Zoe Harr

Mason Artist-in-Residence Small Island Big Song Leads Events Across Campus and Community

Zoe Harr — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 20:41:10 +0000

Mason Artist-in-Residence Small Island Big Song Leads Events Across Campus and Community Zoe Harr Fri, 03/29/2024 - 16:41

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Learn About Mason's Artist-in-Residence Program

Mason Artist-in-Residence Small Island Big Song will perform at the Center on April 20. Photo taken by Gelée Lai, Tony Tsai, Samra Teague, and Kimmi Cranes.

Right before Earth Day, Small Island Big Song presents a "jaw-dropping" (Billboard) concert experience at the Center for the Arts on April 20, combining music, spoken word, and stunning projections to showcase unique oceanic grooves and soulful island ballads, while shining a light on the devastating effects of climate crisis on our world’s oceans. Indigenous artists from Pacific and Indian Ocean island nations mix their diverse styles to establish a contemporary musical dialogue between cultures as far afield as Madagascar, Taiwan, Mauritius, Papua New Guinea, Tahiti, and Indonesia.

Co-Founder BaoBao Chen joins Small Island Big Song at the Center on April 20.

“For us, the goal of Small Island Big Song is to bring the audiences to some places that we might not have the courage of going alone, to celebrate, to confront, to inspire, to mourn, to feel hopeful. Our performance goes to all these emotions and shares the stories of ‘Our Island’, but ultimately, ‘Our Island’ is the one we all share,” notes BaoBao Chen, co-founder of Small Island Big Song.

Want to learn more about Small Island Big Song? Read more on the official website.

As a Mason Artist-in-Residence, Small Island Big Song will also deeply engage with the community through a series of education and engagement programs, detailed below:

Open-to-the-Public Residency Events

Climate Change: Our Response as Artivists on April 18 will explore ways in which artists can use their voices to expand global conversation on political, economic, social, and cultural questions at the root of the climate crisis. This event is co-presented with the Inclusive Collaborative Arts at Mason (ICAM) project with panelists BaoBao Chen, Co-Founder and Producer of Small Island Big Song; Mark Cooley, Associate Professor and Director of New Media Arts, Mason School of Art; founder of Green Studio; Moderated by Edward Maibach, distinguished professor at ��AV and director of Mason’s Center for Climate Change Communication; and is a part of the Artist-Activist Speaker Series, an initiative of the Inclusive Collaborative Arts at Mason (ICAM) project. This event is free, but registration is required.
Small Island Big Song artist Sammy from Madagascar hosts "Trash to Music" on April 20.
On April 19, Small Island Big Song invites local students to experience a schooltime performance that includes participatory dance and rhythmic activities, as well as an open Q&A with students. This performance is free, but registration is required.
Also on April 19 and in collaboration with Mason Dining, Small Island Big Song artists will introduce Mason community members to a traditional island dish, fish curry. Led by Emlyn from Mauritius, the Cooking a Traditional Meal with Local Twists workshop will include food samples and musical accompaniment. The event is free to Mason students, faculty, and staff, but registration is required.
Led by Small Island Big Song artist Sammy and hosted by UpCycle Creative Reuse Center, Trash to Music on April 20 is an inspiring hands-on workshop demonstrating how to make musical instruments from trash, commonly recycled, and/or reused materials. Participants will be making a Malagasy-style berimbau and shaker. Recommended for ages 10 and up, minors must be accompanied by an adult. Limit of 20 participants with waitlist to notify if spots become available.

Additional Residency Activities for Mason and Local Community

Co-presented by the City of Fairfax and Center for the Arts, Small Island Big Song hosted a Friends of the Center for the Arts Artists in Conversation event, Our Shared Seafaring Heritage, Alive in Rhythm and Song, on April 2 at the Stacey C. Sherwood Community Center in Fairfax, VA. This lecture-demonstration provided geographical and historical background about the great oceanic migrations that affected the featured island nations of Small Island Big Song, and included musical demonstrations and an interactive Q&A.
Small Island Big Song artists Sammy, Yuma, Mathieu, and Small Island Big Song Co-Founder Tim Cole will visit Mason’s Dewberry School of Music program’s “Music History in Society III” course taught by Professor Greg Robinson.
In this Dancing Mauritian Sega workshop, approximately 100 second grade students from Hunters Woods Elementary School are invited to learn the Sega dance from Mauritius, led by Mathieu Joseph (Mauritius) with support from Sam Roem (West Papua).
Small Island Big Song artists and co-founders BaoBao Chen and Tim Cole will lead a discussion on the topic of “Artivism in Action - Managing Cultural Initiatives” with students of Mason’s Arts Management and Folklore programs’ “Folklore and Festival Management” course.

In addition to these special residency events, a pre-performance discussion with Small Island Big Song Co-Founders BaoBao Chen and Tim Cole will take place in Monson Grand Tier prior to the performance on April 20. The discussion will be moderated by Center for the Arts Programming and Engagement Manager Vic Adebusola.

Buy tickets to Small Island Big Song on April 20 and be transported to the musical islands that are just around the corner.

This engagement of Small Island Big Song is made possible through the ArtsCONNECT program of Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Mason Artist-in-Residence program is supported in part by the Wendy Frieman and David Johnson Fund.

The Small Island Big Song residency is supported in part by Eloise Stinger.

Thank you to the City of Fairfax Parks and Recreation Everybody Plays Grant program for making free tickets possible for the schooltime matinee program. This grant was funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

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CFA

College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)

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

folklore

Center for the Arts

Friends of the Center for the Arts

Mason Artists-in-Residence

Mason Dining

Campus News

Sustainability

Small Island Big Song Residency Showcases Indigenous Artists with Earth Day Message

Zoe Harr — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 17:17:52 +0000

Small Island Big Song Residency Showcases Indigenous Artists with Earth Day Message Zoe Harr Mon, 02/26/2024 - 12:17

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Honor Earth Day weekend with Small Island Big Song on April 20 at ��AV's Center for the Arts for a moving musical experience that combines music, spoken word, and stunning projections to showcase the sounds of various island nations of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, while shining a light on the devastating effects of climate crisis on our world’s ocean.

Small Island Big Song is the brainchild of Australian filmmaker and music producer Tim Cole and Taiwanese theater producer BaoBao Chen (pictured left), who traveled to 16 island nations to capture unique sounds and cinematic sights while working with over a hundred indigenous local artists, elders, community groups, and grassroots musicians. The result of this inspiring research and storytelling yielded two award-winning albums, a feature film, and a world-touring concert. For Small Island Big Song’s April performance, panoramic visuals will work alongside live musicians to highlight a shared seafaring ancestry with interconnected musical traditions.

Small Island Big Song establishes a contemporary musical dialogue between cultures as far afield as Madagascar, Aotearoa, Taiwan, Mauritius, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Tahiti, and Rapa Nui.
(Photo Credit: Small Island Big Song)

To learn more about Small Island Big Song’s creation and its many artists involved, please visit the project’s website.

As a Mason Artist-in-Residence, Small Island Big Song will also work with the community through classes and workshops during the week surrounding the performance, including an Artists in Conversation event and schooltime matinee, both of which are free offerings and detailed below.

Small Island Big Song performs at the Center on April 20. (Photo Credit: Tony Tsai)

Co-presented by the City of Fairfax and Center for the Arts, Small Island Big Song will host an Artists in Conversation titled “Our Shared Seafaring Heritage, Alive in Rhythm and Song” on April 2 at the Stacey C. Sherwood Community Center in Fairfax, Virginia. This free, open-to-the-public lecture-demonstration will provide context prior to the April 20 performance with geographical and historical background about the great oceanic migrations that affected the featured island nations. Additionally, the evening will consist of conversation and musical demonstrations from Small Island Big Song artists, followed by an interactive Q&A session with audience members. This event is free, but registration is required; additional information can be found on the event webpage.

On April 19, Small Island Big Song invites local students to experience a schooltime performance that includes participatory dance and rhythmic activities, as well as an open Q&A with students. In addition to this special truncated performance with participatory activities, Small Island Big Song offers a free Study Guide that includes an introduction to the project, useful links, and relevant historical information. This performance is free, but registration is required; additional information can be found on the field trips webpage.

Get tickets today and join “one very big, very happy family doing what they do best while helping get the word out on a most serious issue” (RootsWorld [US]), Small Island Big Song on April 20.

This engagement of Small Island Big Song is made possible through the ArtsCONNECT program of Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Mason Artist-in-Residence program is supported in part by the Wendy Frieman and David Johnson Fund. The Artist-in-Residence program for this performance is sponsored by Eloise Stinger.

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CFA

Mason Artists-in-Residence

Sustainability

Artist in Residence

Campus News

Mason’s School of Dance Presents Annual Gala Concert at the Center for the Arts

Zoe Harr — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 20:02:31 +0000

Mason’s School of Dance Presents Annual Gala Concert at the Center for the Arts Zoe Harr Thu, 02/22/2024 - 15:02

In This Story

Karen Reedy

Susan Shields

Amanda Snellings

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Learn More About Mason School of Dance

School of Dance students rehearse Robert Battle’s “Awakening” for Mason’s 2023 Gala Concert.
(Photo Credit: Cristian Torres/Strategic Communications/��AV)

��AV’s School of Dance presents the 2024 Mason School of Dance Gala Concert on March 22 and 23, celebrating a rich array of diverse choreographic voices that span from the early days of modern dance to the freshest perspectives of today. As such, this year’s program showcases Mason’s School of Dance students in four varied works by well-known choreographers and dance educators Kyle Abraham (Drive), Rena Butler (This, That, and the Third), Martha Graham (Steps in the Street), and Susan Shields (Visions and Miracles).

“We are thrilled to present this year's Mason Dance Company Gala Concert performances, featuring works by such renowned choreographers including our very own Susan Shields,” said Director of the Mason School of Dance Karen Reedy. A hallmark of our program is our strong connection to the professional field. Our dancers grow tremendously through working closely in residency with these important dance artists. They heighten their professionalism, make connections for their careers, and truly grow from students to artists. We invite audiences to join us to witness the stunning results of our dancers’ hard work. For those who would like to take their support of the School of Dance a step further, we hope to see you at the Mason Dance Fête on March 23.”

A.I.M by Kyle Abraham performed at the Center on February 17. (Photo Credit: Courtesy A.I.M by Kyle Abraham)

Commissioned for New York City Center’s Fall for Dance Festival in 2017, Kyle Abraham’s Drive is a memory-infused piece celebrating the ecstasy of a dance club. Abraham has shared that his origins in dance began in the club world when he was a teenager growing up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This personal experience inspired the high-energy propulsive work set to club beats, which features an ensemble of eight dancers. This performance is staged by Jae Neal. In addition to Abraham’s piece being included in Mason’s School of Dance Gala, Abraham’s contemporary dance company, A.I.M by Kyle Abraham, is a 2023/2024 Mason Artist-in-Residence which included masterclasses with Mason School of Dance students and the local community prior to their performance at the Center for the Arts on February 17.

Rena Butler’s This, That, and the Third premiered in 2019 as part of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s Forge Forward program. The work explores themes of otherness and code-switching. Over 23 minutes, Butler introduces each member of the six-person cast through distinctive solos and intimate duets. The result is a powerful piece in which the ensemble finds connection through shared experience, revealing the power of multiplicity and a progressive future. This performance is staged by Rena Butler and Madison Pineda. For a special preview of Butler’s piece, watch the video below.

Premiered at New York City’s Guild Theater in 1936—as part of a larger piece entitled Chronicle—Martha Graham’s Steps in the Street was created in response to the rise of fascism in Europe. The rhythmic piece is performed by 12 women, who depict the tragedy and isolation of war through a new dance vocabulary developed by the iconic Graham. The original program notes from the full work’s premiere reads, “Chronicle does not attempt to show the actualities of war; rather, by evoking war’s images, it sets forth the fateful prelude to war, portrays the devastation of spirit which it leaves in its wake, and suggests an answer.” The piece is staged by Elizabeth Auclair.

This piece will also be featured in ��AV’s Center of the Arts’ Martha Graham Dance Company performance on April 13.

Mason School of Dance Professor, Susan Shields.

A joyous and colorful celebration of music, Susan Shields’ Visions and Miracles will remind audiences that spring is right around the corner. The large ensemble piece debuted in 2012 as part of The Juilliard School’s “New Dances” project. Set to a lively score by composer Christopher Theofanidis, Shields choreography resonates with vibrancy and serves as a metaphor for Mason’s emerging young performers as they embark on their journeys. Shields is an alumna of, and currently a professor in, Mason’s School of Dance. This piece is staged by Shields and assistants Lauren Ciccolini and Nateisha Reaves.

Prior to the March 23 performance, supporters will attend the Mason Dance Fête at 5:30 p.m. in the deLaski Performing Arts Building. This intimate benefit event is a special celebration of Mason’s School of Dance faculty and students. Guests will enjoy open studio demonstrations of works by leading choreographers, including those featured in the Gala Concert program, as well as a food-and-drink reception. All net proceeds from the Mason Dance Fête go toward Mason School of Dance student scholarship funds. The event is co-chaired by Kimberly K. Eby and Julia G. Morelli and Platinum Sponsors of the event are Dr. Peter N. Stearns and Ms. Donna L. Kidd. To learn more about the hard work and art created by Mason School of Dance, watch the video below.

Witness the impressive future of dance and purchase tickets to Mason School of Dance Gala Concert on March 22 and 23. For sponsorship inquiries and questions about Mason Dance Fête, please contact Amanda Snellings at 703-993-1593.

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College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Dance

Dance

dance faculty

Students

Mason Artist-in-Residence Silkroad Ensemble Leads Events Across Campus and Community

Zoe Harr — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 15:52:41 +0000

Mason Artist-in-Residence Silkroad Ensemble Leads Events Across Campus and Community Zoe Harr Fri, 10/27/2023 - 11:52

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Learn About Mason Artist-in-Residence Program

Returning for their second of three years as a Mason Artist-in-Residence, Silkroad Ensemble and Artistic Director Rhiannon Giddens present the world premiere of American Railroad, an initiative that maps American music through the various communities involved in building the late-1800s Transcontinental Railroad and its connecting railways. In its description of the project, Silkroad explains that though corporations and the American government financed the railroad, the people who built it are the focus of this program—Indigenous and African Americans as well Irish, Chinese, Japanese, and other immigrant laborers whose contributions have been largely erased from history. American Railroad highlights untold stories and amplifies unheard voices from these communities.

“The American Railroad project has been years in the making, and the program we've created for our first tour is only the beginning. In it, we shed light on those who have been erased or overlooked throughout American history and merge with it Silkroad's unique ability to amplify voices from a multitude of backgrounds and cultures. The result is a tapestry of stories, traditions, and musics that have shaped our multifaceted cultural identity, and that must be heard and recognized,” stated Giddens.

Want to learn more about the American Railroad project? Read Silkroad Ensemble’s description.

As a Mason Artist-in-Residence, Silkroad artists will also work with the community through classes and workshops surrounding the performance, which are detailed below.

In a session with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), three Silkroad artists—Karen Ouzounian (cello/vocals), Shawn Conley (bass), and Kaoru Watanabe (Japanese flutes/percussion)—will lead a musical morning that includes individual demonstrations and a participatory Q&A with OLLI participants.
Silkroad Artistic Director Rhiannon Giddens joins Silkroad artist Mazz Swift in a “Beyond the Note” Roundtable event, cohosted by the Dewberry School of Music, that includes conversation with BIPOC College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) students Darren Badley, Telah Harper, and Alyssa Cabassa, as they discuss the successes and challenges experienced by BIPOC musicians and artists.
As part of Mason’s Folklore Program, the course “Global Folklore” taught by Professor Debra Lattanzi Shutika will be joined by Silkroad artist Kaoru Watanabe (Japanese flutes/percussion) and guest artists on the American Railroad program Pura Fé Crescioni (lap-steel guitar/vocals) and Francesco Turrisi (frame drums/accordion) for a special class session that will include musical demonstrations and a participatory Q&A with more than 70 students in attendance.

Silkroad Artistic Director Rhiannon Giddens joins Silkroad Ensemble at the Center on Nov. 5.

In addition to the activities above, multiple Silkroad artists have taken part in a semester-long Mason Honors College course for fall 2023, “The Silk Road and the Railroad: An artistic exploration of the Transcontinental Railroad in American history and culture.” Taught by College of Visual and Performing Arts Dean Rick Davis, this academic course explores the many cultures, histories, music, and narratives of the Transcontinental Railroad, providing context to Silkroad’s newest initiative. Earlier this semester, Silkroad artists visited the class for discussions and will offer an opportunity for students to watch a Silkroad Ensemble rehearsal prior to the November 5 performance.

To learn more about this fall 2023 Honors College course, check out a recent article with Professor Rick Davis.

Get your tickets today and join Silkroad Ensemble with Rhiannon Giddens on November 5 for the powerful world-premiere performance of American Railroad.

Topics

CFA

Mason Artists-in-Residence

Rick Davis

folklore

College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) School of Music

Dewberry School of Music

OLLI

Honors College

Campus News

ARTS by George! 2023 Raises More than $275,000 to Support Mason Arts

Zoe Harr — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 14:25:00 +0000

ARTS by George! 2023 Raises More than $275,000 to Support Mason Arts Zoe Harr Tue, 10/10/2023 - 10:25

CVPA Dean Rick Davis holds Fund-A-Student auction prior to the evening's concert. Credit: Risdon Photography.

ARTS by George! returned on Saturday, September 30, 2023, hosted by the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) at ��AV. The benefit event, which was headlined by GRAMMY and Tony Award winner Renée Elise Goldsberry, raised more than $275,000 for student scholarships in visual arts, dance, music, theater, game design, film, arts management, as well as for the Mason Community Arts Academy, Green Machine Ensembles, and the Great Performances at Mason season at the Center for the Arts. With donations still coming in, ARTS by George! has raised more than $4.1 million for the arts at Mason since the event began in 2006.

The event gave students and faculty from each discipline an opportunity to present behind-the-scenes showcases, film screenings, performances, and interactive experiences. Programming was held in eight open studios, venues, and rehearsal halls across Mason’s Fairfax campus, with beverage and cuisine stations offered throughout.

“ARTS by George! 2023 is in the books, and one for the books,” remarks CVPA Dean Rick Davis. “Thanks to a considerable village, this edition was quite possibly the most uplifting, free-flowing, artistically engaging version of this storied tradition. A hearty thanks to all the students, faculty, staff, and volunteers who made it work better than ever, and to Renée Elise Goldsberry for a generous, inspiring concert and toast, and to our patrons, donors, sponsors, and supporters of all kinds for whom we do the work.”

During the evening’s showcases, guests flowed in and out of three buildings on the Fairfax Campus: deLaski Performing Arts Building, Harris Theatre, and Horizon Hall. Inside deLaski, students from the Dewberry School of Music dazzled the crowd with the powerful voices of Mason Opera students or the impressive instrumental skills ranging from piano to wind symphony. The Dewberry School of Music didn’t stop the beat all night, with talented instrumental and vocal musicians presenting piano, jazz, and opera selections during the nearly two hours of student showcases.

Mason Community Arts Academy perform selections from Newsies. Credit: Risdon Photography.

Just down the hall, students from the Mason Community Arts Academy presented previews of their work and in a separate room, Film at Mason played selections on an array of television screens, inviting patrons to see what students had created in the program. In another wing of deLaski, emerging professionals of the Mason School of Dance performed to packed houses. With both intimate dance performances, as well as the Mason School of Dance’s collaboration with the Dewberry School of Music in their revival of “Come Sunday,” rooms were frequently filled shoulder to shoulder with enthusiastic audience members.

As guests made their way out of deLaski across the Johnson Center Plaza, they were enticed into Harris Theater by the sounds of Mason School of Theater students. Alternating their time on the Harris stage, students astonished the crowd with songs from their upcoming production of 9 to 5 The Musical as well as a student-written one-act play by Dyllan Hutchinson entitled “So, Two Spies Walk Into a Restaurant,” which premiered earlier in The Originals! this September. More music flowed from the amphitheater space between Harris and Horizon Hall, where Green Machine’sFife and Drum ensemble as well as Green & Gold Soul, joined by dance group Emerald Desire, kept energies high as guests ambled along the walkway into Horizon Hall.

Mason School of Theater students (left to right) Kamy Satterfield, Sarah Stewart, Emma Harris, Lexi Carter, Aiden Breneman-Pennas, and Brett Womack join Renée Elise Goldsberry on stage during the evening's concert. Credit: Risdon Photography.

Inside Horizon Hall, Mason’s Computer Game Design program and Virginia Serious Game Institute created mini studios inside the Mason Innovation Exchange (MIX), where guests explored a change of scenery with actual reality and virtual reality headsets. Also in the MIX, the School of Art and Mason Exhibitions gave guests a chance to play with printing, personalizing a postcard they could take with them as a memento of their experience, while elsewhere in the space, Mason Computer Game Design and Mason Exhibitions invited visitors to play selections from the 2023 Progress@Play Competition and Master of Art in Teaching students demonstrated 3D printing. In addition to the buffet within Horizon, Mason Exhibition’s Metamorphosis, an exhibition created by Mason faculty, decorated the space and a Dewberry School of Music student played guitar in the seating area to round out the spectacular mood in the space.

Dewberry School of Music alumni flutist Eduardo Fajardo. Credit: Risdon Photography.

After the showcases, guests transitioned to the Center for the Arts for a live Fund-A-Student Raise the Paddle event, which brought in more than $36,000 towards the total raised, prior to the performance by Renée Elise Goldsberry. Guests and concert-goers were also treated to Dewberry School of Music piano student Kai Shi and School of Music alumni flutist Eduardo Fajardo in a performance paired with personal anecdotes about the importance of student scholarships.

Capping off the evening, Renée Elise Goldsberry performed a concert culminating in multiple standing ovations, an explosive encore, and multiple sing-along moments from Hamilton fans in the exhilarated audience. Interspersed with personal anecdotes, Goldsberry emphasized the importance of student scholarships and love for young artists, noting that she started as one herself. For her final number of the evening, Goldsberry invited Mason School of Theater students Kamy Satterfield, Sarah Stewart, Emma Harris, Lexi Carter, Aiden Breneman-Pennas, and Brett Womack to join her on stage in a medley from the musical Rent. With tears and shining smiles, the students bowed with Goldsberry stepping back to gesture to the students with a proud expression on her face.

Renée Elise Goldsberry and Rick Davis lead a champagne toast on stage. Credit: Risdon Photography.

After the show, Goldsberry and Davis ended the night with a champagne toast on stage for donors, students, and George Mason faculty. Goldsberry reimagined Hamilton’s “Satisfied,” singing, “A toast to ARTS by George! and ��AV. To the donors and the teachers who are always by your side. To the students and the hope that you provide, may you always be satisfied!"

See more images from the event by visiting a gallery of images.

ARTS by George! has raised more than $4.1 million since it began in 2006, with net proceeds going toward student scholarships and community arts programs.

It’s not too late to contribute! Make a difference in the lives of Mason Arts students, staff, faculty, community arts partners, as well as arts lovers of all ages in the region. For more information, please visit the CVPA website.

View Images from ARTS by George! 2023

Donate to the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)

Topics

CFA

College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)

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

College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) School of Music

College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Dance

Computer Game Design

Film at Mason

School of Art

College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Theater

Campus News

philanthropy

Strategic Direction

Exploring the American Railroad with GRAMMY-winning Silkroad Ensemble

Zoe Harr — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 16:31:33 +0000

Exploring the American Railroad with GRAMMY-winning Silkroad Ensemble Zoe Harr Wed, 09/27/2023 - 12:31

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Learn About Mason Artist-in-Residence Program

In March 2023, the GRAMMY Award-winning Silkroad Ensemble debuted their program, Uplifted Voices, at the Center for the Arts, launching their three-year arc as a Mason Artist-in-Residence. Now, Silkroad Ensemble returns for its second year of residency with the world premiere of its program American Railroad on November 5. Various members of Silkroad Ensemble will engage the community through a variety of events, classes, and discussions, including semester-long participation in a fall 2023 Mason Honors College course, “The Silk Road and the Railroad: An artistic exploration of the Transcontinental Railroad in American history and culture.”

Taught by College of Visual and Performing Arts Dean Rick Davis, this academic course will explore the many cultures, histories, music, and narratives of the Transcontinental Railroad, providing context to Silkroad Ensemble’s newest initiative to map American music through the various immigrant communities involved in building the late-1800s Transcontinental Railroad. To learn more about this class and its connection to Silkroad Ensemble’s upcoming November performance, the Center asked Dean Rick Davis to expand upon the course.

Silkroad members, including violinist Mazz Swift, will participate virtually in Mason's "The Silk Road and the Railroad" course.

What is the significance of Mason offering this semester-long academic course in conjunction with the Silkroad Ensemble’s culminating concert at the Center for the Arts?

A key mission of the Center for the Arts is to bring the voice of professional artists into close contact with Mason students, both in the arts and beyond. It is particularly exciting when those students represent a wide range of interests. My current Honors College class comprises more than 15 different academic majors and a like number of minors, from Forensic Science to Engineering to Economics to Modern Languages. Everyone brings their own perspective to the subject, while engaging with the artists of Silkroad Ensemble in ways that demonstrate the universality and power of the arts to ask questions and tell stories that resonate across cultures and disciplines.

In what ways is this new project from Silkroad Ensemble, American Railroad, relevant to modern audiences?

I think it's a brilliant idea to bring the vast metaphor of the Silk Road, that connector of cultures and shaper of economies, closer to home by focusing on the Transcontinental Railroad (and, by extension, railroads more generally) as a transformative element in American history. The cultural connections and clashes that the railroad created (including indigenous and enslaved populations), the role of immigrants in its construction, the very idea that for the first time one could move people and goods quickly across this vast continent—all represent huge shifts in the way our country grew and thought about itself. That, in turn, created songs, stories, paintings, and photographs that still resonate today. The Silkroad Ensemble have studied this very deeply and are creating a variety of original responses. As a symbol of profound change, the railroad has few equals and we are always seeking to understand and live with change, today and every day.

Get your tickets today and join Silkroad Ensemble on November 5 for its stunning world-premiere performance of American Railroad.

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Mason Artist-in-Residence SW!NG OUT got Mason and Northern Virginia swingin'

Zoe Harr — Thu, 12 May 2022 16:46:49 +0000

Mason Artist-in-Residence SW!NG OUT got Mason and Northern Virginia swingin' Zoe Harr Thu, 05/12/2022 - 12:46

Still tapping our toes, the Center for the Arts looks back on SW!NG OUT's time within the community, ��AV, and the Center. As an Artist-in-Residence, SW!NG OUT company members engaged with local swing dance groups, area students, Hylton Performing Arts Center’s Veterans and the Arts Initiative, and community members to share the history of swing and Lindy Hop—and get dancing too! After a wonderful collection of community activities, SW!NG OUT concluded its time at ��AV with its highly anticipated performance at the Center for the Arts on March 19.

A highlight of the evening was the program's incredible conclusion that invited audience members to get up and "swing it out"! Joining SW!NG OUT on and off the Center's stage, audience members danced alongside the company with friends and family, creating one spectacular jam session. SW!NG OUT will be remembered for years to come with their enthusiasm, engagement, and swingin' fun!

Check out some of our favorite moments from SW!NG OUT's time at ��AV:

Topics

CFA

Center for the Arts

Celebrate a Belated International Women’s Day with GRAMMY-winning Singer Lila Downs

Zoe Harr — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 16:49:58 +0000

Celebrate a Belated International Women’s Day with GRAMMY-winning Singer Lila Downs Zoe Harr Fri, 04/01/2022 - 12:49

Having grown up between Minnesota and Mexico, Lila Downs holds great pride in her expansive heritage of being the child of a Scottish-American father and Mixtec mother. In an interview with Reforma magazine, Downs recalls her mother, a singer as well, giving her advice when she was young, “Lila, canta con sentimiento o no cantes. Lila, sing with feeling or don’t sing at all.” Whether it’s a full-throated mariachi song, achingly tender bolero, or sultry jazz tune, Downs does just as her mother advised and pulls audiences in with her authentic charisma and storytelling.

Lila Downs comes to The Center for the Arts April 24.

Not only has she won a GRAMMY award for Best Regional Mexican Music Album with her 2011 album Pecados Y Milagros, but she’s additionally won five awards with the Latin GRAMMYs between 2005 and 2017. If you find yourself in Mexico City, keep an eye out for Downs’ star on the Walk of Fame at the Auditorio Nacional.

Drawing from her multicultural background, Downs’ songs often focus on justice, immigration, and women’s issues. In a recent interview with NPR about her song “Dark Eyes,” Downs speaks of her mother’s continuing influence on her work, stating, “My mother is an Indigenous woman who migrated with my father to Minnesota ... and so I think I live through her vision and through the concern that she always had to not forget her origin, and therefore my origin.” Standing up for overlooked essential workers, especially those that are Indigenous, this topic is one of many that Downs demonstrates a strong passion for. Downs’ official YouTube channel features “Dark Eyes” with lyrics offered in both English and Spanish.

Women’s History Month last month provided many opportunities for everyone all over the world to celebrate women from the past, present, and future. One of the millions celebrating was Lila Downs, who NPR honored as one of the world’s most powerful Latinas. As previously noted, she finds great inspiration from her mother, but also honors her maternal grandmother, Matilde Sánchez. As a former vendor of the traditional Mexican drink pulque, Sánchez represented a classic hardworking woman, one of which Lila Downs notes “taught [her] what is sacred about life.”

On International Women’s Day, Downs honored women everywhere by posting a performance of fragments from poet Rocío García Rey’s “Mujer Colibrí” (“Hummingbird Woman”). The poem, written by a fellow Mexican woman involved in activism through the arts, details violence against women, both past and present, and asks that past victims not be forgotten. Just as Lila Downs had made a point to remember those of Indigenous culture who have faced injustice, Downs makes a similar statement for women all over the world.

In an interview with Radio Canada, when asked if Downs felt that she has disrupted the music industry with her musical activism, she laughs and says, “I hope that I have. I love to break the expectations even though it's hard and it feels like you're constantly swimming against the current, but it's worth it because you are creating … I hope that we are able to do more and disrupt some more of the patriarchal musical lanes.”

Lila Downs' "Cariñito," a collaboration with Panteón Rococó and the Mexican Institute of Sound Mix, to promote education for women:

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CFA

Center for the Arts

Artist-in-Residence Ballet Hispánico Hosts a Week of Dance Activities for Students of Northern Virginia

Zoe Harr — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 18:25:07 +0000

Artist-in-Residence Ballet Hispánico Hosts a Week of Dance Activities for Students of Northern Virginia Zoe Harr Thu, 02/24/2022 - 13:25

In This Story

Marit Majeske

Adrienne Bryant Godwin

Bringing local communities together to celebrate and explore Latinx cultures Hylton Center Artist-in-Residence Ballet Hispánico participated in multiple days of in-person and virtual activities with Northern Virginia dancers leading up to their performance February 19.

��AV’s School of Dance students working with Ballet Hispánico's Artistic Director & CEO, Eduardo Vilaro. Photo by Creative Service.

Director of Programming at the Hylton Center, Adrienne Godwin, notes the significance of this residency, “Ballet Hispánico has been our first in-person Artist-in-Residence since the pandemic started. I haven’t witnessed this much collective joy in so long, and it has been a true honor to see the company members inspire smiles from our community members of all ages. They are skilled educators and communicators, and we are so fortunate to have them share their incredible artistry.”

Elementary through high school students at Hunters Woods Elementary School, Hylton High School, and Round Elementary School collaborated with Ballet Hispánico in dance classes that weren’t just educational, but incredible fun.

Julie DeGregorio Ohrnberger, Dance Resource Teacher of Fairfax County Public Schools, recounts the week’s activity at Hunters Woods Elementary School, “The energy was contagious as everybody moved and learned new styles of dance. I am appreciative that my students had the opportunity to learn these styles from other talented professionals in the dance field.”

Ballet Hispánico holds virtual dance lessons for Round Elementary School students. Photo by Director of Programming at the Hylton Center, Adrienne Godwin.

Second graders from Round Elementary School expressed what they took away from their individual experiences, and shared feedback including “people from everywhere can be a dancer” and “I went home and taught my grandmother the dance!” Their music teacher Cathy Drummond adds, “It was wonderful to see the students fully engaged in the dancing. One student in particular was enjoying herself freely in the movement which was a big step for her as she usually stands off by herself and doesn’t participate in activities.”

Additionally, George Mason University’s School of Dance students took part in a masterclass on the Fairfax campus, a community masterclass was offered in the Hylton Center’s Ballard Postma Rehearsal Studio, and Manassas Lifelong Learning Institute members participated in a lecture-demonstration at the Hylton Center, both of which included education on cultural context and contemporary dance forms inspired by multicultural Latinx experiences. Engagement activities including Latin Social Dance classes, technique and repertory masterclasses, and lecture demonstrations, were led by members of the company, including Artistic Director & CEO Eduardo Vilaro and Associate Artistic Director Johan Rivera.

Manassas Lifelong Learning Institute members participated in a lecture-demonstration at the Hylton Center. Photo by Hylton Center Education Coordinator, Marit Majeske.

Hylton Center Education Coordinator, Marit Majeske, notes, “I am grateful for the time Ballet Hispánico spent sharing their Latinx cultures and exploring the intersectionality of cultures through dance with learners in our community. I was amazed by their ability to work with learners of all ages and to move seamlessly among different age groups – from kindergarten to Lifelong Learners. It was thrilling to witness the interactions between the company and community members and celebrate the fact that these events were able to take place largely in person. I hope that the conversations that started during Ballet Hispánico’s week with us continue in the future to help create a more inclusive community.”

Launched during the 2019-2020 season, the Mason Artist-in-Residence program connects visiting artists with on and off-campus communities, offering a variety of activities created to engage and inspire. These residencies are designed to foster meaningful exchanges between our communities and the artists, as well as create opportunities for transformational experiences, transforming the venues’ stages, studios, and labs into a creative classroom where artistic and intellectual exploration is developed and nurtured.

Students from a community masterclass at the Hylton Center. Photo by Hylton Center Education Coordinator, Marit Majeske.

Eduardo Vilaro, Artistic Director and CEO of Ballet Hispánico, perfectly summarizes the successful week of activities, stating, “Our time in Manassas with George Mason has been a beautiful example of how the arts can lead us out of difficult times. Through intentional interactions with diverse communities, Ballet Hispánico was able to celebrate our Latinx voices and bring much needed joy, unity, and awareness. It is a testament to the leadership at George Mason and I look forward to being in collaboration with this spectacular center for years to come.”

For more information about Ballet Hispánico, please visit their website.

This engagement of Ballet Hispánico was made possible through the ArtsCONNECT program of Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as Hylton Center’s 2021-2022 Season Sponsor, F.H. Furr Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning & Electrical. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional Education Initiative Sponsors include The McNichols Family Foundation, Lillian Ballard, and the Friends of the Hylton Center.

Zoe Harr, the Marketing Graduate Assistant at the Center for the Arts, contributed to this article.

Topics

College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Dance

College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)

Hylton Center