CVPA faculty

As an Adjunct Faculty Member of Mason's School of Dance, Kelly has taught advanced ballet, gen ed ballet and modern, and Dance Appreciation 101.

Born into a family of dancers, Christopher d’Amboise has had many careers: dancer, director, choreographer, playwright and teacher.

Dr. Karalee Dawn MacKay is the Director of the Arts Management Program. She has her PhD in Theater and Performance from the University of Maryland.

James has over 12 years of experience developing video games. He has extensive knowledge in the production and live management of games working on titles from Mythic Entertainment, Bioware, EA, and EA Mobile. Read more...

Dr. Scott M. Martin is an inventor, mentor, educator, entrepreneur, and author. He is a Professor of Game Design & Technology, and was the founding Director of the Virginia Serious Game Institute (VSGI), and founding Director of the Computer Game Design Programs at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.

Ed Fraedrich, saxophone, joined the faculty of GMU in the fall of 2011 after having established a successful private studio in the area. He has performed solos with many ensembles, including the National Symphony Orchestra and the Fairfax Wind Symphony.

Jeremy Freer is Administrative Faculty and is Associate Director of Green Machine Ensembles and works closely with Dr. Glenn Smith with the Music and Wellness program. He has taught Music in Motion Pictures, Popular Music Arranging, Jazz History, and Brass Techniques for the School of Music and teaches student arrangers, acoustic groups, photobombing techniques, and rock bands for the nationally acclaimed Green Machine.

Shane Nickels is a percussionist specializing in rudimental and orchestral percussion. Shane currently serves in The United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps as a snare drum instrumentalist and as Adjunct Faculty at George Mason University.

Jonathan Bisesi has held the position of Percussionist with the “Presidents Own” United States Marine Band since May 2004. He has been a featured soloist with the Marine Band on multiple occasions, most notably on the Filene Center stage at the Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, and the “Presidents Own” 2011 National Concert Tour.

Edward Knoeckel is a composer, pianist, music educator and conductor. As an educator, he has developed curriculum for community summer arts programs, public education, as well as having held university and college faculty positions in music theory, American music history, music for dance, music for motion pictures, as well as performance practice.