Archived News
Bringing the Instrument Petting Zoo to Children
CMSP's instructors have been so dedicated to spreading the love of music that they have been bringing the instruments to children throughout the Piedmont area.
Among them, our wind instructor Christina Raczka has attended several schools to demonstrate how to properly handle a variety of instruments, and some members of our strings team, Chris Inman and Kailbeth Chacin, have demonstrated the proper form for violin and cello.
Students have had so much fun picking out their favorite instruments!
CMSP Faculty Members Selected As Competition Winners
CMSP is thrilled to announce that two members of our faculty are winners in the Shenandoah Conservatory Student Soloists Competition! Szymon Czerniak won the Graduate Level Keyboard, and Sarah McMichen won the Graduate Level Instrumental.
Winners of this year’s competition will be featured in a performance with the Shenandoah Conservatory Symphony Orchestra
at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022. Well done!
CMSP Cello instructor Alán Saucedo performs with the Eagles at Capital One Arena
CMSP Cello instructor Alán Saucedo was chosen to participate in
A Time to Sing: An Evening with Renée Fleming and Vanessa Williams a very personal collection of songs performed by two of America's most celebrated vocalists in a unique event at the Kennedy Center.
Access to the performance can be purchased here.
Congratulations Alán!
CMSP announces winner of 2021 Katherine Jameson Scholarship
We are pleased to announce that Nathaniel Abernathy is the winner of the Katherine Jameson Piano scholarship for 2021. Nathaniel is home-schooled and has spent the past years focusing on playing the cello and improving his singing. Coming from a family of talented organists, Nathaniel is inspired to learn the piano so that he may uplift spirits as well as his family does in church services.
In his essay, Nathaniel said that learning to play the piano is a primary goal because of his grandfather who "has always stressed the importance of using our music to glorify God. We were taught that music was a gift and that it took discipline to keep our gift beautiful and in top shape so that we could always give our very best."
Nathaniel is eager to study piano because of the structure it instills in one's life and the duty he feels a calling towards. As he continues to study cello with CMSP's strings instructor Alan Saucedo, Nathaniel looks forward to studying with Szymon Czerniak, refining his knowledge of music theory, and to paving a path towards a career in music.
Pictured from left to right, CMSP piano instructor Szymon Czerniak and Nathaniel Abernathy
CMSP announces winner of 2020 Katherine Jameson Scholarship
We are pleased to announce that Carly Goins is the winner of the 2020 Katherine Jameson Piano scholarship, named for CMSP’s first piano teacher, who taught at the Community Music School of the Piedmont for nearly 20 years. Carly is an 8th grader at The Hill School and has studied piano for seven years with Eberle Damron at CMSP.
In her application essay, Carly wrote that music and the piano have played a major role in her life. “I think music is really beneficial for kids to learn. It has not only been fun to learn but has helped me in school as well. I believe that the study of music is very valuable to undertake and that anyone can learn from it. It’s especially important that kids become involved in it, as it will help them in various ways as they grow older. I am so glad to have been taking piano lessons at this time and intend to carry on my interest in music through high school, college, and hopefully someday into a career.”
Her teacher, Ms. Damron, relates, “Carly’s personality is gregarious, engaging, and gleeful. She is also self-motivated to do the hard core study work with her academics. In piano, this work is sight reading and theory. She advanced several levels last summer because of her choice to concentrate on these skills and broaden her range of possibilities with piano repertoire and theoretical understanding."
Congratulations Carly!!!
CMSP announces 2019 recipient of Katherine Jameson Scholarship
We are pleased to announce that John Umetsu is the winner of the Katherine Jameson Piano scholarship for 2019. John is a senior at Kettle Run High School where he plays trombone in the Wind Ensemble, Marching Band, and Jazz Band. His high school music teacher says, “John leads by example and always communicates with his peers with patience, kindness, and encouragement.”
In his essay, John said that music and music therapy played a major role in his life. In addition to his own musical interests, he saw firsthand the impact music therapy had on his sister. Together, these experiences pointed him to a career in music therapy. John is eager to study piano so he has an additional tool to help him achieve his goal. “I want to help others through music” he explains.
John is studying piano with Dolly Jones, pictured, at CMSPs location at Grace Church in The Plains.
The Katherine Jameson piano scholarship is named in honor of CMSP’s first piano teacher.
CMSP Alum Megan Hasse performs An Evening of Achievement at
the Kennedy Center
Click the picture to watch her wonderful performance.
Way to go, Meg!
Chamber Camp 2019
MCCS Chorus Performs at Upperville Colt and Horse Show
