pre-course assignments and on-site assignments), and a participant presentation on the final Friday. Participants who successfully complete Level III will receive an official Kodály Certificate from Mason.

 

Music teacher training workshop

 

“Kodály training makes your classroom teaching better and easier,” explained long-time Program Director and Mason faculty Robbin Marcus, “but more importantly, Kodály training improves your personal musicianship to a level you might not have thought possible in such a short time.”

Accompnaying Ms. Marcus, other faculty members include Vicki Dohrmann, along with Ginger Albertson and Beth Anne Young.  We also welcome Mason Kodály program alum Sarah Nalls Meadows who will be taking the baton from Ms. Ivy Rawlins Ward this year for the Solfege portion of the program. Learn more about the faculty

“Well, as Director of the Kodály program, there have been lots of interesting moments over the last 11 years!” Ms. Marcus stated. “One of the things I truly love to see each year is the bonding of the Levels students – participants come together to support each other, help each other, and cheer each other on throughout the two weeks. Last year during our program, we had two family deaths occur – and my father had passed away the week before the Kodály program began. The tenderness and kindness exhibited by the participants and the faculty toward all the bereaved was incredible, truly memorable, and simply beautiful to witness.”

“I love the last day!” exclaimed Ms. Marcus. “Participants and faculty come together to sing and share what we have been learning with our families and friends. It’s such a lovely culmination of the entire program.”

 

 

The program takes place on the Mason campus in Fairfax, VA, in the School of Music classrooms, with an on-site Bookstore provided by West Music. On-campus housing is also available (for a limited time). Spaces are limited – sign up now!

Alexander Technique and Brush Up Your Kodály supplemental courses also offered, July 9-13, 2018!

 

GET DETAILS AND REGISTER TODAY!

 

 

 

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Music

Music Teachers Hit Refresh Button At Summer Orff Program

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The Orff Schulwerk Certification Program at Mason has been offering all three Levels of K-8 music teacher training for over 30 years. The summer is a time to refresh and rejuvenate, and taking an Orff course will open up a world of new colleagues, provide great music to bring back to your students, and teach the skills in which to process, arrange, and compose pieces for the classroom!

Directed by Mason School of Music Professor and Orff specialist Joyce Stephansky, the Certification program runs for two weeks, July 16-27, and boasts a high level faculty, including Matt McCoy, Betsy Kipperman, Shoshanah Drake, John Crandall and Victoria Redfearn Cave. (Read More)

“Our typical day in an Orff Level class is broken into three parts: basic pedagogy, movement, and recorder,” explained Ms. Stephansky. “Several times throughout the two week course, participants from all three Levels get together to dance, and sing, and have a lot of fun! At the end of the two weeks, we celebrate with a luncheon and a final sharing presented to family and friends, where each Level performs a few pieces and stories that they have been working on throughout the course.”

At the end of the final sharing, those participants who have successfully completed Level III that summer are awarded their official Orff Certification, presented through the American Orff Schulwerk Association (AOSA).

 

Orff movement class

 

“My favorite part of the Orff levels are the connection that I feel with the participants and faculty at Mason,” said Ms. Stephansky. “New participants are brought into the fold each year to this unique generational music group – it’s inspiring and comforting.”

Orff Schulwerk teaches participants how to approach teaching organically, from the smallest steps to the largest forms. This process approach is modeled throughout the levels and becomes dynamic when brought back to their classroom. Participants have the opportunity to improvise, arrange and compose, while reinforcing how to bring joy and creation to their own students.

 

Orff final sharing session

 

“I can honestly say that Orff Schulwerk kept me in the music education profession,” confessed Ms. Stephansky. “After three years of teaching in a very needy school, I was burnt out and degraded. I knew if I did not change something in my teaching, I would not likely last another year. Luckily, I attended a local Mid-Atlantic Orff Chapter workshop, and I realized that was the kind of teacher I wanted to be. The next summer, I was registered for Level. I never regretted my decision, and I never looked back!”

Prior to the two-week Levels courses, Mason also presents a collection of one-week Supplemental courses, July 9-13.  Jim Solomon returns with his amazing percussion class, and new for this summer is a technology course taught by Manju Durairaj, aimed to help with the ever growing technology requirements that are expected of teachers, plus several other exciting options.

 

 

For music teachers looking to reimagine their classroom approach, refresh their teaching perspective, and “upgrade” their credentials, Orff at Mason is the place to be this summer!

 

On-campus housing is also available for this program!

 

GET DETAILS AND REGISTER TODAY!

 

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Events Faculty News

James Myers in Rigoletto August 3, 2018

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Mason Community Arts Academy is proud to announce that Teaching Artist James Myers has been cast in the professional mens chorus in the upcoming production of Verdi’s Rigoletto with the Wolf Trap Opera Friday August 3rd at 8:15 pm.

James has sung with Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center in their production of Wagner’s Gotterdammerung, as well as performing the role of Edward Rutledge in McLean Community Players’ production of the musical, 1776. He has also performed with the Middle Saxony Theatre in their productions of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro and Kurt Weill’s Street Scene.

When asked about the upcoming performance, he said “I’m most excited to sing in Rigoletto because it is one of my favorite operas and it features numerous songs that even people who have never been to an opera will easily recognize. I’m also thrilled because Wolf Trap Opera is such an amazing organization that puts on great productions.”

 

GET MORE INFORMATION AND PURCHASE TICKETS

 

James Myers Voice Lessons

Read more about James Myers

 

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Community Outreach Instruments in the Attic Music

Academy Provides Guitars to Elementary School

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Through our Instruments in the Attic program, the Academy was recently able to loan out 15 acoustic guitars to children at Harding Avenue Elementary School in Blacksburg, VA, to help them establish a “Guitar Club” for 4th and 5th grade students.

The outreach effort was coordinated between Mason Guitar Professor Glen McCarthy and Harding Avenue Elementary teacher Will Holliman,  who heard about the Instruments in the Attic program through a family friend. The donated guitars will be used in general music classes, individual lessons, and guitar-specific classes .

“I envision these instruments building connections with more music programs and with Virginia Tech which is right next door to us,” said Mr. Holliman. “Students will be able to check out these instruments which will provide access to an instrument in the home. This will give students opportunities in music they would not otherwise have access to.”

 

Guitar class with kids

 

See Blacksburg, VA on a map!

Providing instruments to students in need is a core objective of our Instruments in the Attic program, which accepts generously donated instruments from community members, repairs them as needed (and as funding allows), and identifies areas of need to place them in. Please consider donating an instrument and/or making a financial gift to support our continuing efforts to provide access to the arts for everyone regardless of circumstance!

 

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR OUTREACH PROGRAMS

 

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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