Faculty and Staff List
Adjunct Faculty, Marching PERCUSSION, Dewberry School of Music, CVPA
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.
Director of ATHLETIC BANDS, TUBA, Dewberry School of Music, CVPA
Serving as Director of Campus Life Ensembles and Collaborative Arts, and as an Associate Professor of Music, Dr. Michael W. Nickens (a.k.a. Doc Nix) is most recognized as the leader of the “Green Machine”, which in 2015 was named the #1 pep band in college basketball by the NCAA and commended by the Senate and House of Delegates of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Adjunct Faculty, VIOLIN, Dewberry School of Music, CVPA
Joanna Owen joined the George Mason Music Faculty in the fall of 2019. She received her Master of Music degree from the San Francisco Conservatory and her Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from the Eastman School of Music.
Associate Director/Associate Professor, Coordinator of MUSIC HISTORY AND LITERATURE, Dewberry School of Music, CVPA
Dr. Tom C. Owens is Associate Professor and Coordinator of Music History and Literature at George Mason University. Internationally regarded as an expert on Charles Ives’s life and music, he is the editor of Selected Correspondence of Charles Ives (Univ. of California Press, 2007) and a member of the board of the Charles Ives Society.
Adjunct Faculty, GRADUATE KEYBOARD SKILLS, Dewberry School of Music, CVPA
Dr. Hakyong Kelly Park, a pianist from Seoul, South Korea, holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance from George Mason University, is an award-winning performer of international acclaim, and has taught at both George Mason University and New York University Steinhardt. Outside of the United States, Dr. Park was the prize winner of numerous Korean competitions, including the Eum-Youn Competition, Suri Competition, Seoul City Competition, An-Yang Competition, Kyung-Won Competition, and the Music Journal Competition.
Producer of Mason Music Productions, Dewberry School of Music, CVPA
Defying all musical labels, Argentine guitarist/composer Cristian Perez weaves together genres from throughout the world to reveal the universality of music. With a strong foundation in classical, jazz and South American music, he crafts a singular voice, rich in sensitivity and nuance, that freely explores the possibilities of music as an art form.
Adjunct Faculty, JAZZ SAXOPHONE, Dewberry School of Music, CVPA
Originally from Miami, Florida, Professor Perez has performed in 13 countries and 48 states with a wide range of artists in the jazz and Latin music worlds. As the sole U.S. representative, he placed 2nd in the Montreux Jazz Festival international saxophone competition, which featured hundreds of applicants from over 20 countries.
Adjunct Faculty, TUBA, Dewberry School of Music, CVPA
William D. (David) Porter is a retired CMSgt from The United States Air Force Band, Washington D.C. During his 24 year career there, he played tuba with The Concert Band, The Ceremonial Brass and The Symphony Orchestra.
Assistant professor of THEORY and AURAL SKILLS, Dewberry School of Music, CVPA
We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Simon Prosser is the newly appointed Term Assistant Professor of Theory and Aural Skills at George Mason University, effective August 2023. Dr. Prosser previously served as Visiting Assistant Professor of Music Theory at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Dr. Prosser holds the BA in Music from the University of Toronto (2010), the MA in Music from Indiana University (2012) and the PhD from the Graduate Center from the City University of New York (2021).
Adjunct Faculty, STEEL PAN, Steel Pan Ensemble, Improvisation I and II, Dewberry School of Music, CVPA
Victor Provost’s performances transcend the expectations of instrument and genre. With appearances at major venues throughout the world (including Shanghai Concert Hall, Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater, the Umbria Jazz Festival, and the Kennedy Center) he has been meticulously solidifying his reputation as a master of the Steel Pan and crafting an improvisational voice and style to be reckoned with.