Dear Mason Music Family,

What an exciting lineup of concerts we have this week (November 29-December 4) featuring our marvelous students in the Dewberry School of Music!  Please join us for free concerts tonight (Tuesday 8 pm) for our Steel Pan Ensemble and Braddock Road Brass Band in the Center for the Arts as well as tomorrow evening (Wednesday 8 pm) for our Jazz Combos performance in deLaski 3001. 

We invite you to purchase your tickets now for our Mason Wind Symphony concert "Music for Uncommon Times" this Thursday, December 1^st at 8 pm. Conducted by Dr. William L. Lake, Jr., Thursday's Wind Symphony concert features pre-concert music at 7.30 pm in the Center for the Arts lobby.  

Mason Opera is thrilled to present four performances of "Amahl and the Night Visitors" this Friday and Saturday, December 2 and 3 (3 pm and 8 pm) at the Hylton Performing Arts Center in Manassas.  This celebrated operetta by Gian Carlo Menotti tells the classic story of the Magi’s journey to Bethlehem. 

Our Mason Symphony Orchestra (conducted by Dr. Soo Han) and Mason Choirs (conducted by Dr. Lisa Billingham) will present a joyous Holiday Concert Winter Festival this Sunday, December 4th, at 7 pm in the Center for the Arts, with beautiful works by Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, Franz Schubert, Alice Parker/Robert Shaw, Dan Forrest, Irving Berlin, and more! 

We are also excited to present free concerts this weekend, including our Electronic Composition "Spectrum" concert this Friday, December 2 at 7 pm (under the direction of Dr. Robert Gillam) and our Guitar Ensemble concert this Sunday, December 4 at 2 pm in Harris Theater (directed by Prof. Matt Trkula). 

This newsletter also highlights our outstanding faculty and students who were featured recently at the Virginia Music Educators Conference in Richmond. Additionally, we are pleased to celebrate our marvelous faculty who were recognized at the Mason Green and Gold Ceremony for their many years of service to Mason, including Dr. Glenn Smith (45 years at Mason) and Prof. Anthony Maiello (35 years at Mason).  

As we approach the holiday season, we are thankful for the gift of music, and we are deeply grateful to each of you who support our extraordinary student artists in our beloved Dewberry School of Music of George Mason University.  

With joyous holiday greetings,

Dr. Linda A. Monson, Director

Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music

Join us for a Wind Symphony concert, under the direction of Dr. William L. Lake, Jr., titled "Music for Uncommon Times". Over the past two years, society has experienced a collision of significant events and phenomena unimagined by previous generations. COVID-19 and social unrest are two experiences that have impacted how we live today and dream of tomorrow. In this concert, the Mason Wind Symphony presents works by living composers Valerie Coleman, Katahj Copley, and Joel Puckett that respond to these uncommon times with remembrance, reflection, and hope. There will be a 7:30pm Pre-Concert Performance by our Mason Percussion Ensemble in the lobby.

Tickets: $12 General Public, $8 Seniors, $5 Students

The Dewberry School of Music’s Mason Opera presents Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors at the Hylton Performing Arts Center. This celebrated operetta by Italian-American composer and librettist Gian Carlo Menotti tells the classic story of the Magi’s journey to Bethlehem.

Friday, Dec. 2 at 3 pm and 8 pm and Saturday, Dec. 3 at 3 pm and 8 pm

Hylton Performing Arts Center

Tickets: $20 adult; $15 senior; $5 student

Join us for a joyous concert celebration by the Dewberry School of Music as we ring in the holiday season! The concert will showcase our Mason Symphony Orchestra conducted by Dr. Soo Han, and our Mason Choirs, conducted by Dr. Lisa Billingham. This evening will feature holiday favorites and festive new works performed by extraordinary student artists.

Tickets: $20 General Public, $15 Seniors, $5 Students

The Mason Steel Pan Ensemble (directed by Victor Provost) and Braddock Road Brass Band (directed by Graham Breedlove) team up on November 29, 8pm for concert in the Center for the Arts! Showcasing music of the Caribbean and beyond, as well as traditional New Orleans jazz and modern compositions, this concert is certain to entertain everyone!

This concert is FREE and open to the public. No tickets required.

The Mason Jazz Combos, directed by Wade Beach, perform their fall concert! Our exploratory groups, the Jazz combos are open to all university students, regardless of major. These ensembles provide students opportunities in improvisation, composition and arranging as well as small group performing experience.  

This concert is FREE and open to the public. No tickets required.

Students from the Electronic Composition course (MUSI 354) will be presenting a concert of original music on Friday, Dec. 2 at 7:00 PM in PAB 3001. The concert will include performances of original electronic compositions created and performed by our Mason music students under the direction of Dr. Robert W. Gillam.

This concert is FREE and open to the public. No tickets required.

Please join the George Mason Guitar Ensemble and special guests, South County High School Guitar Ensemble in a joint holiday concert featuring music from Ravel, Grieg, and more under the direction of Prof. Matt Trkula.

This concert is FREE and open to the public. No tickets required.

Wednesday, 11/30 at 12:30 PM

Flute Departmental*

deLaski 3001

Friday, 12/2 at 12:30 PM

Piano Departmental*

Harris Theatre

*indicates MUSI 300 credit given

All departmental recitals are free and open to the public. Departmental recitals will occur live and in-person. 

Mason Music Education Faculty Dr. Tina Beveridge, Dr. Chuck Ciorba, and Dr. Angela Ammerman are pictured above. Dr. Dennis Edelbrock and Prof. Matt Trukula also presented sessions at VMEA Conference. Prof. June Huang and Dr. Dave Porter performed with presenting ensembles.

Pictured Top Left: Dr. Lisa Billingham and Dr. William L. Lake, Jr. pictured with Mason Music students.

Pictured Top Right: Mason Music Education Alums Kathleen Walsh and Danielle McLellan at the first day of VMEA conference.

Pictured Bottom Left: Audition and Recruitment Coordinator Emily Craine with Mason Music Education Students at Mason Music Booth.

Pictured Bottom Right: Prof. June Huang performs with the Fairfax High School Chamber Orchestra, directed by Prof. Gerald Fowkes.

Mason 5-2-5 Woodwind Quintet has performed at the Virginia Music Educators Association (VMEA) convention on Saturday, November 19 at 11:15 am as part of the Music in the Lobby Series, featuring works of Beach, Klughardt, and others. The students are Lisette Joo, flute, Michael Pagan, oboe, Elaine Hopkins, clarinet, Andrew Bell, bassoon and Alexandra Kowalski, horn-led by Mason Director of Woodwinds, Dr. Kathy Mulcahy.

Top Left: Dr. Glenn Smith honored for his 45 years of service to Mason.

Top Right: Dr. Glenn Smith, Dr. Michael Nickens (Doc Nix), and Prof. Anthony Maiello

Bottom Left: Dr. Tom Owens, Dr. Linda A. Monson, Dr. Glenn Smith, Prof. Anthony Maiello, Dr. Greg Robinson

Bottom Right: Dean Rick Davis, Dr. Linda A. Monson, Dr. Glenn Smith, Prof. Jim Carroll, and Dr. William L. Lake, Jr.