Rita Gigliotti
Music Education Ph.D. Student, George Mason University
Music for Well-Being Program
Phone:
703-835-7875
Email:
Education
George Mason University, Fairfax, VA Ph.D. Music Education 2021-present
George Mason University, Fairfax VA Graduate Certificate in Music for Well-Being
Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA M.M. Music Education, 2005
Seton Hill University, Greensburg, PA B.M. Music Education, 2001
Dual endorsements (Vocal and Instrumental)
Certifications & Professional Trainings
Healing Touch Professional Association (HTPA) May 2020-Present
Healing Touch Practitioner Levels 1, 2, 3
Virginia State Teaching License 2005-Present
Pranayama Training, Beloved Yoga, Maryiam Ovissi May, 2021
Carol Krueger Developing Music Literacy July, 2015
CCM Institute
Commercial Contemporary Vocal Pedagogy Level 2 Certification July, 2012
Academic Appointments
George Mason University 2021-Present
Instructor of Record
MUSI 113 Aural Skills I
MUSI 485/685 Healing Arts Ensemble
MUSI 370 Lab Choir Ensemble
MUSI 455/555 Music as a Healing Art
University Supervisor for Student Teachers
Courses as Teaching Assistant
MUSI 381/681 University Chorale
K-12 Public School Experience
South Lakes High School, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA 2005-2022
High school choral director, Tri-M Sponsor, Directed five choral ensembles, sponsored and mentored three contemporary student run a cappella groups, music director for musicals, service to school committees: PBIS, School Improvement Plan, Student Teacher Cooperating Teacher, Middle Year / International Baccalaureate Programs, Created and organized Parents for Choral Arts Booster Organization standing member (as choral director)
Canonsburg Middle School, Canonsburg, PA 2001-2005
Middle school general music teacher for grades 6, 7, 8
Choral director, musical music director
Related, Relevant Experience
Owner and Instructor of Melodia LLC 2014-Present
Private Studio for Performing Arts and Well-Being
Studio teacher in voice and piano
Freelance: musical artist, composer, arranger, choral conductor, choir clinician, music director, accompanist, church musician
Recitalist, mezzo soprano 2001-Present
Crittenden Opera Workshop, mezzo soprano July, 2012
The Washington Chorus, chorister 2010-2012
Church of the Holy Comforter, Vienna VA 2008-2010
Children’s Choir Director, Professional Alto Soloist
St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Church, California, PA 2002-2005
Church Choir Director, Music Ministry
Publications
Gigliotti, R. (2023). An expectation to achieve: in Ammerman, A. (ed.) The music teacher’s guide to recruitment and retention. GIA Publications.
Presentations
Gigliotti, R. & Beveridge, T. (2023). Exploring music teacher well-being: A collective case study [Research poster, accepted]. Florida Music Educators Association state conference, January, 2024.
Ammerman, A., Bollino, A., Tucker, T. (2023). BOOMING! Recruitment and retention strategies for massive program growth [practitioner presentation accepted]. Florida Music Educators Association state conference, Tampa, FL. January, 2024.
Gigliotti, R. & Beveridge, T. (2023). Exploring music teacher well-being: A collective case study [Research poster, accepted]. Virginia Music Educators Association state conference, Richmond, VA, November 2023.
Gigliotti, R. & Beveridge, T. (2023). Exploring music teacher well-being: A collective case study [Research poster, accepted]. Symposium for Music Teacher Education, Salt Lake City, UT, October, 2023.
Ammerman, A., Bollino, A., Tucker, T. (2023) BOOMING! Recruitment and retention strategies for massive program growth” [practitioner presentation accepted]. Virginia Music Educators Association state conference, Richmond, VA, November, 2023.
Gigliotti, R. Bollino, A. (2023). You can’t teach empty chairs: Strategies for recruitment and retention. [practitioner session]. American Choral Directors Association Voices United, state conference, August 2023.
Invited Talks, Clinics, Adjudications
Purple Heart Upcoming: November, 2023
Music for Well-Being with GMU Healing Arts Ensemble
MUSI 300 Presentations, George Mason University September 2022-Present
“Music for Well-Being: Restore, Renew Rediscover”
“Stress Less for Singers”
“Stress Less for Instrumentalist”
George Mason University Center for the Advancement in Well-Being October, 2021-Present
“Music for Well-Being in Daily College Life”
MusicEdLove Podcast, Host Angela Ammerman #musicedlove June, 2023
Invited guest, interview on authored chapter: An Expectation to Achieve in the Music Teacher’s Guide for Recruitment and Retention
Friends of Mason Music (FoMM) March, 2023
“Good Vibrations: Music to make you feel better”
GMU Osher Lifelong Learning Institute October, 2022
“Music for Well-Being In Your Daily Life”
Loudoun County Public Schools September, 2022
Inservice presentation
“Music for Well-Being in the Secondary Choir Classroom”
Seton Hill University February, 2018
“Resources for the Pre-Service Music Teacher”
Duquesne University April, 2018
“Music for Well-Being in Music Education”
SingStrong DC International A Cappella Music Festival March, 2015
“Maintaining a Healthy Voice”
Adjudications, Guest Conducting
Virginia Music Educators Association District 10, 11, 12, 16 2013- Present
Adjudicator, District Chorus Auditions & All State Auditions
Virginia Music Educators Association, District 1 March, 2024
Middle & High School Choral Assessment Adjudicator
Virginia Music Educators Association District 12 March, 2023
Middle School Choral Assessment Adjudicator
Virginia Music Educators Association District 16 February, 2023
Middle School SATB Choir Guest Conductor
Virginia Music Educators Association District 16 March, 2014
Choral Assessment Adjudicator
Leadership and Volunteer Service
American Choral Directors Association Virginia May 2023 - Present
State Leadership Team: Regional Committee
Friends of Mason Music, Board Member May 2023-Present
American Choral Directors Association Voices United State March, 2023 - Present
Conference Committee, Sponsorships & Exhibits
Virginia Music Educators Association 2020-2021
Advocacy and Government Relations Committee: Inequities Sub-committee
Virginia Music Educators Association, District 12 Representative 2013 - 2015
Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax Choral Directors Association, 2012-2016 Past President, board member, Chair of special events
SingStrong DC, International Charity A Cappella Music Festival 2009-2016
Producer, Host, High School Competition Chair
Performers included Pentatonix, Take 6, The Swingle Singers, every winner from NBC’s The Sing Off, and international and national, high school, collegiate, and professional a cappella ensembles and artists and leaders in a cappella vocal music from overtone singing, barbershop, classical choral, jazz, commercial, and llooping.
Professional Affiliations
International Society for Music Education (ISME) 2023-Present
American Psychology Association Division 10 (APA) 2022-Present
Virginia Music Educators Association (Collegiate Division) 2022-Present
College Music Society 2022-Present
Healing Touch Professional Association (HTPA) 2019-Present
A Cappella Educators Association (AEA) 2016-Present
Contemporary A Cappella Society (CASA) 2010-Present
Virginia Music Educators Association (VMEA) 2005-Present
National Association for Music Education (NAfME) 2001-Present
American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) 2001-Present
Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) 2001-2005
Awards, Honors, Invited Performances
Awards
George Mason University August. 2021-Present
Commonwealth of Virginia Graduate Music Scholarship
Fairfax County Public Schools Special Education Parent Teacher Association, May, 2021
Teacher of the Year, Finalist
Fairfax County Public Schools, Teacher of the Year, Nominee May, 2019
American Association for People with Disabilities (AAPD), March, 2011
Inclusion and Diversity in the Arts Award
Duquesne University, Magna Cum Laude December, 2005
Seton Hill University, Magna Cum Laude May, 2001
Seton Hill University Presidential Academic Scholarship 1997-2001
Seton Hill University Music Scholarship
Honorary Invited Performances
Choirs of America, High School Choir Invitational, Carnegie Hall, NY March, 2019
Featured High School Choir (Conductor)
Walt Disney World Candlelight Processional with Neil Patrick Harris December, 2019
Featured High School Choir (Conductor)
American Association for People with Disabilities Gala (AAPD) March, 2011
Featured choir performance for Embassies, Congressmen, cast of GLEE
(Conductor)
Virginia Music Educators Association Performing Ensemble November, 2011
Selected performing group for State In-Service Conference (Conductor)