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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)

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