Mason Community Arts Academy
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Community Outreach Music

Costa Rica Teaching Scholars Campaign

University music students traveling to Costa Rica

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The six selected “International Teaching Scholars” from Mason’s School of Music are preparing for their trip to Costa Rica in May. To help cover their transportation costs, they have created a GoFundMe page. Learn more about them and the impact this groundbreaking program will have.

The International Teaching Scholars, a partnership with George Mason University’s Potomac Arts Academy , the Mason School of Music , the Nacional Instituto de la Musica in Costa Rica, and Costa Rica’s SINEM Program, serves to unite music education and community service outreach through real world experiences. ITS participants will have both performance and teaching opportunities which will include program building and career development within under-served student populations in addition to experience playing in both large and small ensembles.

“Our goal is to demonstrate first-hand the power of music and how it can impact and transform individuals and communities,” explains the scholars. “We are excited for the opportunity to develop as professional musicians by experiencing a musical cultural exchange.”

 

Go Fund Me logo

 

Learn more about each of the scholars, and please consider giving to their GoFundMe campaign. It’s an easy way to be a part of the life changing arts-based work being done on a global scale!

GO TO THE GoFundMe PAGE NOW

 

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL TEACHING SCHOLARS PROGRAM

 

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Announcements Music

Vocal Student Accepted to Tanglewood

Headshot of voice student Madison Perry

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Congratulations to Madison Perry, vocal student of Teaching Artist Jennifer Keller. Madison was recently accepted to participate in the prestigious Boston University Tanglewood Institute (BUTI) Young Vocal Artist summer intensive program from July 2 to August 12.

BUTI is recognized internationally as a premier summer training program for aspiring young musicians and is the only program of its kind associated with one of the world’s great symphony orchestras. Under the guidance of distinguished professionals, and in the presence of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO), students are immersed in an atmosphere of extraordinary music making, fueled by high artistic standards, rigorous programming, and a rich legacy of learning and performance.

“I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to be surrounded by other high school vocalists and instrumentalists who have the same appreciation for classical music and strive to be the best they can be in their art,” exclaimed Madison.

Madison, a freshman at Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School, has been studying voice for 4 years and is so happy to be working with Ms. Keller. “I love working with Ms. Keller because, even though she knows I’m only a freshman, she can identify potential and figures out where I can be pushed to go further,” explained Madison. “Not only does she work with me on the technical aspects of a song, but she makes sure I know what the song means and how to express it in order to make the music come alive.”

Madison has also participated in the Acting For Young People (the theater division of Potomac) rendition of “A Mid-Winter Eve’s Dream” and “Beauty and the Beast, Jr”, as well as the 2016 Spotlight on the Arts music recital.

We’re so happy for Madison and wish her all the best this summer at Tanglewood!

LEARN MORE ABOUT TANGLEWOOD

 

READ TEACHING ARTIST JENNIFER DECKER’S BIO

 

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Community Outreach

Therapy Dog Creates “Paws-itive” Environment

Kids reading to therapy dog

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Unofficial Potomac staff member Roxy, who is the Academy Assistant Director Candy Neukam’s canine companion, is a certified therapy dog through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD). Along with providing therapeutic benefits to the Academy’s staff and students, Roxy is also involved in several community outreach projects.

Roxy is a six-year-old American dingo who can often be found lounging in the office or making the rounds to offer moral support (and beg for attention and treats – carrots are her favorite) throughout the workday. She even participated in last year’s Halloween costume party (see photo below)!

 

Dog in costume

 

“Roxy is such a sweet dog, it just seemed like a natural fit to go through the Therapy Dog certification process,” explains Candy. “Now she goes on official therapy visits and brings a lot of joy and happiness to people of all ages and in all different situations. It’s a real privilege for me to see her do that.” Academy students and faculty alike enjoy visiting her in the office, and she sometimes serves as a practice audience for them!

Roxy is also a regular volunteer at the Tails to Tales program at the City of Fairfax Regional Library, where children take turns reading books to her and giving her lots of love and attention. She recently visited a special education class at Mosby Woods Elementary, where very happy children also read books to her (see photo at top). One child was so enraptured with the animal that he leaned over to Ms. Neukam and said “You’re the luckiest person in the whole world.” She will soon begin visits as a therapy dog to the Sunrise Assisted Living facility near the Academy, where some of our violin students performed an outreach concert in December.

 

Dog listening to violin music

 

A big thanks to Roxy for all she does here at the office and around the community!

 

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Art Community Outreach Music

Musical Instrument Sculpture Project

Two donated guitars

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A handful of musical instruments that are donated through our Instruments in the Attic program are deemed un-repairable. However, they are finding a second life in a new Instrument Sculpture project at Mason’s School of Art.

The project started as a collaboration between Potomac Arts Academy staff and School of Art faculty, with important funding support and input from Mason’s Patriot Green Fund (part of the Office of Sustainability). Potomac was seeking ways that these un-playable instruments could still be “recycled”, and the School of Art had ideas about using the instruments not only as sculpture pieces, but also to make a statement about sustainability.

 

Patriot Green Fund logo

 

Art faculty member Edgar Endress brought in Jade Garrett from the MIX Lab to assist. Mason university students meet up at the MIX Lab for various creative/ collaborative projects. With the musical instruments, they began working on “Music Robots” through what they call “Hack-a-thons“. Experiments with music instruments, robotics and audio software ensued. Below is a video sample:

 

 

As the project continues, it has evolved into a prototype exploration for a larger Musical Sculpture Project that would be created to play as a “one-man-band” of sorts while also serving as a mobile art project that speaks symbolically and literally to sustainability and the importance of conserving our resources. Look for more information about that in the near future!

 

LEARN MORE ABOUT INSTRUMENTS IN THE ATTIC

 

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Community Outreach Music

Recycling the Love of Music

Woodburn Music Class Outreach

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Instruments in the Attic is one of Potomac Arts Academy’s most active outreach initiatives. The program collects used musical instruments from conscientious community members, repairs them as needed, and recycles them back into the hands of deserving students, including one young violinist named Ethan.

Instruments in the Attic accepts used musical instruments as well as financial donations for repair and maintenance. Donors bring their instruments to our offices in Fairfax, where they are processed and evaluated for necessary repairs. Instruments are either added to our inventory or sent to one of our partner organizations, such as Day Violins, for repairs. We have received all kinds of donations over the years, including orchestral instruments, guitars, ukuleles, and even a didgeridoo!

 

Violin needing repair

 

The repair process varies from instrument to instrument. In some situations, all that is needed is a few new strings for a guitar or a simple chemical-cleaning for a brass instrument. More involved repairs include: gluing cracks and seams or cutting new bridges for string instruments, repadding keys on woodwind instruments, and repairing slides and valves on brass instruments. In some cases, a complete reconstruction of an instrument is needed.

 

Violin being repaired

 

Once instruments are returned to playing condition, they are added to the inventory of instruments available for students in need. We partner with local schools including Potomac Middle School, Woodburn Elementary School, and Rolling Hills Elementary School to support their music programs. We have also sent instruments overseas to support music education initiatives in Rwanda, El Salvador, and Costa Rica.

 

Man playing violin

 

Instruments are available for loan to any student or community member who has need of it. One recipient of an Instruments in the Attic violin is Ethan Hemmings, a freshman at Wakefield High School in Arlington and a violin student of Teaching Artist Claire Allen. “This violin has allowed me to push my technique and my musicality further than any previous violin I’ve played,” said Ethan. “I am grateful for the time and effort for the refurbishment of this violin which gives me a clear tone for dynamics and a noticeable ring for my recitals to entertain audiences. I don’t think I ever would have had access to such a wonderful violin at this point of my life without the generous opportunity that Instruments in the Attic has given me.”

His mother adds, “I love our son’s new violin. It has a rich and beautiful sound. His playing is deeper and clearer.  He plays with much more ease and since the quality is better, it requires few repairs. I don’t think we ever would have had access to such a fine violin without the generosity of Instruments in the Attic.”

 

Please enjoy this video of Ethan performing “At Twilight” by English composer Ethel Harradan Glover with pianist David Norfrey this past June:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-Z-doXU3CA

 

Make a financial contribution to Instruments in the Attic today, and make a difference!
DONATE NOW

 

LEARN MORE ABOUT INSTRUMENTS IN THE ATTIC