Categories
Events

Grand Piano Celebration at Mason

Linda Monson with grand piano

Categories

George Mason University’s School of Music invites you to attend the annual Grand Piano Celebration, Sunday, September 18th at GMU Center for the Arts in Fairfax, VA. Honoring the School’s “All-Steinway” classification, the event will feature performances by Piano professors, guest artists and Mason student artists.

The Academy is proud to highlight three performers: Dr. Ina Mirtcheva Blevins, Faith Zuniga and Mark Irchai – all of whom currently teach Piano lessons and classes at Potomac!

Mirtcheva_headshot     FaithZuniga2_headshot     MarkIrchai_headshot

 

The piano concert event will feature the artistry of Dr. Linda Apple Monson, International Steinway Artist, in collaboration with Mason faculty colleagues: Dr. Anna Balakerskaia (piano), Prof. Lisa Berger (soprano), Prof. Seong Won Nam (tenor), Guest Artist Zino Bogacheck (violin), and outstanding student piano artists. Proceeds will support student scholarships for Mason’s School of Music.

Tickets: $20 adults, $15 seniors, $5 youth

LEARN MORE/ GET TICKETS

Categories
Announcements

Express Yourself at #paaplayyourpart

#paaplayyourpart

Categories

Show off your artistic side with our new “Play Your Part” video series! Play your instrument, sing a song, act out a scene, draw a picture – do whatever creative activity you do (or have done) at Mason’s Potomac Arts Academy –  for the camera. Short videos highlighting our students and faculty will be posted on our social media channels throughout the year under the special hashtag #paaplayyourpart.

Congratulations to our honorary inaugural participant Hannah (more to come)!

 

 

This is community arts at its best. We invite any past and current students/ participants to join in! Here’s how it works:

  1. Record a short (approx 30 seconds) vid of yourself, starting with saying something like “Hi, my name is [first name only], and I take [ex: piano, acting, art] classes at Potomac Arts Academy”. Then play/ demonstrate your art. The tone is casual and fun, so your phone cam is just fine.
  2. Email the original video file (NOT a URL link) to potomac@gmu.edu (or share via Dropbox, Google Drive, etc), title the email “Play Your Part Video” and in the email include the person’s name (only first name will be used). Please be aware that by submitting the video, you are giving permission to post the video to our social media channels – YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.
  3. Once we have reviewed the video content, we will let you know when we have posted it.

 

 

Let’s show the world how important and enjoyable – and inspiring – the arts can be. Submissions will be accepted September 2016 through August 2017. Do your art and play your part!

 

VIEW ALL #paaplayyourpart VIDEOS (updated throughout the year)

Categories
Events

Arts Alive! Festival in Manassas

Art students painting

Categories

Looking for a fun afternoon adventure the entire family can enjoy? Come out to the Hylton Performing Arts Center (Manassas, VA) on Saturday, September 17 from noon to 4 p.m. and celebrate the arts community in Prince William County!

The 5th annual Arts Alive! festival, presented by the Prince William County Arts Council and the Hylton Performing Arts Center, features multiple stages of performances indoors and out, hands-on activities and demonstrations, food and craft vendors, and more.

This free event has something for everyone!

 

GET MORE INFORMATION

Arts Alive! 2016 Sponsors: United Bank, NOVEC

Categories
Music

Guitar and Ukulele Takeover this Fall

Guitar student in private lesson

Categories

Guitar and Ukulele classes are a big deal this Fall at the Academy. From new classes for young children, to a special teen ensemble, to no-stress adult groups, there will be plenty of strumming and plucking going on. Grab an instrument and join in!

Guitar Beginnings – A New Class for Kids Ages 6 to 9
Guitar Teaching Artist Suzanne Dorman will take young children on their first journey with the guitar. Very beginners will learn the basics of music note reading, rhythm, and classical guitar technique. The theory activity book and in-class activities will add to the experience. Why should your child learn the classic (or classical) guitar? “The guitar is such a versatile instrument, used in many cultures and a broad range of styles,” explains Suzanne. “The skills and techniques we will learn in Guitar Beginnings set a foundation which will enable your child to later branch out to any style they choose!”

Weekly classes this Fall will be on Tuesdays, 6-7pm, starting September 20th.
LEARN MORE/ REGISTER

 

Ukulele16BWeb

 

Beginning Ukulele – A New Class for Kids Ages 8 to 12
Guitar Teaching Artist Chris Jenkins started a successful Ukulele summer camp a few years ago, and he is now making it available as a class this Fall. Students will learn “classic” ukulele tunes like “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and other simple songs that will inspire them to continue to learn how to play the ukulele – and this can also be a great stepping stone to the full size guitar.

Weekly classes this Fall will be on Thursdays, 6-7pm, starting September 22nd.
LEARN MORE/ REGISTER

 

Guitar15XWeb

 

Teen Guitar Ensemble
Guitar Teaching Artist Chris Jenkins once again brings back the vibrant Guitar Ensemble for teens who have a few years of playing under their belts. The ensemble experience is a highly effective and enjoyable way to gain musicianship skills and to learn new pieces of music – plus it’s a great way to meet new friends who also love the guitar!

Weekly classes this Fall will be on Thursdays, 7-8pm, starting September 22nd.
LEARN MORE/ REGISTER

 

GuitarAdultsF15EWeb

 

Adult Guitar Classes
Grammy award nominee Glen McCarthy continues his popular Guitar classes for adults, with an “Intro” course for beginners and  “Level 2” for those with some experience. Adult students enjoy the laid-back approach that Mr. McCarthy uses, along with his extremely varied experience and stylistic tastes. Go from a classical piece, to a Beatles song, to a folk tune in just one hour. No need to be nervous about this class – no judgement, just fun!

Weekly classes this Fall will be on Monday evenings, starting September 19th.
LEARN MORE/ REGISTER

 

Take advantage of these wonderful learning opportunities from our incredible Guitar Teaching Artists!

Categories
Acting Music

Musical Theater Bootcamp Video

Musical theater performance on stage

Categories

This summer’s Musical Theater Bootcamp, under the direction of Laura Petravage, was a huge success, with almost 40 young singers/ actors taking to the stage to learn proper vocal technique, harmonizing, stage movement and more!

After just one week of lessons and rehearsals, the Bootcamp participants put on a rousing performance featuring well-known musical theater song selections from a variety of Broadway shows. See the show in its entirety on our YouTube channel:

 

 

Summer 2016 is winding down, with just a few more camps running in August*. We hope to see everyone back again next summer!

*Specific camps in August include:
Mason Summer Piano Camp (full)
Violin Bootcamp (a few spaces left!)
Acting Camp (a few spaces left!)
Game Design Camps (a few spaces left!)