2016 George Mason University Summer Clarinet Academy

From July 25th-29th, 2016, fifteen talented young clarinetists attended the first George Mason University Summer Clarinet Academy in Fairfax, Virginia, directed by Catina Franklin Sweedy with Buffet Artist and George Mason University clarinet professor Kathleen Mulcahy and teaching assistant Nick Thompson. 

Highlights included: 

• Dr. Marie Ross presented an incredible master class about historic clarinets. Students and faculty learned much about these fascinating early instruments, their performers, and performance practice, and were able to play them too!
• Backun Musical Services Artist Blake Arrington led a clarinet repair clinic where students learned about clarinet care and common problems and how to fix (or NOT fix!) them.
• Vandoren Reeds Artist David Gould taught students about reeds, everything from planting and harvesting the cane to how to adjust reeds to get the best results.
• United States Army Band clarinetists SSG Adrienne Hodges, SSG Chris Reardon, SSG Roger Garza, and SFC Leesa Voth performed an excellent concert, complete with a surprise encore of "Happy Birthday" for one of the students.
• The Academy also combined with the percussion, composition, and recording engineering programs for group clinics on sight-reading (presented by The Sight Reading Factory), Steve Reich's "Clapping Music", how to take auditions, and improvisation with George Mason University's Doc Nix. The week culminated in clarinet choir performances of "Caprice for Clarinets" by Grundman, "Trois Divertissements", Movement 1 by Tomasi, and a cover arrangement of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'".
• The 2016 George Mason University Summer Clarinet Academy was generously sponsored by the Vandoren, Buffet, and Foxes Music Companies.
• We had such a fabulous time that we are already planning for next year! Please "Like" our FaceBook Page to stay up to date on future developments! https://www.facebook.com/georgemasonuniversitysummerclarinetacademy