Category: Music

Ms. Hyunji Lee is one of our Violin Teaching Artists! She has been on faculty for over two years and is building a thriving private studio with us. Additionally, she is a member of the Faculty String Quartet and has performed in faculty chamber recitals and the Spotlight on the Arts showcase concert. Faculty Coordinator and fellow violin faculty Claire Allen sat down with her to learn more about her and her teaching!

CAllen: What is your favorite part about teaching for the Academy?

HLee: Sharing my music and experience with the Academy Community. I sincerely enjoy working with all of my students at the Academy.

CAllen: How did you first fall in love with music?

HLee: When I first heard David Oistrakh playing Beethoven’s Spring Sonata when I was a kid!

CAllen: Tell me about a favorite teaching experience.

HLee: When a student walks in the door with a twinkle in their eye ready to show me what they have accomplished over the week. Seeing and hearing a student make progress is one of the most memorable experiences I have had.

CAllen: What are some unique things you do when you teach?

HLee: I enjoy giving listening and research assignments to students to help develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of music!

CAllen: Do you have any pets?

HLee: I have a 10 year orange tabby from Montreal, Canada. I adopted him when he was just two months old! When he was a kitten he climbed up a book case and jumped onto the hanging lamp in the middle of the room. [laughs] The lamp fell to the floor and he rode on top!  #TeamCat

CAllen: What else would you like our community to know about you?

HLee: I truly enjoy teaching and love all of my students at the Academy. At home, I have a three month old son who enjoys hearing the violin!

SEE HYUNJI’S BIO

LEARN MORE ABOUT PRIVATE LESSONS

Chris Troiano is a Doctoral candidate at George Mason University’s School of Music and a new member of the Academy’s low brass faculty! Our Faculty Coordinator Claire Allen recently sat down with him to learn more about his music and his teaching.

CAllen: What excites you most about joining the faculty at the Academy?

CTroiano: Since joining the Academy, I have been blown away by the students genuine interest and excitement to learn music. The children who attend the Academy are sincere and dedicated, and I am excited to be a part of a faculty who gets to work with these types of students.

CAllen: How did you first fall in love with music?

CTroiano: My father is a retired middle school band director from Long Island and a tuba player. I grew up attending his concerts and hearing his rehearsals. It was an environment that I found fun, exciting, and proud to be a part of. My older sister plays French horn, and my older brother plays tuba like my father. My parents did give me a choice to do music or not in elementary school, but for me it was a no-brainer. I wanted to be in music because I already felt like I was a part of it, and I loved it. I began playing the euphonium in 3rd grade, and I haven’t looked back since! When I was in 10th grade, I saw a concert by “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band on Long Island. This was such a powerful and inspirational concert that it solidified my decision to pursue music as my career. I began practicing at least 3 hours a day, and I am now studying with the euphonium player I heard on that concert so many years ago, Dr. Mark Jenkins!

CAllen: Tell me about a teaching experience you’ve had that was particularly memorable.

CTroiano: This year has been my first year teaching a full season of high school marching band. I marched for 6 years in middle school/high school and 3 years at my alma mater, the University of North Texas. It was fun to finally apply what I learned in 9 years of marching to another band. It has been a great season and I am extremely proud of all the hard work the students put into the show this year!

CAllen: What are some unique things you do when you teach?

CTroiano: When I teach, I sometimes get a little carried away with singing the way I want to hear it played. I’m sure anybody walking by the room is thoroughly entertained by my falsetto (high voice)! [laughs]

CAllen: Do you have any pets?

CTroiano: I don’t have any pets…yet. I will say that allowing dogs was factor when I was looking into new apartments a few months ago. Hopefully there will be a husky or husky-mix running around my place soon! #TeamDog

CAllen: What else would you like our community to know about you?

CTroiano: I play euphonium in multiple GMU ensembles, the Capital Wind Symphony, my own tuba-euphonium quartet “NOVATEQ”, and the City of Fairfax German Band, Alte Kameraden. I also play trombone in a local New Orleans style brass band. Any upcoming performances will be updated on my website www.cteuph.com if you want to hear some euphonium or trombone!

SEE CHRIS’S BIO

The Academy is excited to welcome Teaching Artist Brian Slaymaker to our Guitar faculty this fall! Brian is an alumnus of George Mason University and is thrilled to rejoin the Mason community as a teacher. Faculty Coordinator Claire Allen sat down with Brian to learn more about him and his teaching.

CAllen: What excites you the most about joining the music faculty at the Academy?

BSlaymaker: Teaching at an institution that is affiliated with George Mason’s School of music is exciting. I learned so much as a Music Major at GMU, and now it’s an honor to be employed as a teacher by the Potomac Arts Academy.

CAllen: How did you first fall in love with music?

BSlaymaker:  I remember when I was about 6 years old how thrilled I’d get when my mother would play the “Stars Wars” theme song on the piano for me. I asked her to play it over and over!

CAllen: Tell me about a teaching experience you had that was especially memorable.

BSlaymaker: Watching my first student recital was a surreal experience. I couldn’t believe that those young students started as beginners, and they played fantasticly. I almost cried. I’m glad I didn’t! [laughs]  

CAllen: What are some unique things you do when you teach?

BSlaymaker: I’m not sure how unique some of the many things are that I do. I like to break the routine. Lessons can become redundant with the same methods and the same procedures. My students are always shocked when I say, “Let’s do something totally new instead”. Sometimes younger students say, “But we’re not supposed to do that!”.

CAllen: Do you have any pets?

BSlaymaker: I have a cat (domestic short-haired) named Jill. She had a partner named Jack, but he passed away. Since then Jill has become very strong willed –  and a leader. #TeamCat

CAllen: What else would you like our community to know about you?

BSlaymaker: I’ve had 4 careers: I was a cook, then a bicycle messenger, then a carpenter, and now a musician. I’ve built houses from the foundation all the way through the roof. I know what hard work is. I took a risk to launch my music career. It has paid off like I never thought possible. I’ve completely dedicated my life to music, and I love it!

READ BRIAN’S BIO