Dear Mason School of Music Students, Faculty, Alumni, and Friends,

We have so much to be thankful for:  terrific music-making and music-learning with outstanding students, a dedicated faculty and staff, and a caring and supportive Friends of Music at Mason! We invite you to join us for our School of Music ensemble concerts, student and faculty recitals, masterclasses, and lecture series.  

Congratulations to the winners of our School of Music 2017 Concerto Competition held last week: Joe Antonucci (Trumpet), Yerin Choi (Piano), Sophie Heeden (Viola), Carla Lackey (Marimba), Ava Oaxaca (Saxophone), Na Ae Park (Voice), and Anjanette Trebing (Voice).   These seven outstanding young artists will have the opportunity to perform with the Mason Symphony Orchestra directed by Dr. Dennis Layendecker, on Sunday, May 7, 7 pm in the Center for the Arts Concert Hall.

Kudos to our Mason Symphony Orchestra for a most successful performance collaboration with the U.S. Air Force Strings on February 3 as part of the College Orchestra Directors Conference hosted by George Mason University.  Our Mason School of Music is pleased to host the Walt Disney All-American College Band auditions on Sunday, February 19th.  We are also pleased to present a most engaging lecturer, Dr. Ron McCurdy, on the topic of Musical Entrepreneurship: Preparing Musicians for the 21st Century, this upcoming Monday, February 20th, 12:30 - 1:30 pm in Harris Theater (free admission). 

We are anxious to highlight the accomplishments of our incredibly talented faculty, students, and alumni. Please send us your professional news so that we may share with our Mason Music family!

How do artists protect their intellectual property? How do commissions work for composers? How does an artist book a tour, and handle the logistics? This talk focuses on preparing students for the business aspect of a future in music or general arts professions. This session is applicable to any student regardless of genre or discipline in the arts.

Ronald C. McCurdy is a professor of music at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music and serves as past president of the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE). Prior to his appointment at USC, he served as director of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz at USC. He has served as professor of music and chair of the Afro-African American studies department and served as director of jazz studies at the University of Minnesota. He received his undergraduate degree from Florida A&M University and his master’s and PhD degrees from the University of Kansas. In 2001, McCurdy received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Kansas. Read more.