America the Beautiful at 250

Reimagining the Future Through Music and Poetry

Event Program

3 p.m.

Instrument Petting Zoo (featuring string instruments provided by Day Violins)

4 p.m.

“Honor and Glory,” written by Soon Hee Newbold, performed by ATOMS Buskers

“My Heart Will Go On,” written by James Horner, arranged by Robert Longfield, performed by ATOMS Buskers

“Danza Latina,” written by Bria Balmages, performed by ATOMS Buskers

“Interstellar,” written by Hans Zimmer, arranged by Paria Maghsoudi and Mark Evans, Jr., performed by Maestro The Cellist

“Hallelujah,” written by Leonard Cohen, performed by Maestro The Cellist

“Viva La Vida,” written by Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion, and Chris Martin (Coldplay), performed by Maestro The Cellist

Mason District Poetry Contest Awards, presented by Lisa Lowry

Poetry reading: The New Colossus, written by Emma Lazarus, read by Lisa Lowry

Poetry reading: Confession, written and read by Mary Mateer (Honorable Mention Award)

“Pearls III,” written by Roland Szentpáli, performed by Dr. Irving Ray
“I. A Very Good Morning”
“II. Since You Left”
“III. Serenade”

Poetry reading: The Colossus’ Back, written and read by Joe Tilton (Honorable Mention Award)

“Perpetuoso” written by Brian Holmes, performed by Parent Orchestra conducted by Annie Ray

Poetry reading: How to Grieve for Strangers, written and read by PJ Gross (First Place Award)

“America the Beautiful,” by Katharine Lee Bates, arranged by Carmen Dragon, adapted by Dr. Irving Ray, and featuring all performers

Concert hosted by John Calvin Presbyterian Church, 6531 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA 22003

Organizers and Contributors (alphabetical)

ATOMS Buskers
Jason and Jenna Day
Kathy Dutke
Mark Evans Jr. AKA Maestro The Cellist
Dr. Michelle Keenan
Annie Ray
Dr. Irving Ray

ATOMS Buskers (alphabetical by instrument)

Violin
Katie Jackson
Jakki Mendez
Nattha Poolchuay
Sophia Theissen

Cello
Kaylee Rivera

Bass
Kelly AuNguyen

Parent Orchestra (alphabetical by instrument)

First Violin
Annie Gedicks
Laura Heim
Helen C. Lee
Laurie Vergott
Amily Wiggins
Trish Rider

Second Violin
Jessie Crain
John Fahey
Stacy Gilbert
Xander Price
Chandra Tastet

Viola
Jessica Busen
Freda Fahey
Hanna Langstein
Lindsay Peterson

Cello
Kathy Dutke
Helen Lee
Yi-Ching Lee
Ann Wang
Nabee Yi

Double Bass
James Don
Scott Engdahl

Instrument Petting Zoo Volunteers (alphabetical by instrument)

Violin
Barb Archibald
Christian Kim
Emma Wiggins

Viola
Adam Busen
Sammy Busen
Audrey Don

Cello
Tae Kim

Bass
Devin Lee

Fairfax Arts Coalition for Education • The goal of FACE is to promote high-quality music education for all students in Fairfax County Public Schools. FACE works with the FCPS School Board, performing arts teachers, and community members to promote the maintenance and growth of the performing arts in FCPS, including advocating for funds in the yearly budget, helping teachers gain access to high-quality training and support, and advocating for the importance of music education in the community. FACE was organized in 1991 and is comprised of representatives from many Fairfax arts organizations and community advocates.

FACE Parent Orchestra is designed to bridge the gap and address the misconception that you can no longer learn how to play an instrument now that you are an adult. Parent Orchestra began with around 25 members in 2018 and in 2019 grew to over 250 interested parents of orchestra students in elementary, middle, and high school.

All participants are volunteers.

Biographies of featured performers and contributors (alphabetical)

Mark Evans, Jr. also known as Maestro The Cellist, is a professional cellist, composer, and esteemed music educator based in the Washington DC metropolitan area blending years of classical training with soulful, contemporary sounds. He is a GMU Alum with a degree in String Pedagogy, and was recently named Artist of the Year, and received Best Musical Performance, as well as The People’s Choice Award at the Richmond International Film & Music Festival. Maestro’s music transcends traditional boundaries as he fuses traditional musical elements with modern storytelling creating an innovative and dynamic body of work that resonates with a diverse audience, bridging generational and cultural gaps through a universal language of music.You can listen to his debut single ‘Elevation’ and all his other original works across all streaming platforms.

Jenna Day is an American performing musician, educator, and small-business owner based in Northern Virginia. She is best known as the co-founder of Day Violins and a prominent advocate for arts education.

She is a passionate advocate for music education and community outreach. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM), as Vice President of the Fairfax Arts Coalition for Education (FACE), a board member of the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras (AYPO), and Vice President of Advocacy for the Virginia chapter of the American String Teachers Association (ASTA). Jenna also served as chair on the Board of DC Strings Workshop, an organization dedicated to bringing music, concerts, and lessons to underserved neighborhoods in the Washington, DC area.

Jenna’s unwavering belief that talent is universal, opportunity is what fuels her daily work. Through her leadership at Day Violins, she ensures that students from all backgrounds have access to quality instruments, instruction, internships, and the resources they need to thrive. Her background in social work and advocacy continues to shape the heart of the company’s mission.

Growing up in a musical family, Jenna was surrounded by singing, dancing, and every kind of instrument imaginable. As an accomplished pianist, she frequently accompanied student performances and was a collaborative force in her high school choir. Though her educational path took her into social work, her love for the arts never waned—instead, it grew into a lifelong commitment to removing barriers to music education.

Jenna is also a dedicated supporter of Instruments in the Attic, a program that collects and refurbishes donated instruments and redistributes them to children around the world. Her efforts, both locally and globally, continue to make music more accessible and inclusive for all.

Kathy Dutke is the social lead for the Parent Orchestra.

PJ Gross is a poet, performer, and theatre-maker, currently based in Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area.

Mary Mateer is a resident of Falls Church, VA and a former Director of Music Ministries at Dulin Methodist Church (Falls Church).

Annie Ray currently serves as both the Orchestra Director and Performing Arts Department Chair at Annandale High School (AHS) in the Fairfax County Public School (FCPS) system. Annie is an advocate for providing universal access to quality music education and is known for founding and developing creative opportunities to make music accessible to students of all demographics.

Her establishment of the Fairfax Arts Coalition for Education division of Parent Orchestra annually teaches about 225 caregivers in FCPS to learn to play their child’s instrument and provides mentorship to upcoming music teachers. Annie also organized the Crescendo Orchestra program to make Orchestra curriculum accessible to students with significant developmental or intellectual disabilities. In April 2020, TEDx invited Annie to give the talk, The Sounds of Success, based on her approach in the classroom and what it means to meet all students where they are at.

Annie is a highly sought after keynote speaker and headliner at music and general education conferences, regular guest lecturer and artist-in-residence at the collegiate level, and an impactful performing arts policy maker at the state level. Her story is featured in an exhibit at the new Milken Center for the American Dream museum in Washington D.C.

Her accolades include being named the 2024 GRAMMY® Music Educator Award winner, Yamaha “40 Under 40” class of 2025, recipient of the Dr. Alice M. Hammel Inclusion in Music Education Award, and a four time Teacher of the Year winner including the 2023 FCPS Outstanding Secondary Teacher of the Year for her work with historically resilient communities and equity in education. Annie is a frequent clinician and educational conductor, noted for her work in advocacy at the state and national level, and is the co-founder of Motherhood and Music Education.

Her mentors include Dennis Langevin, Brian Coatney, Dr. Elizabeth Chappell, Dr. Jaymee Haefner, and Naoko Nakamura. She is an active professional harpist, proud University of North Texas alumna, and currently resides in Arlington, Virginia with her husband Dr. Irving Ray and their daughters Eloise and Millie. Annie is an adventurer at heart, and her biggest bucket list item is to one day win The Amazing Race.

Dr. Irving Ray joined the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” in 2016. A native of Houston, TX, he comes from a large family of eight brothers and sisters, half of whom played euphonium, with the youngest sibling somehow holding out on trumpet. Ray completed his Bachelor of Music Education at Sam Houston State University and later earned both a Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts in Euphonium Performance from the University of North Texas.

An active soloist and clinician, Dr. Ray has appeared as a guest artist in Singapore, Mexico, South Africa, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. His work as a performer and educator has taken him to major music conferences including the International Tuba Euphonium Conference, the Texas Music Educators Association Convention, the College Band Directors National Association Conference, and the Midwest Clinic. In addition to his performing and teaching engagements, Irving serves as the featured euphonium specialist for the Habits for a Beginner Band Student and Habits for an Intermediate Band Student method books.

As an orchestral musician, Ray has mostly recently performed with ensembles including the Richmond Symphony and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, and he appeared in the Virginia Opera’s production of Wagner’s Seigfried on bass trumpet.

Sergeant Ray is also an accomplished arranger, with several published works performed by professional and military ensembles. His arrangements are featured daily at Arlington National Cemetery during full-honor military funerals for fallen soldiers, officers, and generals performed by the United States Army Ceremonial Band, and on the National Mall by the United States Army Band Herald Trumpets, the official fanfare ensemble of the President of the United States.

Among his greatest musical influences are Isaiah Ray, Frank Troyka, Dr. Matthew McInturf, Rex Martin, and Dr. Brian Bowman.

Outside of music, Irving is an avid long-distance runner, an enthusiastic puppeteer, and a hopeful future contestant on the television show Survivor. Above all, his greatest joy and priority in life is being the father to his beautiful children and the husband to his incredible wife.

Joe Tilton is an officer worker and part-time antiquary who resides in Fairfax County.

Special thanks to Mason District Arts Council members

James Albright • Council Chair and event organizer
Lisa Lowry • Mason Arts 250 poetry contest organizer
Rev. Casey Wait • Pastor, John Calvin Presbyterian Church

Additional thanks

To our poetry contest judges, Lorena Saavedra Smith and Shalini Rana for their careful and thoughtful readings of these poems. We would also like to thank ArtsFairfax for their support in making this contest possible.

Mason District Arts Council thanks the Fairfax250 Commission for its support. Visit fxva.com/fairfax250 to explore the celebration.

Thanks to Day Violins for providing the Instrument Petting Zoo experience.