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Welcome to helenfall.com! Helen is a performer and instructor of viola, violin, chamber music, and orchestral music. Explore the site to find out more. Helen Fall Performance Bio For teaching information, please visit the Studio Resources page.
Tips on Staying Healthy During Coronavirus Outbreak This is a great video to help you keep your instrument clean and bacteria free. How Does Music Benefit the Brain? Research shows that music greatly benefits the brain. Read the article. Studies reveal musical training in childhood aids language learning ability Just one hour a week of musical interaction greatly increases linguistic aptitude, even into adulthood. Read the article from The Strad magazine. New Statistics Linking Music Education to Cognitive Development That 'Useless' Liberal Arts Degree Has Become Tech's Hottest Ticket From Forbes Magazine: Big tech employers are widening their hiring horizons beyond the STEM fields: science, technology, engineering and math. Larry Quinlan, Deloitte’s chief information officer, argues in favor of “STEAM,” in which the A stands for the arts. “It’s not enough to be technologically brilliant,” Quinlan says. “We need senior people who understand business processes, too.” Read more. Arts Education Fuels the Economy We all know that studying music and art is good for your brain, but did you know that the arts are also good for the economy? Read why here. A Musical Fix for American Schools |
Monthly Studio Newsletters COVID-RELATED STUDIO UPDATE: 28th ANNUAL SPRING RECITAL –IN PERSON!! Bravi to ALL STUDENTS for beautiful performances at the Studio Spring Recital on May 14th! It was a truly memorable event that meant so much – giving us all a chance to truly celebrate the end of a productive year of music, despite the challenges of the pandemic. It felt so good to see you all in one place at the same time, and to hear your brilliant performances. ************* SURPRISE VISITS FROM FORMER STUDENTS ARE THE BEST! ************** KUDOS TO STELLAR STUDENTS!! Congratulations to former viola student, Patrick Miller (Fall Studio Class of 2012), who was FINALLY able to have that wedding he and his violinist wife, Dianna had been planning for over a year on June 20th. It was a great honor to be invited! Congratulations to Lynelle, voted by her peers to be the Co-President of the Thomas Jefferson HS for Science & Technology Orchestra! Congratulations to Colleen, winner of FIVE medals in Science Olympiads! 1st and 3rd place in the Region, 2nd place in the state, and 3rd and 6th place in the US National Invitational competitions! Congratulations to Kate and Mallory, members of the Regional Champion WT Woodson Varsity Tennis Team! Congratulations to Studio Pianist, Mrs. Michelle Richardson, and her family! Baby Byron Alan Richardson was born on May 27. Mom, Dad (Mr. Matt Richardson) and big brother Eldon are all happy and well! College decisions! Bravo to former viola student, Jason Pak (Fall Studio Class of 2020), the 2020-2021 winner of the strings division of the Culley Concerto Competition at Dartmouth College! You can hear Jason’s performance of the Fantasie by Johann Nepomuk Hummel here. Results for strings decisions begin at 31:20. Jason’s performance begins at 34:49. Bravo to former student, Tyler Hyun (Fall Studio Class of 2020)! Tyler was a co-winner of the Christopher Newport University Concerto Competition. Tyler performed the Fantasie for Viola and Orchestra by Johann Nepomuk Hummel with the CNU Orchestra on April 13! Bravo!! Here is the link to the concert. Tyler's solo begins at 55:37. Bravo to John - placed Assistant Principal in the Virginia All-State Orchestra!! Performing the 1st movement of the Walton Viola Concerto, John was awarded FIRST PLACE, and $300 in the Senior Low Strings Division for the January 2021 NVMTA Concerto Competition! Bravo!! John recorded a performance of the 1st movement of the Sonata by Rebecca Clarke which was submitted for the March 14 NVMTA Judged Recital. The judges’ comments gave him high praise. From one judge he was praised for his “chamber work with the pianist,” “colorful dynamics,” and “nuance.” The other judge wrote: “An impressive, fluent command of varied techniques, with musical phrasing, nice rhapsodic mood, and warm tone.” John’s performance was awarded Honors. Bravo!! John was awarded Honorable Mention in the 2021 US Army Orchestra Young Artist Competition! Shout Out LA featured former Fall Studio viola student, Diana Wade (Fall Studio Class of 2003), in this short interview/article. Diana, who plays in Los Angeles orchestras, movie and television recording studios, and as a chamber musician, soloist and composer, gives good advice for free-lance musicians – and for anyone, really – on life and work. Brava to former Fall Studio viola student, Diana Wade (Fall Studio Class of 2003). Diana is a musician on TWO 2021 Grammy award nominated performances! Bravo to John! Awarded Principal Viola in 2020 Northern Senior Regional Orchestra!! Bravo to John, who was awarded Co-Principal Viola in the 2020-2021 Philharmonic Orchestra, the most advanced orchestra of the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestra program!! Bravi to John, Tyler and Jason for their strong playing at the 2020 Virginia All-State Orchestra auditions! Only 16 violas are accepted from the entire state of Virginia. Results are: Bravi to John, Jason and Tyler for their outstanding performances at the 2020 Alexandria Lions’ Club James Bland Competition. Tyler was awarded 2nd Place!! Bravi to John and Tyler for winning Honorable Mention in the 2020 U.S. Army Orchestra Young Artist Competition. You can find them both in the viola section in the Army Orchestra concert on May 29th at the Rachel Schlesinger Concert Hall! Bravi to Jason, John, and Tyler for beautiful performances at the January 25th, 2020 NVMTA Concerto Competition! Special shout-out to Tyler, who was awarded Honorable Mention from a crowded field of thirteen incredibly talented violists and cellists! Bravi to Jason and Tyler for outstanding performances at the January 11th, 2020 NVMTA General Recital! Bravo to John, who received Honors at the January 12th, 2020 NVMTA Judged Recital. This is John’s second award of Honors for the first semester! Congratulations to Jason, Tyler, and John for acceptance, and performance in, the 2019 Northern Senior Regional Orchestra! *********************************************************** 2020-2021 Orchestra Honors 2021 Virginia All-State Orchestra 2020 Northern Senior Regional Orchestra AYPO Orchestras *********************************************************** 2019-2020 Orchestra Honors 2020 Virginia All-State Orchestra 2019 Northern Senior Regional Orchestra 2019 District 11 Senior Honors Orchestra 2019 District 12 Senior Honors Orchestra AYPO Orchestras TCSYO Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Herndon High School South Lakes High School WT Woodson High School *********************************************************** KUDOS TO STELLAR SENIORS! Bravi to our STELLAR SENIORS, Audrey, Tyler and Jason, who were finally able to perform in a Senior Recital together, and with Mrs. Bunn. The recital was held on June 19th at the Music Spectrum School for the Arts in Herndon. All attendees (performers and parents) were socially distant, and wearing masks. The recital was also streamed on Zoom, with 20 in virtual attendance. It was a truly memorable recital, each player performing a solo portion of 15-20 minutes, and finishing out with Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 with all 3 seniors and Mrs. Fall playing together. It was a absolutely joyful finale! ****************************************************** Welcome, Jinger!! DIANA WADE HINDEMITH MASTERCLASS ON ZOOM On Wednesday, May 27th, Jason and Tyler were treated to another fabulous masterclass with Diana Wade on the Hindemith pieces they have been studying. Tyler played the 2nd movement of Der Schwanendreher, the piece he performed at the Zoom recital on May 15th. Jason played the 3rd movement of Sonata Op. 11, No. 4. It was great to get insight from Diana, a former Fall Studio student, and Hindemith specialist. 27th Annual Spring Recital on Zoom! DIANA WADE VIOLA MASTERCLASS It was a thrill to host another masterclass in Mrs. Fall’s home with master teacher Diana Wade, a rising star in the viola world, and Fall Studio alumnus. Four students played for Diana, including Audrey, Jason, and Tyler from the Fall Studio. Also performing from the Alina Kershon-Goldman Studio, was Pablo Ronderas. Diana has earned her stripes as an expert in the interpretation of the music of Paul Hindemith. 3 of the 4 students performed Hindemith for the class. Area teachers were in attendance, as were students from other teaching studios. Diana has a contract to record all of the Hindemith sonatas for viola – solo sonatas, and sonatas with piano. At the end of the class, Diana treated us all to a performance of Hindemith’s Solo Sonata, Op. 31, No. 4, the work she is currently preparing for the next recording. ********************************************* *******************************************************
I loved getting a text and photo from former violin students, Bobby Chase (Humming House fiddler, composer, arranger, and recording engineer), and Eleonore Denig (composer, arranger, and recording session professional), who shared a stand in a Nashville recording session with singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actress, Lauryn Hill. They both remember Fall's Law! ;-) |
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