Cooperative Living March 2022 - 15

COOPERATIVEFOCUS
As a former opera
singer, a skilled pianist,
a music teacher and
dance studio owner,
Muscat wanted to do
more to help other
artists achieve
their dreams.
Zooming into Music
by Laura Emery, Staff Writer
Northern Virginia artist opens the door to competition for budding talents
L
ike the graceful dancers that pirouette daily on the floors
ofthe Virginia National Ballet studios inManassas, Va.,
life sometimes requires a little bit ofpivoting as well.
ElysabethMuscat, managing director ofthe Northern
Virginia ballet company and school, wasn't about to let a
worldwide pandemic shut down things for her.
Instead, it was the perfect time to bring a longtime dream
to fruition with her husband, Rafik Hegab. " Because of
COVID and everything getting shut down at the start ofit,
I suddenly found myselfat my home in Bristow every day,
instead ofat the studio, " the Fairfax County, Va., native says.
" I had no other choice than to switch gears and adapt. "
As a former opera singer, a skilled pianist, a music teacher
and dance studio owner, Muscat wanted to do more to help
other artists achieve their dreams. " I wanted to create and run
an international music competition, " she says.
With her extensive background in performing opera in
front ofsold-out venues all across Europe, as well as teaching
music at The Peabody Institute ofthe Johns Hopkins
University for 15 years, Muscat knew she could pivot a little
and successfully pull it off.
And pull it off, she did.
GRAND PRIX OF MUSIC
It's been something the Northern Virginia Electric
Cooperative member had been thinking about for many years.
co-opliving.com
But it wouldn't have come to fruition without COVID.
" It took many, many months ofplanning and working until
very late in the evening, " she says.
She foundedMusic International Grand Prix -an
international music competition for voice, piano, strings,
winds and brass, composition and ensembles - in 2020 and
completed its first season in 2021. " Even during the pandemic,
we were able to hold Zoom semifinals and finals, as well as
in-person finals and a winners' concert live, " she says. The
Hylton Performing Arts Center inManassas hosted that
event onMay 1, 2021.
More than 350 contestants from around the world
participated in five categories and four age groups, with
winners sharingmore than $16,000 in prize money, including
the $5,000 Grand Prix award.
" The winners, 20 ofthem, competed at the winners'
concert.We Zoomed in the competitors fromEurope and
Asia. It was very stressful for me because I was having to
operate the Zoom on my computer backstage, and we were
dealingwith different time zones.We had to make sure
everythingwas coordinated perfectly, right down to the
second, " she says.
" The talent level was so high, " she gushes. The mere
thought takes Muscat back to her childhood, when she first
discovered her passion.
(continued onpage 14)
March 2022 ● Cooperative Living ●
13
http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living March 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Cooperative Living March 2022
