News

The 2012-2013 Act Two @ Levine season will include two mainstage productions and the launch of our new musical theater Pre-Professional Program with a season to include a production of the Broadway hit musicals, Rent, Batboy and  Next to Normal.

The Pre-Professional students will stage three black box productions, produced by Act Two @ Levine over a ten month program period. Meeting once a week at Levine’s Maryland Campus at Strathmore, students accepted into this highly selective program will participate as performers in two of the black box productions and as an apprentice for a third production.

Check the Act Two @ Levine page throughout the summer for more show annoucements and audition sign-ups.

Congratulations to 10 year old Avery Gagliano, a piano student of Marina Alekseyeva, on her recent performance on NPR's From the Top, the hit NPR radio program featuring America’s best young classical musicians and hosted by acclaimed pianist Christopher O’Riley.

For the past decade, From the Top has been the preeminent showcase for America’s best young musicians. Through award-winning NPR and PBS programs, online media, a national tour of live events, and education programs, From the Top shares the stories and performances of pre-collegiate musicians with millions each week.

For the program, Avery recorded Aaron Copland's The Cat and the Mouse back in April at the Hosmer Concert Hall at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam.

Avery is in the 5^th grade at John Eaton Elementary school and when she’s not making music she enjoys reading, math, swimming, dancing, watching movies and playing with her sister.

View Avery's performance online and listen to her interview.

Congratulations to the winners and all the participants of the 2012 Marlin-Engel Solo Competition.

Piano Competition

JUNIOR

1st place: Victoria Graf (student of Dasha Gabay)

2nd place: Berenika Prasad (student of Irena Orlov)

Honorable Mention: John Buser (student of Irena Orlov)

INTERMEDIATE

1st place: Avery Gagliano (student of Marina Alekseyeva)

2nd place: Cinnamon Sipper (student of Sayaka Jordan)

Honorable mention: Abigail Arkley (student of Hyeweon Lee)

SENIOR

1st place (Ida Canter Prize): Adam Stambouli (student of Alex Peh)

2nd place: Jennifer Wang (student of Anna Ouspenskaya)

Honorable mention: John Stricklett (student of Mikhail Volchok)

Instrumental Competition

JUNIOR

1st place: Melody Flores (violin student of Mary Findley)

2nd place: Zoe Fong (violin student of Jorge Orozco) and Noupour Audinet (guitar student of Doug Rogers and Akiko Sumi)

Honorable mention: Jeremy Foster (violin student of Susan Fuller)

INTERMEDIATE

1st place: Peri Leighty (violin student of Sasha Mikhlin)

Honorable mention: Fiona Cunninghame-Murray (violin student of Sasha Mikhlin), Gabriel Scott-Cooper (violin student of Sasah Mikhlin) and Zane Begun (guitar student of Doug Rogers)

SENIOR

1st place: Jonathan Maranville (guitar student of Franco Platino), and Geneve Dubberly (violin student of Hae-Soon Hahn)

2nd place: Alex Hamburger (flute student of Karen Johnson) and Jack Ludwig (voice student of Charles Williams)

Honorable mention: Yukino Takehara (violin student of Ricardo Cyncynates) and Erin Walk (flute student of Joyce Bennett)

Act Two @ Levine's spring main stage production, for middle and high school students, will be the musical theater phenomenon, JEKYLL & HYDE. The performances will run June 1-3.

An evocative tale of the epic battle between good and evil, JEKYLL & HYDE is based on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic story about a brilliant doctor whose experiments with human personality create a murderous counterpart. Convinced the cure for his father's mental illness lies in the separation of Man's evil nature from his good, Dr. Henry Jekyll unwittingly unleashes his own dark side, wreaking havoc in the streets of late 19th century London as the savage, maniacal Edward Hyde.

Please contact Rachel D'Amboise to schedule an audition.

Expand your musical experience at Levine this semester by applying for the Dean’s or President’s list.

The Dean’s and President’s Lists are enrichment programs designed for students of all ages and abilities enrolled in private instruction at Levine. These programs help students develop into fine, well-rounded and successful musicians and provide a goal to work towards for each semester. Your private lesson or Suzuki teacher can help guide you through the activities.

The Dean’s List is entirely effort based and the more challenging President’s List is effort and merit based. Both programs include a list of activities such as: practicing, listening, taking a jury, theory/enrichment class, concert attendance, performing, reading enrichment and a volunteer activity. Some activities are required, while others you can choose from for the semester.

Student who complete the Dean’s or President’s List activities will be recognized on Levine’s website and receive a certificate of recognition from the School.

Applications for the 2012 Spring semester are now available at all campuses and online.

If you have any questions about the Dean’s or President’s Lists please contact Sarah Andrew Wilson, Assistant Director of Music Education, at (202) 686-8000 x1102 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Congratulations to Levine guitar student Nathan Foley for winning New Artist of the Year at the 2012 Washington Area Music Awards. The 26th annual "Wammies" were held on Sunday February 19, 2012 and recognizes significant career achievements by Washington area musicians.

Nate is a soul guitarist adept at playing funk, blues, rock, soul, gospel and, on occasion, jazz. The 17 year old attends Blair High School. As a Levine student, he is in the honors program and studies electric guitar with Eric Ulreich. Watch a clip of Nate and Eric.

Nate is currently in the Artist in Residence program at the Music Center at Strathmore. As part of the program, Nate presents two public performances on March 7th and March 28th. The March 28th performance will include the world premiere of a new work commissioned by Strathmore.

View the stunning winning performances from the 2012 Cogen Concerto Competition.

Piano Competition

JUNIOR

1st place: Andrew Cocchiara (student of Irena Orlov)

INTERMEDIATE

1st place: Alexander Tsereteli (student of Cecilia Cho)

SENIOR

1st place: John Stricklett (student of Mikhail Volchok)

Instrumental Competition

JUNIOR

1st place: Jackson Pope (violin student of Susan Katsarelis)

INTERMEDIATE

1st place: Joonyoung Lee (cello student of Philip von Maltzahn)

SENIOR

1st place: Jack Ludwig (oboe student of Kenneth Stilwell)

Congratulations to the winners and all the participants of the 2012 Cogen Concerto Competition.

Piano Competition

JUNIOR

1st place: Andrew Cocchiara (student of Irena Orlov)

2nd place: Lili Bobo (student of Irena Orlov)

INTERMEDIATE

1st place: Alexander Tsereteli (student of Cecilia Cho)

2nd place: Eugene Choo (student of Artur Aksenov)

Honorable mention: Abigail Arkley (student of Hyeweon Lee)

SENIOR

1st place: John Stricklett (student of Mikhail Volchok)

2nd place: Marisa Wright (student of Artur Aksenov), Jessica Schwartz (student of Mikhail Volchok), and John Janezich (student of Grace McFarlane)

Honorable mention: Alex Lim (student of Karen Bartman)

Instrumental Competition

JUNIOR

1st place: Jackson Pope (violin student of Susan Katsarelis)

2nd place: Jeremy Foster (violin student of Susan Fuller)

Honorable mention: Na hyun Kyun (violin student of Hyejin Kim), and Jaewoo Chung (violin student of Susan Fuller)

INTERMEDIATE

1st place: Joonyoung Lee (cello student of Philip von Maltzahn)

2nd place: Fiona Cunninghame-Murray (violin student of Sasha Mikhlin)

Honorable mention: Sabrina Shuster (violin student of Sarah Foard)

SENIOR

1st place: Jack Ludwig (oboe student of Kenneth Stilwell)

2nd place: Alex Hamburger (flute student of Karen Johnson)

Honorable mention: Yukino Takehara (violin student of Ricardo Cyncynates)

Maryland Theatre Guide gave Act Two @ Levine's performance of Spring Awakening 5 stars.

Congratulations to the cast, crew, musicians and parents for a weekend of breathtaking performances.

Read the full review on Maryland Theatre Guide.

Washington, DC, September 1, 2011 – The Levine School of Music is pleased to announce the launch of a comprehensive music therapy program this fall, initially at its Northwest DC Campus and with selected partner organizations. Leanne Belasco, previously at the Kennedy Krieger School, has been named Levine’s first Director of Music Therapy.

Music therapy uses music as a tool to help individuals - from children to seniors - transform and improve the quality of their lives, while addressing each individual’s unique emotional, physical, cognitive and social needs. Reaching beyond barriers of social, communicative, and cognitive limitations, music therapy offers individuals with disabilities a means to develop skills that can be used in everyday life. Through music therapy, individuals can identify and manage various emotional states, and can pursue opportunities for creativity and self-expression.  

Peter Jablow, the President & CEO of Levine stated, “Music therapy reflects Levine’s core values of opportunity and community. Under Leanne’s leadership, Levine will, for the first time in the Washington region, offer a comprehensive program to individuals with disabilities or developmental disorders for whom music would otherwise be unavailable.”

Andrea Farbman, Executive Director of the American Music Therapy Association states, “The music therapy needs of people in the greater DC area are enormous; as Executive Director of the American Music Therapy Association, I am thrilled that such a prestigious institution as Levine has the foresight and leadership to develop a top-notch program to fill those needs."

For more information on the program or to contact Leanne please visit: www.levineschool.org/musictherapy

About Leanne Belasco:
Leanne received her Bachelor’s degree in Music Therapy from Duquesne University and a Master’s in Special Education from Johns Hopkins. Most recently, Leanne served as a music therapist for the Kennedy Krieger School’s Montgomery County Campus providing group and individual music therapy services for students with autism spectrum disorders. Leanne takes pride in her ability to provide “creative, structured, and success-oriented music interventions through which students have been able to express themselves and grow as individuals.”