Dean’s Circle Celebrates a Wonderful First Year 24 members. $47,376 raised. 1 extraordinary legacy for academic excellence in the arts.

Student Development Grants (SDG) were created to further support and promote exceptional and innovative student work, and strengthen the profile of Shenandoah Conservatory. These grants are awarded in two major categories: (1) Traditional, which supports students performing or presenting at a major competition or conference, and (2) Conservatory in the Community, which supports student projects that reach new audiences in new places. Given the success of the Dean’s Circle membership drive for this year, a third category was added late in the year: Conservatory Students at Major Summer Festivals, which provides support to needy and advanced performance students to attend and participate in premier music, dance or theatre festivals during the summer. (List of recipients still being finalized.)

Master of Music in Performance (Piano)

BO GAO

Won the Virginia Music Teachers Association Young Artist Competition in his instrument category and as a result represented Virginia in the Virginia in the Music Teachers National Association Southern Division Competition – Regional Finals in South Carolina in January 2017

Master of Music in Performance (Piano)

AARON CHOW

Selected as a semifinalist to participate in the 2016 Schubert International Piano Competition in Dortmund, Germany, in September and the 2017 International Piano Competition hosted by Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota, Florida

Master of Music in Performance (Piano)

MINJI LEE

Selected to participate in the James Mottram International Piano Competition in Manchester, United Kingdom

Bachelor of Music in Performance (Violin)

GERSON MEDINA

Won the Virginia Music Teachers Association Young Artist Competition in his instrument category and as a result represented Virginia in the Music Teachers National Association Southern Division Competition – Regional Finals in South Carolina

Bachelor of Music in Music Education (Saxophone)

DRAKE STOUGHTON

Selected to represent Virginia in the Music Teachers National Association Chamber Winds Competition – Regional Finals in South Carolina in January 2017

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre

JORDAN McCASKILL

Invited to present on the topic of diversity in theatre at the Musical Theatre Educators Alliance Conference in New York City

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting

SAMANTHA PYNE

Directed “The Colored Museum,” a satire by George C. Wolfe at Shenandoah Arts (ShenArts) Council in February 2017 as part of Black History Month programming

Bachelor of Music in Performance (Piano)

RANDY MARTONO-CHAI

Selected to participate in the National Association of Teachers of Singing – Mid-Atlantic Region Voice Competition at the University of North Carolina

The Faculty Scholarship Release for Exceptional Projects was created with an eye to pursuing four central goals: (1) to further strengthen equity among faculty scholars (performance and research); (2) to increase the conservatory’s quality and profile as a vibrant intellectual community and place of excellence in both performance and research scholarship; (3) to further strengthen support for the success of those students and faculty focusing on scholarship; and (4) to further pursue a world-class learning environment within a financially appropriate framework.

Coordinator of Music Theory and Associate Professor of Music Keith Salley, Ph.D., received a Faculty Scholarship Release Award to further support his role as the new co-editor of Gamut, the Online Journal of the Music Theory Society of the Mid-Atlantic.

 

 

 

Associate Professor of Music Education Stephanie Standerfer, Ph.D., received a Faculty Scholarship Release Award to further support her work related to a book project for Oxford University Press in the area of music education.

DOUG VARONE AND DANCERS MASTERCLASS

Doug Varone and Dancers presented six illuminating masterclasses and workshops to Shenandoah Conservatory dance students as well as kids in the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Shenandoah Valley in March 2017.

 

JJ RUSCELLA

Director of Acting and Associate Professor of Theatre JJ Ruscella, M.F.A., presented research on immersive learning at Lincoln Center in New York City in March 2017.

 

TIFFANIE CARSON

Assistant Professor of Dance Tiffanie Carson, M.F.A., presented nexUS, which features seven male dancers from Shenandoah Conservatory, at showcases in College Park, Maryland, and New York City in February 2017.

Conservatory Innovation and Entrepreneurship Grants support innovative and bold faculty projects that promise to make a significant impact on both the vitality and financial strength of the Shenandoah Conservatory learning community. These grants are awarded in one of three categories: (1) the development of workshops, institutes or summer programs, (2) the radical overhaul of a course to increase the innovativeness and quality of instruction and strengthen student success, and (3) a financial project that makes an innovative tweak to an academic program, overhaul of policies and processes within a program or area, or an otherwise innovative change that significantly strengthens net revenue within one or more program areas.

Assistant Professor of Music Therapy Hakeem Leonard, Ph.D., and Director of Graduate Music Therapy Studies and Associate Professor of Music Therapy Anthony Meadows, Ph.D., to develop Continuing Education Unit (CEU) workshops for music therapists, increasing program profile and revenues.

 

Associate Professor of Music History and Literature Laurie McManus, Ph.D., to oversee the development of online doctoral-level review modules for music history remediation.

 

 

Director of Musical Theatre and Assistant Professor of Theatre Kevin Covert, B.F.A., to investigate musical theatre summer camp models to begin shaping an exceptional one at Shenandoah Conservatory.

 

 

Director and Associate Professor of Performing Arts Leadership and Management David Edelman, M.F.A., to pursue the development of online models that might further elevate the profile and revenue of the Performing Arts Leadership and Management program.

 

Harrison Endowed Chair in Piano and Associate Professor of Jazz Piano Robert Larson ’08, D.M.A., to explore the viability and potential shape of a new track within the Music Production & Recording Technology program focusing on popular music.

 

 

Director and Associate Professor of Music Production and Recording Technology Golder O’Neill ’92, M.M.E., to investigate viability of creating an industry-leading Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre Sound Production & Design degree.

In recognition of the great impact staff members have on the success of student learning, faculty work and the culture of the conservatory, Staff 200 Grants were established to provide funding toward equipment and tools that strengthen workplace comfort and productivity. Recipients of the Staff 200 grants include Elizabeth Albert, Amber Connors-Merino, Alisa Daum, Jennifer Green-Flint, Barbara Huffman, Kristen Lynn Pugh, Joanna Short, Megan Smallwood, Carolyn Thompson and Cheryl Woleslagle.