The Whole Musician Masterclass series for the 2024-2025 season has gotten off to an exciting start! We have been lucky to welcome three amazing artists so far this fall who have worked with our students on everything from managing their stress to expanding their repertoire and navigating careers in the arts.
To kick off the school year, former Whole Musician Masterclass presenter (and DCYOP parent!) Eva Cappelletti-Chao returned to help our seniors learn cognitive diffusion techniques to help them meet the college application process with more openness and curiosity and less stress. An experienced and in-demand freelance violinist, Eva earned a degree in Psychology alongside her conservatory training, and has most recently honed her skills as a life and career coach specializing in supporting professionals and students in the performing arts.
We were also excited to welcome 2022 Sphinx Competition Winner, Kebra-Seyoun Charles to program in September! A highly sought-after virtuoso bass soloist and composer, Kebra coached both beginner and advanced bass students and engaged our community in conversation about their experiences navigating the world of classical music, offering highly personal advice and insights for students who may be considering pursuing advanced music studies in college and beyond.
Lastly, violinist and pedagogue Katie Lansdale shared a fascinating program with members of our Young Virtuosi earlier this month. Katie performed a wide variety of works for violin by composers from underrepresented demographic groups, including Reena Esmail, Jerod Impachchaahaaha’ Tate, and Lei Liang, as a vehicle for encouraging conversation, introspection, and brainstorming around our preconceived notions of “traditional” repertoire and how students can learn to broaden their musical horizons as performers and listeners.
We are excited to continue presenting a wide variety of artists and specialists as part of the Whole Musician Masterclass series throughout the rest of the season as part of our efforts to offer DCYOP students a broad, holistic education in musicianship that embraces every part of the artist. Interested in learning more or suggesting ideas for guest presenters or topics? Contact [email protected] to share your ideas.
