Levine Music

This weekend, Levine faculty member Ceylon Mitchell will be performing with his Cuban charanga ensemble, Raíces Negras, at the National Gallery of Art! Experience a fusion of Afro-Cuban rhythms, vocals, and instruments from around the world with a program dedicated to the beloved Cuban music group Orquesta Aragón.

Check it out this Sunday, September 22nd, with performances at 1:00 and 3:00 PM. Learn more: https://www.nga.gov/calendar/concerts/82nd-concert-series/afro-cuban-rhythms-raices-negras.html/2024/09/22/1300

Meet our new piano instructor, Colin Chambers! 🎹

Colin earned his BM in Jazz Piano from Howard University. He has been teaching private piano lessons for over ten years and enjoys working with students of any skill level. Colin’s extensive performing background includes engagements with the US State Department and several performances at museums in the Smithsonian Institution. He has appeared at Austin City Limits and at the Saint Louis Jazz Festival in Senegal.

"I think that it’s necessary to consider each student’s unique learning process as well as their individual goals on their musical journey in order to become better musicians."

Learn more about Colin: https://www.levinemusic.org/about/people/faculty/g-colin-chambers/

Vote for Camp Levine as Montgomery Magazine Readers' Choice for Best Day Camp! 🌞

Summer may be over, but you can help us continue to celebrate the memories made at Camp Levine. Visit the link to select Camp Levine, sign in/sign up, and submit your vote. Voting is open until September 22nd. Thank you for your support in voting us the best in MoCo! https://montgomery-mag-readers-choice-2024-voting--montgomery-magazine.contest.vote/kids-and-education/best-camp-day

After 38 inspiring years, Lois Narvey is retiring!

Lois has served in many roles beyond teaching piano and harpsichord. In the span of her career at Levine, she was also Head of the Piano Department, Director of Admissions, Programs, and Partnerships, and was the Acting Dean for a time. We're so grateful for her leadership and dedication to making Levine a musical home for so many.

“The first day I walked through the door, I felt this sort of easiness that I didn’t associate with music schools," Lois recently reflected. " I learned that this feeling of community, friendliness, and welcome was no accident—it was part of the plan, this idea of people coming together just because they love music. That is the qualification for being a student here."

Thank you, Lois, for your many years of service. Congratulations on your retirement!

Re's Kids Club is back for the 2024-2025 school year! Children 4-10 years old can experience the magic of Camp Levine in one afternoon at this “mini-camp” that includes multiple art forms—including hands-on instruction with two different instruments.

The first Re's Kids Club of the year will be held at our MD Campus: Strathmore on Saturday, September 28, from 4:30-7:30 PM (pizza dinner is provided!). For more information and to register, visit levinemusic.org/res-kids-club.

Help us welcome First Music teacher Laura Cian to the Levine team!

While still living in her home country, Argentina, Laura was a Teacher Assistant for Music Pedagogy at the National University of Córdoba’s School of Music. Additionally, she taught music in public and private elementary and middle schools and held a position as a music teacher at Collegium Musicum of Buenos Aires. After moving to the United States with her family in 2006, she worked as a Toddler Class Teacher at Providence Baptist Preschool and a Preschool Teacher at Camp Levine. Over the last eight years, she has been the Pre-Primary through Lower Elementary Music Teacher at the Montessori School of McLean.

"We are all called to find joy in music in its many different aspects: as movers, singers, dancers, active listeners, and performers. During this process, I aim to meet each child where they are and provide a safe and engaging environment where music and movement are at the center of each activity."

Learn more about Laura: https://www.levinemusic.org/about/people/faculty/laura-sofia-cian/

Join us for a year of concerts featuring our incredible faculty! The lineup for the 2024-2025 season of Levine Presents is now live.

All Levine Presents concerts are free for Levine students. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door for the public, and select performances will be streamed online for free. Check out our website for dates and more details about each show. https://www.levinemusic.org/performance/levine-presents/

We're proud to partner with Encore Creativity to create meaningful (and fun!) arts experiences for older adults. The Silver Spring ROCKS ensemble is a rock & roll chorus. No experience or auditions are necessary— just a love for singing and a desire to join a welcoming community! Learn more and enroll: https://encorecreativity.org/group/silver-spring-rocks/

Join us for a Levine faculty recital this Saturday as Dr. Holly Nelson 🎻 and Dr. Luke Ratcliffe 🎹 perform works by Piazzolla, Pirotti, and Schubert.

📅: Saturday, September 7 @ 3:00 PM
📍: MD Campus: Silver Spring
➡️: https://www.levinemusic.org/event/faculty-recital-with-holly-nelson-and-luke-ratcliffe/

This weekend, the National Symphony Orchestra will perform an excerpt from Migrations in Rhythm: A Concerto for Beatbox and Rhyme. Composed by Levine's Music Theory and Composition Chair Evan Meier, Migrations in Rhythm is a rhythmic exploration of hip-hop, Agbadza, ring shout, rumba, New Orleans jazz, funk, and go-go, and features lyrics and beats by Christylez Bacon.

Congratulations to Evan! The NSO's annual Labor Day weekend concert takes place on the West Lawn of the US Capitol — talk about an excellent setting for incredible music! https://www.kennedy-center.org/nso/home/2024-2025/nso-labor-day/

Explore the art of jazz music through percussion instruments, rhythms, genres, and languages from the Latin diaspora! Levine’s Latin Band provides students of all instruments, ages, and levels with opportunities to expand their cultural arts experience and develop their skills in a supportive community. Learn more about this exciting new group class and register: https://www.levinemusic.org/lessons-and-classes/course-catalog/course/our-latin-thing-levine-latin-band-32586/

Help us welcome new guitar faculty member, Jorge Amaral! Jorge has performed extensively across Europe, Mexico, Kazakhstan, Israel, Cyprus, and the United States as a soloist, member of a string quartet, and chamber musician (including duos with flute, cello, and voice). He has published a solo album as well as three guitar duo albums.

Jorge received a BM and MM from Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Italy, before going on to earn an additional MM and a GPD Guitar Performance from the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University.

"My goal is to help students of any age build confidence, develop concentration and patience, and enhance creativity, discipline, and individual musical taste that will ever evolve and last a lifetime, all in a fun and supportive environment."

Learn more about Jorge: https://www.levinemusic.org/about/people/faculty/jorge-amaral/

The Levine Chamber Music Seminar is an exciting new offering for strings students who are interested in exploring or growing ensemble skills. 🎻 We'll work as quartets to learn important chamber skills like score study, cueing and communication, and additional repertoire. Learn more and enroll: https://www.levinemusic.org/lessons-and-classes/course-catalog/course/levine-chamber-music-seminar-session-1-32412/

Camp Levine has been nominated for Montgomery Magazine Readers' Choice contest, and your vote can help us bring it home! 🌞

Visit the link to select Camp Levine, sign in/sign up, and submit your vote. Thank you for helping us show MoCo what makes Camp Levine special! https://montgomery-mag-readers-choice-2024-voting--montgomery-magazine.contest.vote/kids-and-education/best-camp-day

Join us in welcoming Dr. Qun "Jimmy" Ren, our new bassoon faculty member! Qun received his BM from Oberlin Conservatory before going on to receive his MM and DMA from the University of Maryland. He has made frequent appearances with professional orchestras in the DC area and at well-renowned music festivals.

During Qun’s studies at the University of Maryland, he led a bassoon ensemble and coached many undergraduate-level chamber music groups. Qun has taught privately since 2017, and his students have gone on to study at Towson University, the University of Maryland at College Park, and the University of Maryland Baltimore County, majoring or minoring in performance. When not teaching or performing, Qun likes cooking, reading, hiking, and spending time with others.

https://www.levinemusic.org/about/people/faculty/qun-jimmy-ren/

Celebrate the music, culture, art, and sound of vinyl records with workshops, DJ demonstrations, dance parties, and more!

Just for the Record: A Vinyl Day is a free, family-friendly event hosted by our MD Campus: Silver Spring neighbor, Montgomery County's Brigadier General Charles E. McGee Library. We'll see you there this Saturday, August 10! https://mcpl.libnet.info/events?term=Vinyl+Day&r=days&n=30

Welcome music therapist Lina Williams to Levine! Lina leads adaptive lessons, music therapy sessions, and group sessions. Her primary modalities include guitar, piano, voice, ukulele, and percussion.

Lina holds a Bachelor of Music Therapy from Georgia College and State University. While in college, Lina was the Community Service Director of the Music Therapy Society.

Fun fact about Lina: She was in a two-woman accordion group called Weird Gal Yankovic! 😂 When not practicing music therapy, Lina loves to rollerblade, explore DC, and go dancing.
https://www.levinemusic.org/about/people/faculty/lina-williams/

If your child is interested in learning music but unsure what they want to play, it’s time to Meet the Instruments! This class offers a hands-on learning opportunity for beginning musicians to try four different instruments. They'll explore the sound, set-up, and fundamentals of each to find what they enjoy most. Enroll now! https://www.levinemusic.org/lessons-and-classes/course-catalog/course/meet-the-instruments-32433/

The votes are in, and Camp Levine has won "Best Summer Camp" in the Washington City Paper’s Best of DC Awards! This would not be possible without you, our Levine community. Thank you for voting and for supporting our amazing campers, families, teachers, and staff!

Welcome to cello teacher Ryan Donohue! Ryan has been teaching cello for ten years and was previously a Suzuki Lecturer for the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music Preparatory Department. He served as Principal Cellist for the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra, Huntington Symphony Orchestra, and Blue Ash/Montgomery Symphony Orchestra.

"Every student learns differently. My mission as a teacher is to work with each student to find in what ways they learn best; to give them what they need as individuals and create an environment they can enjoy growing in."

When not engaging in cello-related activities, Ryan enjoys listening to a wide variety of music, spending time with family and friends, exercising, reading, and playing video games.

https://www.levinemusic.org/about/people/faculty/ryan-k-donohue/

Last month, Levine piano students Anne Valerie Ter and Yuhan Li gave stunning performances at the Embassy of France for La Fête de la Musique. 🎶 Also known as "Make Music Day," this celebration brings free, live music to public spaces in cities across the world. 👏👏👏

Levine Music mourns the passing of Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, founding member of the Freedom Singers, founder of Sweet Honey in the Rock, and longtime friend of Levine. Dr. Reagon and Sweet Honey in the Rock were artists-in-residence at Levine for many years and were honored at our 2006 Gala. Read more about Dr. Reagon's remarkable artistry and legacy:

Bernice Johnson Reagon, singer and civil rights activist, dies at 81 She was a founding member of the Freedom Singers, who spread the gospel of nonviolent protest. Later, she led the renowned vocal group Sweet Honey in the Rock.

Welcome Holly Nelson to the Levine faculty! 🎻 Holly teaches both traditional and Suzuki methods for violin and viola.

"I truly believe that 'every child (or adult!) can,'" says Holly. "With consistent, disciplined effort, creativity, and expert instruction, anybody who dreams of learning to make music with an instrument will be able to. I make sure the path to musical excellence is paved with lots of fun, confidence-building steps along the way."

Holly has a special interest in studying and performing Argentine tango music. She even received a Fulbright Research grant to study tango music performance practice and pedagogy in Buenos Aires, Argentina! Learn more about Holly: https://www.levinemusic.org/about/people/faculty/holly-nelson/

Meet Dr. Jessica Powell Eig, who recently joined our faculty and teaches double bass. She is an accomplished performer, teaching artist, and clinician.

Jessica's teaching philosophy focuses on building a solid foundation while keeping things fresh and exciting for her students. She incorporates cutting-edge techniques and historical knowledge to help students develop their musicianship and creativity.

Beyond teaching and performing, Jessica is a dedicated advocate for the arts, sharing her expertise with established and emerging arts organizations. Learn more about Jessica: https://www.levinemusic.org/about/people/faculty/jessica-powell-eig/

We're excited to share that Levine piano student Minjae Jeon won the grand prize at the Maestro Carnegie Debut Audition! She will perform in the American Masters Music Awards Winners Concert at Carnegie Weill Recital Hall in October. Minjae, a student of Dr. Jinha Park, participated in our Rising Stars program during the 2023-2024 academic year and will join the Honors program this fall.

Congratulations, Minjae! We can't wait for you to make your Carnegie Hall debut!

Our inaugural flute intensive was a hit for music lovers of all ages! This week-long immersion included educational sessions on everything from Baroque ornamentation to opera, including a jazz flute workshop with Alex Hamburger. Students participated in chamber music experiences, tone and technique bootcamp sessions, master classes with guest artist Dr. Julietta Curenton, and final performances to showcase their newfound skills. We're already excited for next summer!

Help us welcome Brian Shoop, who recently joined the Levine faculty in our Strings Department! Brian teaches violin and viola and also leads one of our beginner orchestras. When not performing or teaching, he loves cooking, baking, crocheting, and being in nature.

"I believe in making music fun for all of my students! I like to get to know my students individually and find what they relate to the most–this way, I can help my students find their own personal connection to music." Learn more about Brian: https://www.levinemusic.org/about/people/faculty/brian-andrew-shoop/

Congratulations to Levine piano student Angela Poh! Angela recently won 3rd place at the 12th Boston International Piano Competition, in the Silver Stream category.

Angela started learning the piano when she was four years old and was a prize winner at several national and international piano competitions in her teenage years. After a decade-long hiatus, she returned to the piano at Levine Music and is currently studying with Martin Labazevitch. Join us in celebrating this achievement! 👏👏👏

School's out, music's in! It's the perfect time to learn a new skill, and there's still time to join summer experiences for July and August. Explore one of our group classes, camps, or ensembles today: https://www.levinemusic.org/lessons-and-classes/get-started/