Dear Mason Music Family,

We invite you to join us for exciting upcoming events this month featuring our amazing Dewberry School of Music students and faculty. We have special concerts for you to enjoy this week, including the Mason Symphony Orchestra concert, Dr. Soo Han, conductor, this Wednesday, November 3rd at 8 pm in a program of Mozart, Bernstein, and Philip Glass. We are also thrilled to present our Fall Choral Concert, directed by Dr. Lisa Billingham, this Saturday, November 6th at 4 pm featuring our University Chorale, University Chamber Singers, and Mason Alumni Chorale! 

Mark your calendars for upcoming jazz concerts, including Mason Jazz Vocal Night on November 15th and Mason Jazz Combos on November 18th.  Please save the date of Saturday, November 20 at 8 pm for the 20th anniversary concert of Jazz4Justice with a musical tribute to Duke Ellington! Proceeds from Jazz4Justice benefit Legal Services of Northern Virginia to continue its mission of service to the Northern Virginia community as well as providing financial support for the Mason Jazz Studies Area.  

Mason Opera is proud to present Cendrillon by Pauline Viardot on November 19, 20, and 21 at the Hylton Performing Arts Center.  Cendrillon is a charming, comical, and lyric telling of the Cinderella story with a distinctly French flair! Viardot's works are being rediscovered and enjoyed in the light of her remarkable career as a celebrated 19th century female composer, singer, and pianist. The exquisite sets and lighting of this intimate production create a magical and enchanting performance for all to enjoy.

We are pleased to reach out to prospective new students in November through our virtual Woodwind Masterclass Series and our on-campus Brass Instrument Days: Horn Day (November 7), Tuba/Euphonium Day (November 13), Trombone Day (November 13), and Trumpet Day (November 14).

Please note that a live-stream viewing option is available for each of our Student Degree Recitals (see calendar for complete listing).  We look forward to welcoming you to our many upcoming concerts and special events in our Dewberry School of Music as we celebrate the joy of music during this season of Thanksgiving. 

Warmest regards,
Dr. Linda A. Monson, Director
Upcoming Ticketed Events
Mason Symphony Orchestra Concert
Wednesday, November 3rd, 8:00 PM
Center for the Arts Concert Hall

Join the MSO for an evening of works by Mozart, Bernstein, and Glass. This exciting concert will feature our new Director of Orchestral Studies, Dr. Soo Han, in his Mason Symphony Orchestra conducting debut! He will be joined by faculty soloists Prof. June Huang (violin) and Dr. Dorotea Racz (cello) in Philip Glass's Double Concerto for Violin and Cello.
Read more about the MSO conductor and soloists!
Fall Choral Concert: Stories in Song
Directed by Dr. Lisa Billingham
Saturday, November 6th, 4:00 PM
Center for the Arts Concert Hall

The University Chorale and University Chamber Singers are thrilled to present their first full choir concert since Fall 2020! Students will perform works by J. S. Bach, C.V. Stanford, Stephen Leek, Moses Hogan, and more. This concert will feature guest student conductors Willis Rosenfeld and Grayson Crouch, and will also include a special guest appearance by the Mason Alumni Choir.

The Mason Choirs are directed by Dr. Lisa A. Billingham, Director of Choral Activities, with assistance from Dr. Lisa R. Bloy, collaborative pianist.
Mason Jazz Vocal Night
Directed by Dr. Darden Purcell
Monday, November 15th, 8:00 PM
Center for the Arts Concert Hall

Join Dr. Darden Purcell, the Mason Jazz Voice studio and Mason Jazz Vocal Ensemble for an evening of swinging standards and classic hits from the Great American Songbook! With special guests, Herndon High School Vocal Jazz, directed by Dana Van Slyke.
Wind Symphony Concert
Directed by Prof. Mark Camphouse
featuring Samantha Clarke,
Doctoral Conducting Student
Tuesday, November 16th, 8:00 PM
Center for the Arts Concert Hall
Mason Jazz Combos Concert
Directed by Prof. Wade Beach
Thursday, November 18th, 8:00 PM
Center for the Arts Concert Hall

Admission to this event is free, but registration is required.
Mason Opera presents
Cendrillon
by Pauline Viardot
Friday, November 19th at 8:00 PM
Saturday, November 20th at 3:00 PM
Sunday, November 21st at 3:00 PM
Hylton Performing Arts Center

Join Mason Opera in celebrating its Cinderella Year! For the Holiday season production, we are proud to present Pauline Viardot's opera, Cendrillon, a charming, comical, and lyric telling of the Cinderella story with a distinctly French flair! Viardot's works are being rediscovered and enjoyed in the light of her remarkable career as a celebrated 19th century female composer, singer, and pianist. The exquisite sets and lighting of this intimate production create a magical and enchanting evening for all to enjoy.
Join us in celebrating twenty years of the incredible impact of Jazz4Justice!

Established in 2001 by Fairfax, VA attorney Edward L. Weiner, Esq. and Founder of Mason Jazz Studies, Jim Carroll, Jazz4Justice is an award-winning annual concert presented by Legal Services of Northern Virginia (LSNV) and Mason Jazz Studies.

Jazz4Justice is a truly unique event where attorneys, judges, students and members of the Northern Virginia community gather to celebrate their love of jazz. Proceeds from the evening benefit LSNV to continue its mission of service to the Northern Virginia community as well as providing financial support for the Mason Jazz Studies department.

This year, we celebrate America's greatest composer, The Life and Music of Duke Ellington. 
Join the Mason Jazz alumni for a pre-concert happy hour at Oh George Tables and Taphouse!
Fall 2021 Concert Series
Upcoming Live-Streamed
Student Recitals

Hannah Miles, Master's Piano Lecture Recital
Saturday, November 6th, 3:00 PM

Marty Sarisky, Senior Trumpet Music Education Recital
Saturday, November 6th, 5:00 PM

Kathleen Walsh, Senior Euphonium Music Education Recital
Saturday, November 6th, 7:00 PM

Lucas Kremer, Senior Saxophone Music Education Recital
Sunday, November 7th, 3:00 PM

Jaclyn Kitcoff, Senior Violin Recital
Sunday, November 7th, 5:00 PM

Nairobi King, Junior Voice Recital
Sunday, November 7th, 7:00 PM

Raina Payne, Senior Trumpet Music Education Recital
Sunday, November 7th, 8:00 PM
deLaski Performing Arts Building 3001

Grayson Crouch, Senior Piano Music Education Recital
Friday, November 12th, 6:00 PM
deLaski Performing Arts Building 3001

Katie Repka, Doctoral Clarinet Recital
Saturday, November 13th, 1:00 PM
Hylton Performing Arts Center

Lily Chartrain, Senior Flute Music Education Recital
Saturday, November 13th, 6:00 PM
deLaski Performing Arts Building 3001

Hunter Wirt, Junior Percussion Recital
Sunday, November 14th, 6:00 PM
deLaski Performing Arts Building 3001

Calvin Zubaly, Senior Guitar Music Education Recital
Sunday, November 21st, 5:00 PM
Hylton Performing Arts Center


All student recitals will have a live audience and will be live-streamed. View complete calendar of student recitals here.
Virtual Woodwind
Masterclass Series
Flute Masterclass with Prof. Julianna Nickel
Sunday, November 7th, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
via Zoom
Clarinet Masterclass with Dr. Kathy Mulcahy
Saturday, November 13th, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
via Zoom
Saxophone Masterclass with Prof. Ed Fraedrich
Sunday, November 14th, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
via Zoom
Bassoon Masterclass with Prof. Chris Jewell
Saturday, November 20th, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
via Zoom
Upcoming Brass Instrument Days
The Dewberry School of Music at George Mason University invites the brass community to spend Instrument Days with current Mason brass faculty and notable guest artists. Our Instrument Days will include performances, masterclasses, clinics, and more.
Horn Day
Sunday, November 7th
Tuba/Euphonium Day
Saturday, November 13th
Trombone Day
Saturday, November 13th
Trumpet Day
Sunday, November 14th
Faculty Kudos
Adjunct professor Glen McCarthy (Class Guitar) recently led a clinic for music educators in Fairbanks, Alaska for the organization Teaching Guitar Workshops! He also serves as Executive Director of this organization, which helps school music educators start or enhance classroom guitar programs and deliver more music making opportunities to children.
Adjunct professor Dr. Ed Knoeckel (Film Music) was recently offered a publishing contract for a textbook on Film Music Appreciation and Analysis! The textbook is set to be published in Spring 2022. In addition, Dr. Knoeckel composed a score for the film Selahy, which was recently selected to be screened at the Bentonville Film Festival in Bentonville, Arkansas.
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