Overview
Looking for something creative to do on a school holiday?
Join us for the Academy Chamber Music Day! Participants will enjoy a fun day of collaborative music-making with other student musicians. No prior chamber music experience is required. Open to Academy and non-Academy students.
- Rehearse and learn a chamber piece in one day and perform it for fellow students at the end of day sharing session.
- Attend interactive sessions on sight-reading, effective rehearsal techniques, and musical leadership led by Academy Teaching Artists.
- Learn what it means to be a musical leader and how to communicate within an ensemble.
- Have fun making music with other musicians!
Program Details
Ages: 10–18
Date: Monday, February 16, 2026 (Presidents’ Day)
9 a.m.–3 p.m.
Tuition: $95
Location: Mason Community Arts Academy Building
Registration Deadline: Sunday, February 8
Recommended Level
- Students should have at least two years of playing experience on their instrument.
- Students should be comfortable working collaboratively in a group setting and be able to complete some self-directed work.
- Registration is open to the below instrumentalists:
- Strings (violin, viola, cello, bass)
- Piano
- Guitar
- Winds and Brass (flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, oboe, bassoon, saxophone, trumpet, french horn, trombone, euphonium, tuba)
- We are not able to accommodate vocalists or percussionists for this program.
Schedule
| 9–9:45 a.m. Group Welcome, Orientation, and Morning Activity | 11:45 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Session IV: Rehearsal and Coaching |
| 9:45–10:15 a.m. Session I: Tips for Effective Sight Reading and Rehearsal | 12:30–1:15 p.m. Lunch |
| 10:15–11 a.m. Session II: Rehearsal and Coaching | 1:15–2 p.m. Session V: Rehearsal and Coaching |
| 11–11:15 a.m. Morning Snack Break | 2–3 p.m. End of Day Sharing and Wrap Up |
| 11:15– 11:45 a.m. Session III: Musical Leadership, Communication, and Teamwork for Chamber Ensembles |
Registration
Chamber Group Placement Process
After completing the program registration, please upload a short playing video using the form below. This will aid our faculty in placing students into chamber groups that are a good fit for their age, instrument, and ability level.
Chamber groups may be standard chamber arrangements (like a string quartet) but may also have mixed instrumentation to allow for the most collaboration between students. Please submit your video no later than Sunday, February 8, 2026.
Video Guidelines
Please submit a short video (two to three minutes) that best showcases your current level of playing. You may submit a playing sample of anything you are currently working on. Scales, technique exercises, solo repertoire, and/or an excerpt of your current ensemble music will be accepted.
In your video recording, please make sure your full body is visible, including your hands.
Faculty
Ariel Williams
Saxophone Instructor
Coordinator of Programs and Operations,
Mason Community Arts Academy
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Ariel Williams is a concert saxophonist and educator based in the Northern Virginia area. She has taught saxophone at the Mason Community Arts Academy since 2017, and welcomes students of all ages and ability levels to her studio. Whether you are seeking to pick up the saxophone for the first time; improve your skills for a district band, state band, or college audition; or just seek to become a better saxophonist and musician; she will work one-on-one with you to tailor lessons to suit your individual goals.
Ariel holds a master’s degree in saxophone performance from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville where she studied with Dr. Allison Adams and served as the graduate teaching assistant for the saxophone studio. As the graduate teaching assistant, Ariel gave private lessons, taught weekly technique classes, and coached saxophone chamber ensembles. While attending UTK, Ariel performed with the Resiliano Saxophone Quartet, the University of Tennessee-Knoxville Wind Ensemble, and was a founding member of Moirai Winds, a Knoxville-based woodwind trio committed to developing the repertoire for flute, clarinet, and saxophone trio and promoting diversity in musical programming.
Additionally, Ariel graduated with a Bachelor’s of Music Education from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. While at GMU, she was a winner of the 2018 George Mason University Wind Ensemble concerto competition and performed as a soloist with the ensemble. As a member of the GMU Saxophone Quartet, Ariel has performed at the 39th and 40th International Saxophone Symposiums, at the 2017 GMU Honors Recital, and premiered a new work at the Snapshot Conference hosted by the Society of Composers, Inc.
Ariel also serves on the administrative staff of MCAA as the Coordinator of Programs and Operations.
Notes
- Please note that group classes are subject to cancellation if minimum enrollment is not reached.
- Be sure to check our policies and procedures regarding registration, withdrawals, refunds, and more for fall or spring group classes.
- All students will receive a Welcome Letter via email at least one week before the class starts with all necessary details.
- Online registration closes February 8, 2026 however space may still be available. Please email [email protected] for more information. A $10 late registration fee may apply.