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Christopher Sexton is the owner and teacher of
Sexton Music Studio, a private strings lesson facility in the heart of Old Town
Manassas. Teaching violin, viola,
cello as well as bluegrass fiddle, Chris has been teaching private and group
lessons for more than a dozen years through Contemporary Music Center in
Chantilly, Picker’s Supply in Fredericksburg, Foxes Music in Falls Church,
American Children of SCORE in Warrenton, and through the Prince William and
Fairfax County school systems. Now
fully in his own studio, Chris is currently accepting new students for lessons
in all skill levels. Chris excels in
working with folks just starting out on an instrument, kids with challenging
attention spans, home-schooled families, and middle and high schoolers looking
for that added edge to compliment and build upon their orchestra classes.
Sexton Music Studio is a proud member of the
Manassas Old Town Business Association (OTBA), Music Teachers National
Association (MTNA), the National Association for Music Education (MENC), the
Manassas Art Guild, Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music Association
(SPBGMA), International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), and the DC Bluegrass
Union (DCBU).
Education and
Background
Christopher Sexton
received his Bachelor of Music in Music Performance with a Minor in Voice from
the Shenandoah
Shenandoah Conservatory of Music in
Winchester, Virginia in 1997 where he studied with Dr. Kenneth Sarch and Dr.
Marc Ramirez. Chris followed that up
with his Master of Music Pedagogy from the Shenandoah Conservatory of Music in
2010, studying with Roanoke Symphony concertmaster Akemi Takayama and studying
chamber music with members of the acclaimed and prolifically recorded Audubon
String Quartet. In addition to his
formal education, Chris also attended the Suzuki Institute in 1998 for teacher
training, and also was on the bluegrass faculty for Common Ground on the Hill’s
bluegrass camp (sponsored by the DC Bluegrass Union) in 2008.
An accomplished
performer widely recognized in his field, Chris has been a member of the
award-winning bluegrass band Nothin’ Fancy since
1998. Nothin’ Fancy has grown into a
national/international touring force, and are the four-times running Bluegrass
Entertainers of the Year SPBGMA (Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music
Association) award winners for 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2012. All told, Nothin’ Fancy has been
nominated individually or as a group for no fewer than 33 SPGBMA, IBMA, and GMA
Dove Awards. At festivals, Chris is
not only seen on stage but also giving fiddle workshops that specifically aim to
improve the techniques of the budding fiddle players.
Chris has been
honored to perform and work with many of the best and brightest in bluegrass,
classical and chamber music as well as contemporary rock and popular music,
including Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, Gene Watson, Marty Raybon, the Seldom
Scene, John Cowan, Sam Bush, Patty Loveless, Bret Michaels, Sebastian, the
Manassas Ballet Theater, the Loudoun Symphony Orchestra, the Roanoke Symphony,
the Maryland Symphony, and many others.
As a part-time sideman with country musicians Wil Gravatt and Kevin Mac,
Chris has had the honor to perform as an opening act for country legends John
Michael Montgomery and Travis Tritt, and the new country act known as The Band
Perry.
As of January 2013,
Chris will begin a new adventure as a new adjunct professor of violin and viola
at the Northern Virginia Community College's (NVCC) Woodbridge campus. As part of the assignment, Chris will
be utilizing the studio as his primary office and will most likely be giving
lessons there due to current space constraints at the Woodbridge campus. Chris is honored to be selected as a
new member of the NVCC faculty, and is also happy to be part of the expansion
and diversification of the Woodbridge campus' course offerings!
A lifelong Northern Virginia local (yes, they still make those!), Chris still
makes his home in Manassas; just south of the Manassas National Battlefield
Park.
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