Mason Arts at Home

A Contemporary Composer Fuels a New Mason Collaboration

Emily Schneider — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 19:19:10 +0000

A Contemporary Composer Fuels a New Mason Collaboration Emily Schneider Tue, 03/07/2023 - 14:19

In This Story

Growing up in the Black church, Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Concert Bands, Dr. William Lake, Jr., deeply understands the power of music and movement.

After hearing Come Sunday by composer Omar Thomas, Lake dreamed of bringing this work to life with movement, bringing together the George Mason University Bands and the School of Dance. Working on such a project would not only expand his students' musical vocabulary but also create an authentic and expansive cultural experience for the Mason community. Associate Professor of Dance, Lawrence M. Jackson, had similar experiences, growing up in “the southern Black church, a very charismatic church” and reflected on his own upbringing and research into African diasporic dance forms. This collaboration came to life onstage in the Center for the Arts on Mason’s Fairfax Campus on February 28.

Students from Mason's School of Dance performing with the Mason Wind Symphony to Omar Thomas's Come Sunday on February 28. Photo by Will Martinez.

As a composer, arranger, and educator, Omar Thomas works with some of the most respected names in composition and education, including multiple GRAMMY-winning composer and bandleader Maria Schneider, Ken Schaphorst, and Frank Carlberg. Born to Guyanese parents in Brooklyn, New York, Thomas pursued music diligently, completing his Master of Music at Berklee College of Music and becoming the first Black composer to ever receive the National Bandmasters Association/Revelli Award for Come Sunday. His compositions are described as “thought-provoking, multi-layered masterpiece[s],” which made embarking on a partnership around this piece even more exciting for Jackson and Lake.

“I really hold dear my experiences as a musician in the Black church (I started playing the piano for my children’s choir around age 6) to my musical upbringing. Since I know gospel and other sacred music intimately, I can infuse the music with the extra nuances that can’t be described using notation but are true to the style. This piece has been performed by many great ensembles across the country… however, there hasn’t been a performance that centers movement and these great sounds.” said Lake.

Professor Jackson’s career often includes collaborations, a hallmark of his practice at other universities before coming to Mason in the fall of 2022. While the invitation to work with Dr. Lake at the end of the fall semester was a surprise, it also felt reassuring to find this partnership so early on and to begin exploring what this experience would mean for Mason students from both the School of Dance and the Dewberry School of Music.

A student from the School of Dance smiles at the audience during the performance of "Come Sunday" by Omar Thomas, performed by the Mason Wind Symphony. Photo by Will Martinez.

Building a vocabulary for the dancers was an opportunity for Jackson’s students to explore the storied culture of the Black church's sacred space and develop an understanding of the types of movement vocabulary that would reflect the energy and history of these spaces and traditions. From watching Alvin Ailey’s Revelations and clips of a particular scene from the movie Blues Brothers, Jackson offered context to his creative process, “blending contemporary dance forms, African diasporic dance forms, and pedestrian movement that is derived from the Black church, all merged into an amalgamation of movement vocabulary uniquely designed for this work.”

“The Mason School of Dance students are excited to work with the musicians,” said Jackson. “These dancers, most of them, if not all of them, have never had the experience of working alongside a symphony or a band. I’m excited for them to experience the unique energy of the symphony and adapt in the moment.” All of the dancers performing in this piece are seniors in their final semester with the School of Dance, which made Jackson that much more eager to share this experience with them before they embark on the next stage of their careers.

The dancers are not the only ones expanding their understanding and skills with this performance. “The jazz and gospel musical vocabulary is foreign to my students,” said Dr. Lake.

“It’s inspiring to see how invested our students are in something that they realize is new and different. My hope is that through music and collaborations, my students have a gateway to appreciate cultures different than their own,” Lake adds.

Dancers from Mason's School of Dance perform Professor Lawrence M. Jackson's original choreography to Come Sunday by Omar Thomas, performed by the Mason Wind Symphony on February 28. Photo by Will Martinez.

Unlike most concerts, the Wind Symphony will be moved further upstage than normal and without the acoustic shell to allow for the choreography to be presented downstage. This has resulted in the assistance of the Center for the Arts Artistic Staff to add audio, lighting, and stage-managing support. This unique concert has been chosen as one of the Mason Arts at Home features that will be captured via six cameras in the hall and even GoPros! Dr. Lake shared, “I’m jealous of the audience, I won’t get to experience the concert from their vantage point – I’m thankful that the School of Music and the College of Visual and Performing Arts have agreed to record, edit, and professionally mix our hard work”.

The duo is optimistic that this is just the beginning of collaborations between the Mason School of Dance and the Dewberry School of Music.

You can watch an in-depth interview with Jackson and Lake on the College of Visual and Performing Arts YouTube channel, including behind-the-scenes footage of rehearsals leading up to the performance.

The Wind Symphony’s performance from February 28, 2023, including Come Sunday featuring the School of Dance, will be available to watch from March 28 through April 28, 2023 exclusively through Mason Arts at Home.

Topics

College of Visual and Performing Arts

Mason Arts

Dewberry School of Music

College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Dance

A Song of Freedom: Featuring World Premieres by Evelyn Simpson-Curenton and Michael W. Nickens

Pam Muirheid — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 20:20:11 +0000

A Song of Freedom: Featuring World Premieres by Evelyn Simpson-Curenton and Michael W. Nickens Pam Muirheid Mon, 07/19/2021 - 16:20

In This Story

Dr. Michael Nickens

(FAIRFAX, VA) George Mason University’s Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music presents A Song of Freedom: Featuring World Premieres by Evelyn Simpson-Curenton and Michael W. Nickens, Saturday, May 8 at 8:00 p.m. as part of Mason Arts at Home. The concert celebrates unity and resilience in the face of division and uncertainty and showcases works by Black composers as well as selections inspired by the African-American experience.

The program’s world premieres are commissions by the Dewberry School of Music from renowned composer Evelyn Simpson-Curenton and Mason’s own Associate Professor of Music and Director of the Green Machine Ensembles Michael W. Nickens (Doc Nix).

“This magnificent concert is a true collaboration across our Dewberry School of Music students, staff, and faculty and is a celebratory finale to an unparalleled year. We heard clearly from our students that ‘representation matters,’ and our music faculty resolved to commission and highlight works by gifted Black composers for our May concert,” shared Dewberry School of Music Director Linda A. Monson. “Together we are using our gifts as artists to demonstrate the power of working together. I am so proud of the performances by our students and honored for the opportunity for the Dewberry School of Music to commission two remarkable compositions.”

Simpson-Curenton’s world premiere of Passages will feature current students from across the University Choirs, a guest solo appearance by School of Music alumna and Metropolitan Opera artist Aundi Marie Moore, as well as solos by current students Rosie Wright, Case Hope, and Eliyahu Young.

Under the direction of the Director of Choral Studies, Stanley Engebretson, Passages uses phrases from the Bible and other sources and lifts up the ideals of justice and of loving the common good. Lyrics such as “sing now a song of freedom where all are inherently free” and “let justice roll down as water with righteousness, like an ever-flowing stream” guide the beautiful imagery within the music.

Reflecting on the piece, Engebretson shared, “Teaching and rehearsing this premiere by one of Washington’s most famous composers has been a great honor and privilege. It was a great delight to introduce her to Mason’s singers via Zoom so they could experience her amazing talents for themselves. Her brilliant piece captures the majesty of freedom with the call for us to ‘come together as one’ in a most empathic way.”

Nickens’s original work, titled The Orator, The Abolitionist, The Man: Frederick Douglass is based on the 1893 biography written by his great-great grandfather James Monroe Gregory, a contemporary of Douglass. His piece features the Mason Wind Symphony, members of the Green Machine, and spoken word derived directly from the biography and Douglass’ speeches, delivered as narration by Nickens himself.

Nickens’s piece is inspired by composers such as Aaron Copland, George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein as well as 90s hip hop artists including Wu-Tang Clan, who all unapologetically brought the local culture to the sound of the time. The piece’s musical style ebbs between orchestral, go-go, and hip hop layered with spirituals and Protestant hymns.

Nickens shared, “As a work very much in progress (the second movement of a larger composition I am creating), I am grateful to our students collaborating with me to bring this nine-month project to life. I hope all who experience it hear the narration both as an artifact of our American history and as an opportunity to connect with the enduring issues that are being addressed today.”

This pre-recorded digital concert features more than 100 students performing as part of the momentous event, including additional works ranging from works by distinguished Black composers such as William Grant Still and George Walker, to Antonin Dvorák, and U2’s “MLK.” The performance highlights students from the Mason Symphony Orchestra, University Choirs, Wind Symphony and Green Machine, Trombone Choir, Percussion Ensemble, and Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble.

Topics

Black African Heritage

Mason Arts at Home

Dewberry School of Music

diversity equity and inclusion DEI

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