Throughout its existence, Mason Community Arts Academy’s Instruments in the Attic (IiA) Program has had the pleasure of providing recycled instruments to teachers and students in Northern Virginia, the DMV, as well as throughout the United States and abroad, in addition to serving our local community here. Our goal is always to get our inventory into the hands of those that need it, and thanks to the generosity of donors, we are able to continuously fulfill our mission and provide teachers with the instruments and supplies they need to create a lasting impact through music education. As a result, we have been fortunate to connect and develop lasting relationships with incredible and inspiring teachers in our local community and beyond.

Two of IiA’s main supporters are Jenna and Jason Day, of Day Violins. Their immense generosity, tireless dedication to our program and its mission, and unending willingness to volunteer their time makes all of IiA’s string instrument loans possible. They are a critical piece of IiA’s impact and existence, and their connection to the community both locally and afar has allowed our program to broaden its reach and strengthen its influence.

In 2022, Jenna Day connected Annie Ray (Annandale High School Orchestra Director and Performing Arts Chair) with IiA after learning that her program’s need of instruments was hindering the aspirations and goals she had for her students. Ray had goals of starting the Crescendo Orchestra for students with severe developmental and intellectual disabilities. Her goal was to teach these students how to play an instrument with one-on-one instruction tailored to their needs, and she was seeking the inventory to be able to make it happen.

There are people that come into your life that touch your heart instantly and so deeply that you are a better person forever. Annie Ray’s positive attitude and ability to always see the potential in others has motivated me to reach deeper and further into the community to bless lives with IIA instruments. Through my involvement with the Crescendo Orchestra, I have been reminded that music is the universal language, one we can all speak.

Jenna Day, describing Annie Ray

The Crescendo Orchestra is among Annie Ray’s many accomplishments and endeavors through which she changes her students’ lives for the better. On February 3, 2024, Ray was presented with the 2024 GRAMMY Music Educator Award. Annie Ray was selected as the GRAMMY winner out of more than 2,000 initial nominees and was honored in Los Angeles as a part of GRAMMY Week.

I am honored to have received this award on behalf of the students of Annandale, Crescendo, and Parent Orchestras who every day teach me so much more than I will ever teach them. This award belongs not to me, but the community of musicians, teachers, and supporting organizations that make our program what it is. Thank you especially to Instruments in the Attic for supplying the instruments to Crescendo Orchestra that give our students access to music making. I encourage directors to look into the resources of United Sound, Giving Bach, String Rise, and other organizations so every student can have the opportunity to be a part of our ensembles.

Annie Ray

Mason Community Arts Academy and Instruments in the Attic extend our sincerest congratulations to Annie Ray and her students on this incredible accomplishment. We are fortunate to have educators like Ms. Ray in our community and look forward to continued collaboration.