Category: Music

The Academy extends a warm welcome to our new Teaching Artist Stephen Duncan, who is a professional bassoonist performing and teaching in the Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. area. Bassoon is a woodwind instrument which predominately plays music in the bass and tenor clefs, and it is the only woodwind instrument that involves all fingers to play notes on the instrument. Bassoonists are usually seen in orchestras, concert bands, and chamber music ensemble. We are excited to have Mr. Duncan joining our music faculty!

 

What excites you the most about joining the Mason Community Arts Academy?

The Mason Community Arts Academy has done outstanding work since its inception in 2003. When I moved to the Northern Virginia area, I heard such great things from fellow musicians and teachers that I knew I wanted to be a part of the program. I’m thrilled to join MCAA this year and look forward to working with the students and fellow teachers as we make amazing music together!

 

How did you first fall in love with music?

I grew up in a musical family, where my dad was an oboe and English horn player, and my mom was an organist and singer. I was always surrounded by music from an early age and loved it for as long as I can remember. But the first time I had a moment as a performer where I knew I wanted to dedicate my life to music was when I was 17 years old. I was spending the summer at a music camp and was allowed to play first bassoon on Dvorak’s “New World Symphony.” When we played the final note of the piece, I sat back and knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life.

 

 

Tell us about a teaching experience you have had that was especially memorable.

I have been teaching for more than 10 years and have loved working with students of all ages. I’ve worked with so many students that it’s hard to pick one memory that stands out, because everyone is so unique. But I love to think about where my students started in their musical life and where they are now. Several students who began the bassoon with me are going on to college this year and still playing bassoon! I have a student who is finishing his doctoral degree in bassoon and playing in many different orchestras around the Midwest. Others are avid supporters of their local orchestras and music programs who love music and help it flourish. The most memorable moments for me as a teacher are not the specific accomplishments of my students, but the journey they have taken to reach those milestones.

 

What are some unique things you do when you teach?

Bassoon students of mine can look forward to many different breathing exercises, quacking like a duck on their reed, and mastering the “bocalphone.” I love the bassoon because it is the most beautiful and the silliest instrument at the same time.

 

 

Do you have any pets?

My wife and I have one fur-baby, Felix. He is a 4-year-old cat, and we’ve had him since he was about 10 weeks. He loves new people, snuggling, and playing. Unfortunately, he hates the bassoon.

 

What else would you like us to know about you?

From a musical standpoint, I want people to know that I am a passionate and experienced teacher who will work very hard to give each student my best for every lesson. On a personal note, my wife and I are relatively new to Fairfax county and love it! I’m excited to be a part of this community and look forward to getting started!

 

Schedule Your Private Lesson with Mr. Duncan Today!

New experiences can be exciting but also somewhat fearful for young children. By observing her students’ emotional changes, Ms. Joan Burdette adapts her teaching methods to navigate her students through these uncertainties.

“My philosophy is to help the children become tuneful, beatful, and artful,” said Ms. Burdette, cellist and music instructor, who will teach Music Discoveries (Ages 3-5), Cello Beginnings Level 1 (Ages 4-7), and Cello Adventures (Ages 8-14) this fall.

A Suzuki-trained teacher, Ms. Burdette has more than 10 years of teaching experiences. She believes in teaching music as introducing a new language to a child. Based on a student’s learning ability, the teaching method should be customized to fit in a specific student’s need, from very basic steps and then build upon those over time.

 

 

For students in Cello Beginnings, where the students and their families have no cello playing experience, Ms. Burdette says the class will emphasize music recognition via listening assignments and introduce the repertoire by the order of techniques and their difficulties.

Student cellists who are currently in beginning and intermediate playing levels will have different experiences.  Ms. Burdette said the Cello Adventures will help students to form learning habits when they set and reach their own goals.

For Music Discoveries, an introductory class for young-aged children, Ms. Burdette will use methods built upon from John Feierabend and Orff, who, like Suzuki, bases a lot of early repertoire in folk songs and movements.

 

 

Currently certified through Suzuki Book 3, Ms. Burdette continued her Suzuki training this summer, where she had the opportunity to learn teaching techniques, tips, and new activities from other educators and receive first-hand feedbacks from student and parent participants.

“Every time I go, I return refreshed, inspired, and ready to teach,” said Ms. Burdette. “The experience of going to a Suzuki institute is like paradise. All of the families there are committed to their children’s musical experience. The teachers are experts on the subject and love sharing their knowledge with other teachers and students.”

The Suzuki method emphasizes the importance of learning environment, and Ms. Burdette is an advocate for family involvement in teaching young children music.

 

 

“The Suzuki method is about helping to create good, well-rounded people, not musical prodigies,” said Ms. Burdette. “It treats music as a language, with an emphasis on listening and memorization skills. My students who have parents involved in their musical journey tend to come to lessons better prepared and move through repertoire at a faster rate.”

Knowing that not all parents have any musical experience or the knowledge, Ms. Burdette breaks down every step in lessons and makes sure that both parent and child understand what needs to be done at home.

“I make very specific assignments for each parent and their child,” said Ms. Burdette. “So they know exactly what to do together at home. The best thing the parents can do is to make the commitment to set aside 20 minutes a day to practice with their child and know that this time will be filled with songs, games, and activities that they can bond during.”

 

 

LEARN MORE ABOUT:     CELLO PRIVATE LESSON    |    GROUP CLASSES

When the summer arrives, Academy Teaching Artist Glen McCarthy is on a mission to educate guitar teachers to inspire more younger students learning to play the guitar.

A professor at George Mason University School of Music, Mr. McCarthy is the executive director of the Teaching Guitar Workshops that aims to train music educators on guitar teaching pedagogies and to support school guitar programs with tools and the networks.

 

 

“Students who play guitar are different types of learners compare to all other instrument players,” said Mr. McCarthy. “Guitarists are not traditionally a part of school bands or orchestra. We need to teach guitar differently from other instruments.”

A joint program funded by the National Association of Music Merchants, Guitar and Accessories Marketing Association, and the National Association for Music Education, the Teaching Guitar Workshops welcomed more than 400 directors from school bands, chorus, and orchestras to attend one of 19 workshops across the states. Mr. McCarthy led four workshops in Reston, Virginia; Nashville, Tennessee; Fort Collins, Colorado; and Kelowna, Canada.

 

 

Mr. McCarthy also presented a seminar on how to set up a state-level guitar ensemble during the annual conference organized by the Guitar Foundation of America, the world’s largest multi-national guitar organization.

Teaching guitar for more than 30 years, Mr. McCarthy was one of the top 10 U.S. music educators recognized by the Grammy Foundation with original pool of 32,000 nominees in 2014. Known by his student-centered teaching style, Mr. McCarthy develops class curriculum based on individual student’s need and interest.

“I embrace all the different approaches in teaching guitar,” said Mr. McCarthy. “I also realize that, depending on the students, some are going to work the better than others.”

 

 

Mr. McCarthy will teach Guitar Beginnings (Ages 5-8) and Adult Guitar Classes Level 1 and 2 this fall. He said the approaches for these classes are completely different.

“We need to keep up with interests and tunes of the current generations of guitar learners,” said Mr. McCarthy. “The same pedagogies and music to teach adult learners will not work with students in ages 5-8. We need to find tunes that interest them because I think playing guitar should be joyful.”

 

 

LEARN MORE ABOUT:     GUITAR PRIVATE LESSON    |    GROUP CLASSES

Pictured above are Madison Perry and Ms. Sylvia McNair, adjudicator and Grammy Award-winning singer. Perry first started learning “I Know That My Redeemer Liveth”  from a recording of Ms. McNair’s edition. 

 

Growing up, Madison Perry always enjoyed performing in front of people, doing impersonations, and telling jokes. Thanks to her parents exposing to her the classical music world as well as artists like Elvis Presley, her passion in singing led her first to join the choir group in fourth grade. Fast forward to this June, Perry was awarded the first place at the Schmidt Vocal Competition—a highly selective one-day competition for students in grade 10-12. We are excited for her achievement and the opportunity to share her experience on that day with us.

What was your day like at the competition?
The day of the competition was a whirlwind. I had gotten up very early to warm up and to ensure that I was in good voice. There were more than 30 talented singers from around the country in the first round. I was the second to last person before the first break, and for the first round I sang “Stizzoso, mio stizzoso” by Pergolesi and “Frühlingsglaube” by Schubert. I felt pretty good about the round afterward but did not want to get my hopes up. I was chosen as one of seven finalists, and in the final round I sang “I Know That My Redeemer Liveth” by Handel and “Frühlingsglaube” once again. We waited a long time backstage while the adjudicators deliberated, so I had a few moments to chat with the other contestants, who were so talented and wonderful.

Were you nervous about competing with other skillful high school vocalists?
I was worried about competing, but I believe being nervous is a sign that you care. This fear is the hope and anticipation to do the best I could because I care. What did keep my nerves at ease was seeing some of my friends I had met at other competitions. It was so lovely to see them again and compete with them.

How did you prepare backstage?
I usually do not like to hear my competitors sing because it tends to make me anxious. While I was waiting, the door to the stage was open, and I heard other vocalists and the difficulty of their pieces, their tone, and technique. This made me a bit anxious. I didn’t want this anxiety muddling my own performance, so instead I decided to think about myself as an individual singer, to meditate on my personal growth, my talents, and my own expression of the pieces. During my performance, I was so focused that it flew by in a blur. After each performance, I felt surprisingly quite calm.

What was your reaction to the result?
I had been proud of my performance that day, but I was quite shocked. It was a really stiff competition, and I know that any of the finalists could have easily won, so to be chosen for that position was truly amazing. I was so overwhelmed with joy and couldn’t stop smiling.

Is there anyone you want to recognize in your singing journey?
I have to recognize my voice teacher, Ms. Jennifer Keller, who has taught me so many enlightening things and done so much for my voice. After any event I go to, she always asks for details and how my experience was. Ms. Keller is cautious about my vocal health but also pushes me outside my comfort zone. I also want to thank every teacher and mentor I have crossed paths with, but specifically the ones I had when I was younger. They showed me what it means to be a passionate adult and set my foundations. Finally, I thank my parents for their support day after day on this journey.

If you have one piece of advice to other singers who are preparing for a singing competition such as this one, what would it be?
Focus on who you are as an individual, and don’t compare yourself to others. It’s easier said than done, especially for me, but it makes life a whole lot easier. Just because one person sounds a certain way doesn’t mean you will never be able to rise to their level. We are all unique from one another, and the path of our growth and development is going to differ from one person to the next. Different does not mean impossible.

About Madison Perry
A rising senior at Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School in Dumfries, Perry is an active performer in her school’s Drama Club and a student leader of multiple organizations in her school. A private lesson voice student with Teaching Artist Jennifer Keller at the Academy, Perry is a choir member at district, state, and national levels and is her school nominee for the 2019 Cappies Female Vocalist Award.

 

LEARN MORE ABOUT:     VOICE PRIVATE LESSON    |    GROUP CLASSES

Sing your heart out. Have fun. Go after what you love. Aleksander Olszewski, the recipient of 2019 Vasya Georgieva Award for Artistic Excellence, gives three pieces of advice for any aspiring vocalists.

In honor of her late grandmother, Dr. Ina Blevins established the award to recognize a graduating high school senior, who shows outstanding achievement or dedication in pursuing music. The award was given during Academy’s annual Spring Recital. Olszewski was shocked when he heard his name being announced.

“I felt I had a good chance of winning the scholarship,” said Olszewski. “But it was a bit of a surprise to hear my name. I am very happy that I did.”

 

 

A member of the class of 2019 at the Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School, Olszewski began his music interest during his childhood. Inspired by his grandmother, who was an opera singer from Brazil, Olszewski sang wherever he went.

“I felt a desire to learn how to sing like an opera singer,” said Olszewski. “I love to sing but I felt I could sing like her too because she did. She is an inspiration to me.”

Olszewski began pursuing his singing career in church and started taking voice lessons and joining the school choir since elementary school. In 2012, he began his vocal training with Jennifer Keller at Mason Community Arts Academy and studied the techniques to advance his singing abilities.

“Alek is a wonderful student,” said Ms. Keller, a lyric soprano and teaching artist at the Academy. “And even with the rigorous demands of his studies, he always took the time to take lessons when possible.”

“I enjoy how you can express something and do it so beautifully,” said Olszewski. “The beauty of the voice can affect someone profoundly. I love it when my gift of singing affects someone and makes their day.”

 

 

With a hope to bring joy to others through singing, Olszewski took opportunities to perform on many occasions during high school. He was a part of Choirs of America Harmonic Convergence Concert at Carnegie Hall in 2019, a choir member in the “Advance Always: A Celebration of Frank Battisti and Garwood Whaley” concert at the Kennedy Center in 2016, and the singer for his high school’s graduation opening ceremony with the national anthem in 2019.

Beyond music, Olszewski was an active member of the drama club and French club at school. He also has a substantial interest in genealogy of his family and weightlifting.

As a recent high school graduate, Olszewski plans on pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Franciscan University of Steubenville and use the $500 to support his education. He was accepted to the music vocal program but would like to keep an open mind to explore other degrees, such as psychology, French, hospitality, or business management. Olszewski said he will remain active in vocal performance on campus or outside of his college career.