Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music

MARK YOUR CALENDAR! The Fall 2025 Concert Series Dates are finally here in our latest Notes from the Director: Issue 160! Drop in to hear one of our many summer concerts part of our summer programs including the Mason Summer Band Camp and Mason Jazz Camp. We are so proud of our amazing student and faculty accomplishments!

https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Notes-from-the-Director--Issue-160.html?soid=1126949445412&aid=LB1jZDHDrpU

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We are pleased to announce that Dr. Patrick LeStrange, violist, will be joining our Dewberry School of Music, effective August 2025. Please join us in welcoming this exceptional musician to our Dewberry School of Music adjunct applied faculty in viola.

Dr. Patrick LeStrange, Adjunct Applied Faculty in Viola at the Dewberry School of Music at George Mason University, earned the Doctor of Music Interpretation and Master of Music from l’Université de Montréal, as well as a Bachelor of Music from the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University. His primary teachers included Roberta Crawford, Victoria Chiang, Jutta Puchhammer-Sédillot, as well as string pedagogy studies with Rebecca Henry.

An advocate of the viola and string pedagogy, he is in high demand as a masterclass and strings clinician. Dr. LeStrange serves as strings department chair at Levine Music, Washington DC, where he oversees a thriving music program consisting of private lessons and group offerings. Many of his viola students have gone on to study at prestigious conservatories and universities throughout the country. Dr. Patrick LeStrange was formerly a viola teaching artist at Ithaca College Summer Music Academy, the NY ASTA String Institute- Ithaca College, and guest professor of viola at Binghamton University. At George Mason University, he directed the Summer Viola Bootcamp and has served as a viola teaching artist for many summer programs, including Ovations, Strings Camp, and the Strings Intensive.

Dr. LeStrange is a member of the Georgetown Chamber Players Orchestra, and former violist with the Binghamton Philharmonic. He frequently appears in chamber music concerts throughout the Washington DC area and has performed throughout the United States and Canada. He resides in the Northern Virginia area.

We're Hiring! We are commencing a search for an Adjunct Applied Classical Saxophone Professor for the upcoming Fall 2025 semester. Help us spread the word.
https://listings.jobs.gmu.edu/jobs/dc2cb78e-01b4-46ff-ad32-fa56c7a8559f

We are so excited to support our amazing Mason Community Arts Academy!

This Friday! 🎹🎼

Join us for a very special program with Dr. Linda Apple Monson, esteemed director of the Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music, and longtime Dewberry School of Music faculty member Dr. Anna Balakerskaia on May 30 at 7:30 p.m.

These renowned pianists are donating their time and incredible talent for this benefit performance, raising funds for scholarships for the Mason Summer Piano Academy. This is a rare opportunity, for all to enjoy!

Donations in any amount will be appreciated and will benefit student scholarships for this summer's Mason Summer Piano Academy. Learn more: https://masonacademy.gmu.edu/event/scholarship-concert-monson-balakerskaia-piano-duo/

Graphic by Kate Hoing

We are thrilled to share our Dewberry School of Music Notes from the Director: Issue 159 as we celebrate The Class of 2025. Our 76 Graduates including 58 Spring graduates and 18 Fall graduates earned music degrees at the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels. We are so proud of you and we wish you every success as you help make this world a better place through the sharing of your extraordinary gifts of music.



https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Notes-from-the-Director--Issue-159.html?soid=1126949445412&aid=rjGSB5gYOFg

Our latest Notes from the Director: Issue 158 shares the news of the loss of our beloved Professor Edward Fraedrich, Professor of Saxophone and his Celebration of Life Service Information held tomorrow. 🎷❤️‍🩹🎶💛💚

As our semester wraps we have our Honors Recital (Free Admission) and student recitals. We are so thankful to our talented students and dedicated faculty for another amazing semester!

https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Notes-from-the-Director--Issue-158.html?soid=1126949445412&aid=nUyJcMEoHRo

In Loving Memory: Professor Edward Fraedrich

It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we inform you of the passing of our dear colleague and friend, Edward Fraedrich. We have lost a great saxophonist, an incredible artist and teacher, and a phenomenal human being. We are heartbroken with the devastating news of his sudden passing on April 28. Words cannot express our grief.

We were fortunate to have Professor Ed Fraedrich on our Dewberry School of Music faculty since Fall 2011. A music alumnus of George Mason University, Professor Fraedrich contributed so very much to our Dewberry School of Music, especially with his marvelous teaching of applied saxophone and his dedicated coaching of the Mason Saxophone Quartet. He will be greatly missed by our Mason Music students, faculty, staff, and community.

As we grieve his loss, we also celebrate an extraordinary life filled with music. The legacy of Professor Fraedrich's exceptional artistry, inspired teaching, and dedicated mentorship of countless students at Mason lives on forever.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday, May 10 at 11 am at Washington Farm United Methodist Church at 3921 Old Mill Rd, Alexandria, VA 22309.

With our deepest sympathy,

Dr. Linda A. Monson
Director, Dewberry School of Music

Opera & Vocal Performance Workshop Summer Session
May 27 through June 12
Monday – Thursday | 12:00 - 3:00 p.m.

In this three week intensive, students will
-Explore the process of preparing and presenting scenes and arias from opera, operetta, and/or musical theater
-Hone their performance of standard vocal repertoire
-Create a character for a role that is organic to them and put into practice elements of stage movement and stagecraft
-Work with faculty to hone their performances, refine their repertoire choices, and focus on the all-important audition process.

MUSI 492 001 (1 credit) for undergraduates
MUSI 592 001 (1 credit) for graduate

For more information contact Professor Leech at [email protected]

Looking for some note-worthy events? Check out our latest Notes from the Director: Issue 154 newsletter to learn about our Faculty Artist Series, Large Ensemble Concerts and our amazing Mason Music students! Amplify your life with the Dewberry School of Music Concerts!

https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Notes-from-the-Director--Issue-154.html?soid=1126949445412&aid=_6Zkv8LnTjg

We are excited to announce another concert in our Dewberry Faculty Artist Series. This faculty recital presents repertoire that showcases collaboration between Dewberry School of Music faculty members, featuring Dr. Kathleen Gardiner Mulcahy, Director of Woodwinds, (clarinet) and with Dr. Caroline Steiger, Director of Brass (horn) and Dr. Eunae Ko Han, Professor of Collaborative Piano (piano).

This free performance will be held Sunday, March 2 at 3:00 p.m. and will include works by George Rochberg; Dr. Robert Gillam, Director of Music Technology; and Paquito D'Rivera. MUSI 300 credit is offered.

We are so excited for another concert in our Dewberry Faculty Artist Series! This faculty recital presents repertoire that showcases collaboration between Dewberry School of Music faculty members, featuring Dr. Kathleen Gardiner Mulcahy, Director of Woodwinds, (clarinet) and with Dr. Caroline Steiger, Director of Brass (horn) and Dr. Eunae Ko Han, Professor of Collaborative Piano (piano).

This free performance will be held Sunday, March 2 at 3:00 p.m. and will include works by George Rochberg; Dr. Robert Gillam, Director of Music Technology; and Paquito D'Rivera. MUSI 300 credit is offered.

Celebrate the Silver Anniversary Concert of Duo-Pianists, Dr. Linda Apple Monson and Dr. Anna Balakerskaia, on Sunday, February 23 at 3:00 p.m. in Harris Theatre as they perform works by Bach, Brahms, Khachaturian, Gershwin, Piazzolla, and Glenn Smith. Free admission!