Dear Mason Music Family,

As we approach the season of Thanksgiving, please know how grateful we are to each of you for your support of our marvelous students in the Dewberry School of Music.  We invite you to join us for an abundance of varied music offerings during this month of November!  

Please purchase your tickets now for Jazz4Justice: Ella & Coltrane on Friday, November 22 at 8 pm in Mason's Center for the Arts. Supporting Legal Services of Northern Virginia and Mason Jazz Studies, this concert features the Mason Jazz Ensemble (Director, Jim Carroll), the Mason Jazz Vocal Ensemble (Director, Dr. Darden Purcell), and very special guest conductor and performer, Dewberry School of Music alumna and Miss Virginia 2024, Carlehr Swanson!

What a terrific line-up of amazing concerts this month! We are excited to present our Mason Jazz Workshop concert tonight November 6, Percussion Group Ensemble on November 7, Mason Electronic Music Ensemble on November 10, Mason Jazz Vocal Ensemble on November 11, Steel Pan Ensemble and Jazz Combos on November 13, New Sound Collective on November 14, Healing Arts Ensemble on November 18, Braddock Road Brass Band and Jazz Combos on November 20, and Guitar Ensemble on November 24! We'd be thrilled to have you join us on our beautiful George Mason University campus for our various Chamber Ensembles and Studio Recitals, as well as our daytime Departmental Recitals and student degree recitals during this busy month of November.  

We are looking forward to the VMEA (Virginia Music Educators' Association) conference in Norfolk on November 20-23 and we are thrilled to have Mason music faculty, doctoral students, and alumni presenting their research.  Our VMEA Mason Alumni Reception is Friday at 6:30 p.m. (stop by the Mason booth for more information). We hope to see many of our music alumni there! 

How thankful we are for the gift of music and for the opportunity to share this music with you!

With gratitude,

Dr. Linda A. Monson, Director

Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music

Jazz Workshop Concert

Wednesday, November 6 at 8:00 p.m.

The Jazz Workshop, directed by John Kocur, explores the intersection of improvisation and composition in the tradition of the great dance and studio jazz bands. Enjoy rare and beautiful arrangements by jazz legends from many eras of jazz history. New original compositions by Mason students and faculty will be featured as well.

Percussion Group Ensemble Concert

Thursday, November 7 at 8:00 p.m.

Our George Mason Percussion Group will be performing its Fall Concert Deconstructions: Works of Wood & Metal on Thursday, November 7 at 8:00 p.m.

The free performance will be held in deLaski 3001 and is coordinated by Prof. John Spirtas and Dr. Kanako Chikami. MUSI 300 credit offered.

Mason Electronic Music Ensemble (MEME)

Sunday, November 10 at 6:00 p.m.

Mason Electronic Music Ensemble will perform guitar, voice and electronic music directed by Dr. Robert Gillam, Director of Music Technology.

This performance is free and will be held in deLaski 3001. MUSI 300 credit offered.

Mason Jazz Vocal Night

Monday, November 11 at 8:00 p.m.

Join Dr. Darden Purcell, the Mason Jazz Voice Studio, the DownBeat award-winning Mason Jazz Vocal Ensemble and special guests. Stone Bridge High School (director Christine Tarrant) for an evening of swinging standards and classic hits from the Great American Songbook in George Mason's Center for the Arts.

Tickets:

$15 General Public

$10 Seniors

$5 Students

Steel Pan Ensemble and Jazz Combos Concert

Wednesday, November 13 at 8:00 p.m.

The Mason Steel Pan Ensemble (directed by Victor Provost) and Jazz Combos (directed by Wade Beach) perform their fall concert. Enjoy performances by composers Victor Provost, the Huntertones, Roy Hargrove, John Bliss (resident student composer), Horace Silver, Freddie Hubbard, Luis Bonfa, Raymond Taylor, Lester Judson, Vince Guaraldi, and more!

New Sound Collective presents Echolocations

Thursday, November 14 at 8:00 p.m.

New Sound Collective presents Echolocations features contemporary chamber works by professional and student composers, which explore soundscapes, songs, and playful minimalist textures.

New Sound Collective is an ensemble that specializes in the performance of music by living composers and led by Dr. Andrea Reinkemeyer, Director of Composition. This free performance will be held in deLaski 3001.

Chamber Ensemble and Studio Performances

Piano Chamber Ensemble Concert

Friday, November 15 at 5:00 p.m.

Harris Theatre

Unwind with an evening of masterpieces of piano chamber works, coached by Dr. Eunae Ko Han, Professor of Collaborative Piano. Performances include Schubert's Fantasie, Schubert's Shepherd on the Rock, Fauré Dolly suite, Bruch's Trio, and Dvorak's Slovanic Dances.

Brass Chamber Ensemble Concert

Friday, November 15 at 8:00 p.m.

deLaski 3001

Be uplifted by the bright vibrations of the Brass Ensemble, George Mason University Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble (GMUTEE), and Trumpet Ensemble. Enjoy a wide variety of music for brass ensembles, including music by Johann Pezel, Oscar Bohme, John Williams, Kevin Day, Cait Nishimura, Joe Garland, Ian Lester, and Thom Ritter George. Performance coordinated by Dr. Caroline Steiger, Director of Brass.

String Studio Recital

Saturday, November 16 at 6:00 p.m.

Harris Theatre

Delight in the warm sounds of violin and viola with this diverse program featuring solo and duo performances of string students of Prof. June Huang, Director of Strings including works of Mendelssohn, Paganini, Barber, Brahms, Wieniawski, Bruch,

and more!

String Chamber Concert

Sunday, November 17 at 5:00 p.m.

Harris Theatre

Hear the stimulating sounds of Strings Chamber music with Franz Schubert's String Quartet No. 14 in D Minor and String Quintet in C Major, D. 956. Awaken your senses to the expressive intensity of Grażyna Bacewicz's Quartet for Four Violins. Featuring students of Prof. June Huang, Director of Strings and violin; Prof. Nana Vaughn, viola; and Dr. Ismar Gomes, cello.

Piano Chamber Ensemble Concert

Friday, November 22 at 6:00 p.m.

Choral Room (A323)

Experience the inspiring melodies of piano chamber music coached by Dr. Anna Balakerskaia, Professor of Piano and Chamber Music. Selections include Bartok's Contrasts for violin, clarinet and piano; Spohr's German song for the voice, clarinet and piano; Sibelius's Finlandia Op. 26 for 2 Pianos, 8 Hands

Rachmaninov Miniatures Op. 11; Gershwin's I Got Rhythm; and Mozart's Aria for voice, clarinet, and piano.

Healing Arts Ensemble Concert

Monday, November 18 at 7:00 p.m.

Enjoy an hour of music created with healing intention that is good for the mind, body and soul. Through an expressive blend of melody and mindfulness, this performance will provide a transformative experience for all. The Healing Arts Ensemble is the signature performing group for the University programs in Music for Well-Being. The free performance will be held in Harris Theatre.

Braddock Road Brass Band & Jazz Combos Concert

Wednesday, November 20 at 8:00 p.m.

The Braddock Road Brass Band (directed by Graham Breedlove) and Jazz Combos (directed by Dr. Shawn Purcell) perform their fall concert! Enjoy performances in multiple Jazz styles (Bebop, Hard Bop, Brazilian, Fusion, etc.) and music from the New Orleans Brass Band tradition! 

Don't miss this upbeat free performance in Harris Theatre!

Jazz4Justice: Ella & Coltrane

Friday, November 22 at 8:00 p.m.

Featuring the Mason Jazz Ensemble (Director, Jim Carroll), the Mason Jazz Vocal Ensemble (Director, Dr. Darden Purcell), and very special guest conductor and performer, George Mason University alumna and Miss Virginia 2024, Carlehr Swanson! Supporting Legal Services of Northern Virginia and Jazz Studies at George Mason University. Jam Session to follow!

Guitar Ensemble Concert

Sunday, November 24 at 2:00 p.m.

Enjoy the warm resonance from the Dewberry School of Music Guitar Ensemble in their fall performance on Sunday, November 24 at 2:00 p.m. in Harris Theatre directed by Professor Matt Trkula.

This performance is free and open to the public. MUSI 300 credit is offered.



Dewberry School of Music

Fall 2024 Concert Series

Virginia Music Educator Conference

Mason Faculty, Student and Alumni Presenters

November 20-23, 2024

Departmental Recitals and Student Recitals

Alumni Kudos

Dominick Izzo, Dewberry School of Music Alumnus (2011) and Director of Choirs at Osbourn Park High School, pictured with Dr. Linda Apple Monson at Mason's Center for the Arts.

The Osbourn Park High School Madrigal Singers were guest artists at the Mason Choral Concert on October 8 featuring Mason's University Singers and University Chorale.

Performance Highlight

Mason Opera students performed a scene from Faust at Arts by George! The annual scholarship benefit in September included performances from the College of Visual and Performing Arts.