Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music

CVPA's Young Alumni Commissioning Project Begins a Fourth Round

Emily Schneider — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 15:01:37 +0000

CVPA's Young Alumni Commissioning Project Begins a Fourth Round Emily Schneider Tue, 12/07/2021 - 10:01

Learn More About the YACP Award

George Mason University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) released today a request for proposals for the Young Alumni Commissioning Project, which provides crucial support for the artistic development of recent alumni.

This is the fourth year of the program, which will award up to five grants to CVPA alumni for the creation of original work that will be presented by the College at a Mason venue during the 2022-23 season. The deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, February 11, 2022. The recipients will be announced in May 2022.

“The Young Alumni Commissioning Project is bearing fruit so beautifully after our first three rounds, adding new work to the world's store of artistic creation and helping advance the careers of Mason’s outstanding arts alumni,” shares Rick Davis, Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts. “As we enter cycle four, I am excited to see what our community of artists brings forward for consideration. Each cycle represents and reflects a moment in time for both the artists and the world we work in, and I know that our alumni are busy doing what artists do: seeing, feeling, and thinking deeply about their world, and transforming those perceptions into significant work.”

All potential applicants are invited to participate in an online grant writing workshop designed and executed by CVPA staff, taking place on Wednesday, January 26 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Individual applicants can also reserve time to speak with CVPA staff about their project and the application process during scheduled office hours, offered during the week of January 31 and February 7.

Jada Salter, 2021 recipient of the Young Alumni Commissioning Project Award

During the 2020/2021 award cycle, Jada Salter (’20) received the Young Alumni Commissioning Project Award and $5,000 in support for Just the Two of Us, a documentary about multi-Grammy award-winning musician and her grandfather William “Bill” Salter. Nicole Daniell (Dance ‘17), Nicholas Horner (Theater ’18, MFA Candidate ‘21), Cristian Perez (Music ‘12), and Katherine Thompson (Visual Art ‘15) were awarded Young Alumni Creative Development Awards and each received $2,500 in commissioning support.

The Young Alumni Commissioning Project is made possible by a generous bequest from the estate of Linda E. Gramlich for the support of young artists, and by donors to Mason’s Giving Day, including Shugoll Research. Young Alumni Commissioning Project recipients may receive up to $5,000 in commissioning funds; as well as venue, production, and marketing support for a public showing of the work.

To be eligible, applicants must be a graduate of the College of Visual and Performing Arts from the class of 2011 and after. Proposals should be for original new work in any art form suitable for performance, exhibition, or screening in a Mason venue. The size, length, duration, magnitude, and content are at the artist’s discretion. Potential venues include Mason’s traditional theater spaces, galleries, and cinemas, but proposals for non-traditional venues will also be considered.

Topics

Young Alumni Commissioning Project. alumni support

College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)

College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Dance

computer game design news

Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music

College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Theater

College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) Arts Management Program

At Arts Emerging, the Arts Return In-Person to George Mason

Pam Muirheid — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 15:31:57 +0000

At Arts Emerging, the Arts Return In-Person to George Mason Pam Muirheid Thu, 09/30/2021 - 11:31

In This Story

Shaun Boyle D'Arcy

Gregory Washington

Dr. Michael Nickens

Arts Emerging raised more than $155,000 to support the arts at Mason.

School of Dance students performing Pause: Reset on Holton Plaza. Photo ©Sean Hickey.

A welcome return to live, in-person arts performances and exhibitions was celebrated September 25 at the George Mason University Center for the Arts.

Arts Emerging: A Celebration of Renewal brought more than 300 people to the Fairfax Campus on a Saturday evening for a festive event that pulsed with artistic energy and the spirit of community.

Combining outdoor and indoor performances by students, faculty, and alumni, art exhibits, film screenings, hands-on activities, and more, Arts Emerging launched the 2021-22 Center for the Arts season, while also marking the 20^th anniversary of the university’s College of Visual and Performing Arts.

“The arts have become one of Mason’s signature tools for the university to engage with its community,” said Rick Davis, dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts. “Arts Emerging is a powerful example of that in action.”

A highlight of the outdoor performances presented on Holton Plaza was a performance of Pause: Reset, delivered by School of Dance students and choreographed by faculty member Shaun Boyle D’Arcy. One performer, senior dance major Hadiya Matthews, reflected afterward on the challenges of the past year and how students have rallied. “During Covid and everything that was happening in the world, it was pretty heavy and kind of sad,” Matthews said. “I think that when we had discussions and ‘collabbed’ and really talked about how we felt, a big thing that kept us strong was community, and how—no matter what we’re going through—we’re all related to one another. That’s something that we can come back to, so building this piece of community was really special.”

Meanwhile, in the adjacent Buchanan Hall Atrium Gallery, viewers enjoyed a major exhibition, Women of the Same Blood, combining photography and family history by Zia Palmer, BFA Photography ’19, with the opportunity to meet and talk with the artist. Buchanan Hall also hosted screenings by Film and Video Studies alumni, and an interactive virtual reality experience by the Computer Game Design program.

Later, inside the Center for the Arts, Mason President Gregory Washington welcomed a mix of students, supporters, and Mason faculty and staff. “The arts are the front door to the university,” Washington said. “Many of you found that great big front door and you came through it to become involved with our College of Visual and Performing Arts. And then that introduced you to the larger university.”

Guest appearances on the Concert Hall stage included a duet by Green Machine alumni Chelsea Mohindroo, BS Mathematics ’16, MS Operations Research ’20, and Brandon Showell, BA Music and English ’14, both of whom have been contestants on NBC’s The Voice. They were followed by School of Theater alumni Garvey Dobbins, BFA Theater ’20, and Lauren Fraites, BA Theater ’20, and a finale performance by current Dewberry School of Music opera students. Members of the Green Machine, led by associate professor of music and director of the Green Machine Ensembles Michael W. Nickens (Doc Nix), also played throughout the event.

Finally, School of Dance alumna Sasha (Hollinger) Henninger, BFA Dance ’09, who made her Broadway debut in Hamilton as #thebullet, spoke about her career and her time at Mason. “I was blessed to spend 11 years in New York making a living doing what I love. I toured the country, I toured the world, and I spent my last few years there performing in two incredible shows on Broadway—easily one of my biggest dreams come true,” Henninger said. “My time, my teachers, my peers here at George Mason prepared me for that. My time at George Mason prepared me well.”

Henninger presented a special merit scholarship to current Film and Video Studies senior Taj Kokayi, whose film Woken From a Dream won the Best Student Film Award at the London Web Fest. Kokayi was a producer on the short film The Vine, which premiered during Saturday’s event. The Vine featured current Masters in Arts Management student Bobby Lacy, BA Music ’16, in a stirring spoken word performance inspired by the question of what it means to be an arts manager.

Sandy Spring Bank returned as the event’s presenting sponsor for the fourth consecutive year. “By sponsoring events like this we’re literally helping the students you saw tonight on stage realize their hopes and dreams, or give them an opportunity to,” said Jay O’Brien, executive vice president for commercial and retail banking at Sandy Spring. O’Brien has three daughters currently attending Mason—two graduate students and one undergraduate.

Arts Emerging raised more than $155,000, with proceeds supporting CVPA student scholarships, the Mason Community Arts Academy, Green Machine Ensembles, and the Great Performances at Mason season at the Center for the Arts. The event was co-chaired by Arts at Mason Board members Steven Golsch, a vice president at NowSecure, and Annie Bolger, a bank officer at Sandy Spring Bank.

Topics

arts emerging

College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)

CFA

forward together

giving to Mason

College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Dance

College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Theater

Computer Game Design

Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music

Lunchtime with the Arts at Mason Returns!

Emily Schneider — Tue, 18 May 2021 18:13:54 +0000

Lunchtime with the Arts at Mason Returns! Emily Schneider Tue, 05/18/2021 - 14:13

This summer, the College of Visual and Performing Arts is bringing the music back to Northern Virginia. Throughout June, performing arts faculty and student artists will return to the stage for the Lunchtime with the Arts at Mason series, taking place on Thursdays in June from 12:30-1:30 pm.

From music by the Dewberry School of Music’s amazing faculty brass performers, to a performance by the renowned tuba-euphonium ensemble, to a concert of Broadway favorites, faculty, student, and alumni performers from George Mason University's College of Visual and Performing Arts will offer free lunchtime concerts in Reston Town Square Park. Join us for an energizing addition to your lunch hour and experience the amazing talent of Mason artists.

This series is presented by the Reston Community Center (RCC) and the Reston Town Center Association in partnership with George Mason University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts. The location for the June 2021 performances will be Reston Town Square Park (Corner of Market Street and Explorer Street). For more information visit the Reston Community Center website or contact Kevin Danaher, Community Events Director, at 703-390-6166.

Schedule of Events

Lunchtime with the Arts at Mason Series

Thursdays from 12:30-1:30 pm

June 3: Mason Steel Pan Ensemble with Victor Provost, Director
June 10: Mason Faculty Brass Ensemble
June 17: Mason Cabaret
June 24: Mason Tuba and Euphonium Ensemble

Topics

Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music

College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Theater

Connecting Students with Today’s Top Artists Despite the Pandemic

Pam Muirheid — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 18:25:08 +0000

Connecting Students with Today’s Top Artists Despite the Pandemic Pam Muirheid Mon, 03/29/2021 - 14:25

Learn More About the Window Wall Technology

For more than a year, the pandemic has impacted many aspects of the day-to-day at the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA). One thing that hasn’t changed is our faculty and staff’s commitment to providing outstanding educational experiences. This moment has enhanced our resilience and creativity in order to satisfy the needs of the student community. The most recent examples took place in March 2021, during which four masterclasses were held over the span of a single week. These ranged from virtual classes via Zoom webinar, to a hybrid session (half in-person, half virtual) utilizing the Moving Story Window Wall technology.

An important element of the College’s instructional offerings is our intrinsic link with the Center for the Arts at George Mason University and the Hylton Performing Arts Center, which enables Mason students to learn directly from today’s top artists. When performers and touring ensembles appear in the professional season of music, dance, and theater offerings, CVPA ensures that masterclasses or similar educational opportunities are part of what they bring to the table. This learning exchange is in line with the College’s longstanding mission to “educate the artists of tomorrow.” In spite of the current restrictions, CVPA and its two performing arts centers have continued to provide these exceptional experiences to Mason students.

Lawrence Brownlee giving a Zoom masterclass to students from the Dewberry School of Music.

Beginning on March 2, Lawrence Brownlee—who is recognized as one of America’s foremost modern opera singers—led a Zoom masterclass for a group of Vocal Studies and Opera majors from the Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music. The class was held the day after he participated in The Artist-Activist: Centering Black Voices series as part of Mason Arts at Home.

Of her experience, Rosie Wright (Vocal Performance ‘22) commented, “Singing for Mr. Brownlee was an infinitely valuable experience for me. He was an absolute joy to work with. I had the privilege of singing a Rossini aria for him and, since that’s one of his specialties, I was very nervous. I had so much fun learning from him and it was so inspiring to get a coaching from him on the piece. This masterclass was one of the highlights of my college career.”

The following day, School of Theater students were welcomed to participate in a masterclass with Broadway singer and actress Laura Osnes—who appeared in Broadway Princess Party on March 21. For this session, students gathered in person (physically distanced) on the Center for the Arts’ stage while Osnes was projected live onto the Moving Story Window Wall. Sophia Inserra (Theater ‘21) explained, “the innovativeness of the set up and how we connected with Ms. Osnes was excitingly effective and, of course, getting the opportunity to meet and work with her virtually was amazing. This experience made my entire year; I am so grateful.”

Left: School of Theater students participate in a masterclass with Broadway singer and actress Laura Osnes. Photo: Even Cantwell. Right: Clarinetist Thomas Lessels from Academy of St. Martin in the Fields giving a Zoom masterclass to students from the Dewberry School of Music.

Similarly, on March 8, instrumentalists from the Dewberry School of Music had the opportunity to study with clarinetist Thomas Lessels and cellist Will Schofield of the world-class Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. These two, separate masterclasses were held via Zoom webinar and they preceded the ensemble’s Mason Arts at Home virtual performance on March 13. Teresa Jenkins (Clarinet Performance ’22) summarized her involvement as follows, “the masterclass was fantastic and enlightening. I really enjoyed the musical ideas that Mr. Lessels recommended and shared with me regarding my playing. The Zoom masterclass experience is one full of silver linings, and I am so appreciative to have been chosen to participate!”

Students from the Dewberry School of Music participate in a masterclass with clarinetist Thomas Lessels (top left) from Academy of St. Martin in the Fields.

These testimonials both confirm and reinforce the importance of making masterclasses, workshops, lectures, and artist conversations available to our student community.

In addition to the abovementioned masterclasses, the School of Art’s Visual Voices lecture series continues to feature nationally-recognized visiting artists and designers each month in an online format. Recent guests included Wendy Red Star, Rozeal, and Mia Rollow. Film and Video Studies’ Visiting Filmmaker Series is also thriving in the digital space, highlighting films and artists who are committed to innovation, social justice, and diverse and inclusive filmmaking. Most recently, the series featured film director Stefon Bristol and TV writer Hank Jones.

CVPA is proud to offer these opportunities to students, and we look forward to increasing their reach throughout the academic year. Support our educational initiatives beyond the classroom.

Topics

College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)

Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music

School of Art

Mason Arts at Home

College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Theater