Dr. Linda A. Monson

Join us for our annual Faculty Artist Series featuring School of Music faculty. Our first recital of the series kicks off soon!

The Mason Jazz Vocal Ensemble had the privilege of being a featured collegiate group at the 9th annual Jazz Education Network (JEN) Conference in Dallas, TX. Part music festival, part networking, part education and all inspiration, the annual conference hosts thousands of people from around the globe.

Mason Jazz Studies traveled with 25 people to Dallas, Texas, January 3 - 6, 2018. The Mason Jazz Vocal Ensemble performed Thursday afternoon to a packed house, with wonderful audience reviews. Special guest artists with the MJVE were Jazz faculty, Shawn Purcell and Doc Severinsen drummer, Stockton Helbing! Jazz faculty Matt Niess directed the National Jazz Workshop All-Stars in a featured performance on Friday afternoon with guest artist, Charlie Young. The NJW All-Stars rehearse at Mason throughout the year. 

Friday evening, Darden Purcell and Shawn Purcell performed at Dallas's hippest Jazz club, the Kitchen Cafe, with Dallas musicians, Stockton Helbing, Josh Hanlon and James Driscoll.  

"Jazz 4 Justice" founder, Ed Weiner and Mason Jazz alumni and J4J manager, Shannon Gunn represented "Jazz 4 Justice" in the exhibit hall and will be writing an article for an upcoming JEN publication! 

It was an wonderful week of Jazz performances and education and we are very thankful to to our Mason School of Music and the Jazz Education Network for this incredible opportunity for our students! 

The Mason Vocal Jazz Ensemble performing at JEN. Photo: Suzette Niess

Carlehr Swanson, jazz studies major, developed a program called Music is Unity that she shares in nursing homes and schools. Photo: Evan Cantwell

Carlehr Swanson has been singing all her life. The George Mason University jazz studies major with a concentration in voice was crowned Miss State Fair of Virginia in October. Just as important as the title, though, is the opportunity Swanson said it provides for her to promote “Music is Unity,” an initiative she created that is dedicated to bringing music to others.

Dr. Greg Robinson, music faculty, presented his research at the annual meeting of the Society for Ethnomusicology on a panel titled, “Music in/as Borderlands: Beyond Mexico-U.S. Framings,” which was dedicated to understanding how social groups in Latin America invoke musical practice to define themselves, others, and the national, regional, and cultural borders that separate them. His presentation, “Transnationalism, Counterpublicity, and Musical Intimacy in Chilean Patagonia,” drew on his fieldwork in southern Chile and engaged with research from the fields of ethnomusicology, anthropology, sociology, and cultural studies to argue that within this region, the bonds of intimacy that emerge between and among individuals at musical events shape the ways in which people understand their own regional and national senses of belonging.

While winter break is a vacation for some, it remains busy for The Green Machine. The band supported Mason's men’s and women’s basketball teams by performing at 11 games since December 10. A highlight from the break was performing with Isabella Nicola, who has a remarkable story . Isabella was born without a left hand, and had a special arm made for her by Mason bioengineering students so that Isabella can grip her violin. Stay up-to-date with The Green Machine by visiting greenmachine.gmu.edu . 

Isabella Nicola with her pink prosthetic arm used to play her violin, or "vio-arm."

Dr. Nathan St. Pierre received his PhD in Music Education degree at Mason's Winter Graduation on December 21. Congratulations to all our graduates!

One of our former music faculty members, Dr. Thomas Hill, passed away on December 16th in Springfield, Virginia. Dr. Hill was an Associate Professor of Music at George Mason University for 23 years. A memorial service was held on December 21.  Read the obituary here .