Leesburg, VA August 2022

A R T S + C U LT U R E

LI F E + C U LTU R E

E D U C ATI O N

LOU DOU N SYM PHO NY YOUTH O RCH ESTRA M AKES MUSI C , NO M AT TER WHAT

FIRST L ADY SUZ AN N E YOU N GKIN IN AUGU RATES ‘ SPIRIT O F TH E H O RSE’ IN U PPERVILLE

FRO M TH E PL AINS TO TH E PL AN ETS , YOU N G RO CKETEERS CO M PETE

Kids & Animals AU G U S T 2 022

Advice for what matters most, when you need it most Congratulations to Jeffrey Eveland for being named to the Forbes “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” 2022 list for the fifth consecutive year.

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*Data provided by SHOOK® Research, LLC. Data as of 6/30/21. Source: Forbes.com (April, 2022). Forbes Best-in-State Wealth Advisors ranking was developed by SHOOK Research and is based on in-person, virtual, and telephone due diligence meetings to measure best practices; also considered are: client retention, industry experience, credentials, review of compliance records, firm nominations; and quantitative criteria, such as: assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion because client objectives and risk tolerances vary, and advisors rarely have audited performance reports. SHOOK’s research and rankings provide opinions intended to help investors choose the right financial advisor and are not indicative of future performance or representative of any one client’s experience. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Neither Forbes nor SHOOK Research receive compensation in exchange for placement on the ranking. Rankings are based on the opinions of Forbes and not representative nor indicative of any one client’s experience, future performance, or investment outcome and should not be construed as an endorsement of the advisor. For more information, please see www.SHOOKresearch.com. SHOOK is a registered trademark of SHOOK Research, LLC. Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (also referred to as “MLPF&S” or “Merrill”) makes available certain investment products sponsored, managed, distributed or provided by companies that are affiliates of Bank of America Corporation (“BofA Corp.”). MLPF&S is a registered broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, Member SIPC and a wholly owned subsidiary of BofA Corp.

Banking products are provided by Bank of America, N.A., Member FDIC and a wholly owned subsidiary of BofA Corp.

Investment products: Are Not FDIC Insured Are Not Bank Guaranteed May Lose Value The Bull Symbol and Merrill are registered trademarks of Bank of America Corporation.

CFP Board owns the marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the U.S. The College for Financial Planning Institutes Corp. owns the service marks Chartered Retirement Planning CounselorSM, CRPC®, and the CRPC® logo, and the certification marks Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™, CRPC™, and the CRPC™ logo. © 2022 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

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August 2022 PUBLISHER

Hann Livingston | hann.livingston@citylifestyle.com EDITOR IAL COOR DINATOR

LIFESTYLE LETTER

Resilient Kids, Unlimited Futures Throughout the pandemic, we worried, “are the kids okay?” Parents take it as a matter of course that they’re responsible for their children’s welfare, but why are we surprised when they aptly navigate the obstacles life throws at them, resiliently surmounting challenges, taking the world as it comes, but making of it something better?

We’re bringing you several stories inspired by that resilience this month – one about how resolutely the Loudoun Symphony Youth Orchestra has made music, while waiting for masks (which finally came) and in hopes for a dedicated county performing arts center (still TBD). Another story shows how young entrepreneurs leveraged their pandemic experience to forge opportunities out of need. And a third shows how something so seemingly simple as launching an egg 850 feet up in the air and returning it safely to earth can build a bridge to their futures in the aerospace industry and pave the way to Mars.

Sometimes that resilience emerges in a battle of wills such as rider vs. horse, or in teams where we learn collaboration and problem-solving. But don’t miss the bigger point: confidence is forged by conflict! Or, as my dad used to say, “decide where you’re going or you’ll never get there.”

We do our part to give our kids opportunities and resources, and even build environments where they can feel safe, play and be creative. But, at the end of the day, all we can do is give them options to follow their passions, and move out of the way.

This generation is going places.

Melinda Gipson | melinda.gipson@citylifestyle.com MANAGING EDITOR

Haley Williams | haley.williams@citylifestyle.com ACCOUNT MANAGER

Suzanne Otwell | suzanne.otwell@citylifestyle.com AD DESIGNER

Matthew Endersbe LAYOUT DESIGNER

Kirstan Lanier

Corporate Team CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt CHIEF SALES OFFICER Matthew Perry CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DeLand Shore CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Randy Radosevich DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA Mindy Hargesheimer ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson AD MANAGER Chad Jensen WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell

M E L I N DA G I P S O N , E D I TO R I A L C O O R D I N ATO R @LEESBURGLIFESTYLE

Learn how to start your own publication at: citylifestyle.com//franchise

Scan QR code to visit our Instagram CIT YLIFEST YLE.COM/LEESBURG |

Proverbs 3:5-6 Leesburg Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of the Leesburg area’s most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors.

Information in Leesburg Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the

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L I F E ST Y LE LE T T E R

accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

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AUGUST 2022

inside the issue The Kids and Pets Issue

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36

44

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F E ATU R E D

D E PA RTM E NTS

20 The Youngkins Celebrate the Spirit of the Horse in Upperville

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Lifestyle Letter

12

City Scene

16

Business Monthly

20

Hometown Hero

24

Inspired By

30

Open House

36

Back Stage

44

Education Corner

50

Realty Report

52

Local Limelight

Celebrating the Spirit of the Horse in Upperville

24 From the Plains to The Planets

Young Rocketeers Look to Launch Their Futures from Great Meadow

36 Music, No Matter What

Loudoun Symphony Youth Orchestra Makes Transcendent Sounds in Humble Venues

44 Young Entrepreneurs Shape Business to Fit Their Own Reality YEA! 2022 Winners Take Home $5K in Investment

O N T H E C OV E R

Photography: Nicole Cummings Violinist Amanda Dickson at the Loudoun Symphony Youth Orchestra’s Spring Concert.

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LI FE + C U LT U R E

EDU CAT I O N HO ME + DES I GN

A RTS + C U LT U R E EDU CAT I O N

R EA L ESTAT E FI NA NC E + LEGA L SE RV IC E S

AUGUST 2022

city scene

Where neighbors can see and be seen.

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JEFF SCUDDER

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ANTHONY WU

2 ART PITTMAN TRISH BAER

CHUCK MOORE

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5

BILL VOCKE

BILL VOCKE

1: Freedom Baseball, on their way to their Class 6 State Championship title, beating Forest Park 2: Tuscarora Softball celebrates their state semifinal win against King George 3: Stone Bridge HS Softball defeated Hickory 2-1 to win VHSL 5A State Title 4: Briar Woods Girls Soccer won VHSL Class 5 State Title with an undefeated season record 5: Broad Run HS Girls Soccer won VHSL Class 4 State Title 3-1 over rival Tuscarora 6: Dominion HS Girls Lacrosse won 3rd VHSL Class 4 State Title in a row 7: Riverside Rams defeated Briar Woods to claim the VHSL Class 5 Boys Lacrosse State Title (All photos courtesy of VivaLoudoun.com where reprints are available)

CONTINUED >

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C I T Y SC E N E

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CIT Y SCENE CONTINUED

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1: 12 businesswomen, including Pam Jones of Extraordinary Transitions, contributed to a Leesburg Lifestyle Raffle Prize. 2: Dawn Crawley donated a whole house cleaning from House Cleaning Heroes. 3: CEO Women supporting Veterans Moving Forward which trains companion dogs for disabled vets. 4: Kim Lysik Di Santi reacts to winning the grand prize. More than $2200 was raised. 5: Katie Barchas Wilson, The Market Group Inc., with two “dog’s length” of raffle tickets. 6: Kelly Ryan and Tina Johnson. CEO Consulting Group teamed with BWOL to organize. 7: Dr. Kajal Roy, Niyan Medspa with Veterans Moving Forward Ambassador at a fundraiser at Oatlands.

Photography by Melinda Gipson

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Tag your Instagram photos with @LeesburgLifestyle

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C I T Y SC E N E

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AUGUST 2022

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B USIN E SS M ON T H LY

Lisa Thompson Is Dulles Area's Top Producing Realtor Lisa Thompson of Hunt Country Sotheby’s International Realty was named the Dulles Area Association of Realtors’ Top Producer of 2021 in a ceremony this Spring.

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CONTINUED >

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Protecting What

Matters Most

B U S I N E S S M O N T H LY C O N T I N U E D

Loudoun Chamber Ribbon Cutting for Elle Aesthetic Arts We believe at the heart of what we do is serve people and families with compassion, trusted advice, and fearless advocacy.

Guests joined the staff and chamber representatives for an incredible launch event with cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, designer desserts, professional photography, a DJ, and tours of the luxurious 6,000 square feet of space, 12 treatment rooms and products. Exclusive Event Packages, goody bags, and multiple drawings for over $20,000 worth of products and services were on offer! Elle Aesthetic Arts offers an array of treatments and options for every need of each patient. plasticsurgerynorthernvirginia.com

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B USIN E SS M ON T H LY

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T H E YOU NG K I N S C E L E B R AT E

the spirit of the horse I N U PPERV I LLE ARTICLE BY MELINDA GIPSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY MELINDA GIPSON, CHRISTIAN MARTINEZ

Here, in the dappled light of the winner’s circle at the 169th Upperville Colt & Horse Show, on a blazingly beautiful day in June, they aren’t His Honor the Virginia Governor and First Lady Mr. and Mrs. Youngkin; they’re just Glenn and Suzie. But the day is no less momentous because the Youngkin's are recognizable “horse people” – she is the Director Emeritus of Meadowkirk at Delta Farm Retreat Center in Middleburg, founder of Normandy Farm LLC, an equine training center in Great Falls, and even a former competitor in the Upperville show ring.

No, this day is exceedingly rare. For, it turns out that, for a place where memories run as deep as the rings on the stately oaks that line the Grafton Show Ring, nobody can ever remember a sitting governor attending the event.

They’ve come to pay tribute to Upperville as the oldest horse show in the nation, to recognize local citizens for making it the iconic international draw that it has become, and, in the First Lady’s case, to inaugurate a new trophy, the “Spirit of the Horse Award,” to recognize a woman and resident of Virginia who “demonstrates exceptional service or dedication to, or promotion of, the equine industry.” The award will be given annually at the Upperville Colt & Horse Show, “in celebration of Virginia’s robust agriculture and equine industry.” The award included an engraved bowl, a gift certificate to a Virginia Governor’s Cup award-winning winery, a reception for family and friends and a $1,000 donation to an equine charity of choice. UCHS leadership will partner with the governor “to help identify and champion unsung heroes and celebrate the fact that Virginia is for horse lovers.”

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H OM E TOWN H E R O | L IFE + CULTURE

This year’s recipient is herself a local icon, Dorothy “Punkin” Lee, chosen for her more than 30 years of volunteer service in helping run the show and serving as a board member. A Middleburg native, she says she can’t remember summers without the show playing a prominent role in her childhood. “This award was quite the honor,” said Lee, who says she was totally surprised by the award, “But it is really everyone working together that makes this show what it is. We are not one of the cookie-cutter shows—we’re a community show with international participation, run by the community.” Lee plans to give the donation to a local therapeutic riding organization.

Chatting afterward, Suzanne shed light on why she said to her husband in his opening remarks on “the competition of which we do not speak,” in which she competed a decade ago. She recalls, “I was here with my off-the-track thoroughbred... I had someone train him and he was a good boy. But we got into the ring and there are like 35 horses, and he was a nightmare.

He’s hopping around kicking out, pinning his ears back, unlike the docile, lovely animal he was. He went Hollywood!... I’m on this misbehaving horse thinking, ‘isn’t this fun?’ I’m really angry so I went over to the warm-up ring and rode him for 45 minutes until he literally had his nose on the ground and he was the quietest animal again. Isn’t that so typical?”

Not for those who haven’t experienced it, but we stand on notice that the First Lady is not someone who backs down from a challenge. Together, they look like they could take on the world. With gracious smiles, engaged intellects — and comfortable boots —they might be at home anywhere.

TOP LEFT: Gov. and First Lady Youngkin Present Dorothy ‘Punkin’ Lee with The Spirit of the Horse Award | TOP MIDDLE: UCHS President Joe Fargis Exults in Governor’s Proclamation | TOP RIGHT: Sometimes Feeling Welcome Comes Down to a Comfortable Pair of Boots | MIDDLE LEFT: Awardees: Tommy Lee and Diane Jones Receive the President's Award, Joe Fargis received the Randolph Perpetual Trophy | MIDDLE RIGHT: Punkin, Glenn & Suzie | BOTTOM LEFT: The Governor and First Lady Present ‘Spirit of the Horse’ | BOTTOM RIGHT: Suzanne Youngkin Expressing Her Passion for All Things Virginia AUGUST 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / L E E S BUR G

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FROM THE PLAINS Combined Scout Troups Rocket Team, Woodbridge / Dale City

TO THE PLANETS YOUNG ROCKETEERS LOOK TO LAUNCH THEIR FUTURES FROM GREAT MEADOW

ARTICLE BY MELINDA GIPSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY MELINDA GIPSON, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ROCKETRY CONTINUED >

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I NSP IR E D BY | ED U CATION

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“These students will be designing the rockets that will take us to Mars and beyond.” — Eric Fanning

It wasn’t the sound of hoofbeats that drew 100 teams of highly focused kids from 41 states to the Great Meadow’s 250-acre field events center in the Plains this May. From rocket clubs, STEM clubs, Boy and Girl Combined Scout troops, high schools, middle schools, soccer clubs, youth groups, career centers, and ambitiously named “Starbases” from Los Alamitos to Louisiana, ambitious future rocketeers transformed the bucolic meadow into a spaceport.

It was the 20th Annual American Rocketry Challenge (nar.org/team-america/), the world’s largest student rocketry competition, sponsored by the Aerospace Industry Association, the National Association of Rocketry, and more than 20 industry partners. Importantly, it’s also the aerospace and defense industry’s flagship program designed to encourage students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) – one singled out for its ability to attract girls and minorities. The latter goal was made even more tangible by the upcoming launch of the Artemis 1 mission which aims to put the first woman and person of color on the Moon (now targeted for late August).

Recent decisions by aerospace giants Boeing and Rocketdyne to move their headquarters to Arlington added a special crackle in the air as sponsors wearing their logoed garb moved through the crowd, alongside recruiters from the NASA Student Launch program.

Without a hint of hyperbole, Eric Fanning, AIA President and CEO said, “These students will be designing the rockets that will take us to Mars and beyond.”

Besides their ultimate dream of playing a role in those missions, finalists competed for $100,000 in prizes and the title of National Champion, which

26

I NSP IR E D BY | ED U CATION

includes an all-expense paid trip to London for the International Finals. This year’s winner was Newport High School Team 2 of Bellevue, Washington, in its 14th year competing.

To qualify, teams were required to build and launch a model rocket (650 millimeters or more in length using NAR-certified model rocket motors totaling 80 N-sec or less of total impulse), that safely carries a payload of two raw eggs with a target flight duration of 41-44 seconds and altitude of 835 feet. Then, to select a champion, rules for the National Finals were slightly modified to challenge the teams, requiring they launch payload of one Grade A Large egg for a flight duration of 42-45 seconds, to an altitude of exactly 850 feet (measured by an onboard altimeter), and that then returns the egg to earth safely, without cracking it.

As Carl Curling, the National Association of Rocketry mentor for the nearby Woodbridge Combined Scout Rocket Team explains it, “It’s like golf. You get a point for every degree of altitude that you miss the target parameters, and the lowest score wins, plus there’s a duration component.” He advised three teams of 5-6 kids, one of which, “Alpha” made the finals. To start a rocket club and obtain a NAR mentor, you have only to ask.

LINKS TO GET YOU STARTED: • • • • •

The American Rocketry Challenge: rocketcontest.org The National Association of Rocketry: nar.org AIA: aia-aerospace.org NASA’s Student Launch Program: nasa.gov/stem-ed-resources/student-launch.html

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HOME SWEET POOL ARTICLE BY MELINDA GIPSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY RIVER’S EDGE LANDSCAPES

River’s Edge Landscapes Mirrors its Name in The Lyrical Marriage of Water, Plants and Stone

If all you wanted was a quick swim, Ida Lee is a great choice. But what you really want, is to come home to a place that opens to an outdoor world that is at once magical and relaxing – to ALL your senses. There’s the sight of a well-turned line, intricate and beautiful rock walls and steps that invite you into the water or to enjoy the comfort of a toasty fire as twilight beckons. The smell of that fire mixes with the evening’s release of fragrant flowering plants, chosen to breathe romance or nostalgia onto the scene.

You become wonderfully motivated to accomplish a set of energetic laps in the pool, followed by a warm dip in the adjoining spa. Whether you hear the soothing sound of water tripping over stone steps, the murmur of enchanted guests at a dinner party or the excited squeals of children splashing

30

O PE N H OU SE | HOM E + DE S I GN

in the sunshine, this is your retreat, and, with the combined artistry and functionality of a great landscape architect, it can be whatever you want it to be.

Prepared with photos of some of his recent, breath-taking outdoor creations, we asked Paul LaPointe to explain what goes into the realization of these dreams, and what you can do to create a backyard paradise of your own.

“You’re only one swim away from a good mood.”

– Speedo Marketing Copy A steeply sloped backyard can present a problem or an opportunity. The opportunity shown in Photos #1 and #2 allowed for intimate terraced levels including a lower poolside terrace, a small spa terrace, a mid-level garden patio to enjoy a summer lunch after a cool swim and an upper roofed patio for shade lounging.

1

2

CONTINUED >

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3

4

5

6

7

8

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O PE N H OU SE | HOM E + DE S I GN

Pa u

te oin aP lL

Planning Your Pool A lap pool (Photo #3) offers a unique line-of-site from the kitchen window where the far end of the pool seamlessly spills into the natural landscape beyond.

Lyrical stonework emulates nature with thoughtful curves that accentuate the curves in the elegant Grecian style pool of Photo #4. A large turreted stone feature serves several purposes including providing a dramatic ending point to the tall stone retaining wall on one side. On the other side, it provides a unique border to the wide stone steps that gracefully follow around the curve of the turret.

Fire and Water align in Photo #5.

Sitting just a couple of steps above the pool level, a fire pit surrounded by soft landscape plantings and subtle accent lighting expands poolside enjoyment.

In Photo #6, a spa spills artfully down custom fabricated circular stone ledges into the main pool, creating a soft and soothing sound.

This special feature was inspired by a photo the client saw of a pool in a more tropical climate. To create this feature, we started with large gauged stone slabs and custom cut each radius in such a way as to get an even ripple effect. Each layer had to be set level to a fraction in order for the water to flow down perfectly even across the entire feature.

On every level, there’s room to entertain in Photo #7. Stone borders a cooler travertine tile pool deck to tie in other stone elements in adjacent patios and walls. Photo #8 shows how sculptured conversational coves are created with elemental spacing.

5 C O N S I D E R AT I O N S

1

| Purpose

What are the main reasons you’d like to have a pool? Family fun? Entertaining?

Exercise? For relaxation and decompressing? Thoughtful answers to these questions will go a long way toward helping guide you through many decisions involved with building a pool including size, depth and shape, location and features. If the pool is for family fun, think about a size that will comfortably accommodate your family and gatherings with friends, perhaps including a shallow section for the young ones and a deep end for older adventures. If the pool is for exercise, then a long and narrow lap pool might fit the bill. For R&R chill time, a “tanning shelf” might be considered – a shallow ledge, a few inches to a foot deep for low lounge chairs or floats.

2

| Budget

As with most things, there are many options when considering a pool and even more when it comes to its surroundings. Besides all the options to consider with the pool itself, there are ancillary components that really complete the pool project. Consider style, materials and sizes of pool decks and patio areas, landscaping, grilling area and outdoor kitchen space, night lighting, walkways and paths leading to and from the pool, possible retaining and/or seat walls, a pavilion or other shade structures, pool utility screening, and fencing.

Whatever the cost of the pool, plan on investing at least that amount on the exterior elements to get the most out of your new pool experience.

3

| Location

Use multiple kinds of soft lighting at various levels to create a space that feels cozy and intimate. Hang strings of bistro lights overhead, or a stylish, solar-powered chandelier or pendant light for more of a statement. Use candles and torches on tabletops, and bounce feature lighting on of architecturally notable parts of your home’s exterior.

4

| Overall Appearance

Browse photos of different swimming pools online or thumb through some magazines. Tag and set aside the photos that appeal to you. This will help ensure that your designer and project contractor understand your vision and achieve your goals.

5

| Planning

Now you need someone to help put it all together! This is where having a talented and skilled landscape designer and architect to develop your plan is crucial. They can weave together your vision, budget, location, and functionality resulting in an aesthetically pleasing design that becomes reality! See riversedgelandscapes.com.

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MUSIC, N O M AT T E R W H AT Loudoun Symphony Youth Orchestra Makes Transcendent Sounds in Humble Venues

Dr. Denesha Hayden, LSYO Artistic Director & Conductor

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B ACK STAGE | ARTS + CULTURE

ARTICLE BY MELINDA GIPSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY NICOLE CUMMINGS

The best seats in the house are no doubt those of the parents whose children are motivated enough to make the leap on stage. The final round of auditions for next year’s LSYO will be Saturday, August 27th from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn. See loudounsymphony.org/lsyo-auditions.

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To appreciate how marvelous are the young musicians who play in the Loudoun Symphony Youth Orchestra, you have to close your eyes and listen.

The harsh lighting and acoustics of the Stone Bridge High School auditorium hosting the LSYO’s Spring Concert weren’t ideal, but there was ample room for an enthusiastic audience comprised largely of parents and local arts supporters, and the music itself was transporting.

Among the musicians themselves, you can pick out one performer as young as 12, and the 10 graduating seniors in the String, Symphonic and Philharmonic Orchestra groupings. But while they all play precisely in tune, it would be a mistake to assume they’re all alike.

Ian Farber, an 8th grader on double bass, caught our eye, probably because of his blue hair. He only started playing in school right before the pandemic, then his class met on Zoom, and later with a private teacher and finally the LSYO. “He’s a STEM kid,” says his mom; “He loves robotics, computers and math as well as orchestra, pops groups and jazz.” An enthusiastic booster, she adds, “Pick a school in Loudoun County and the orchestra has someone who comes from there. They come from all over and work hard to take advantage of this opportunity.”

Her words ring true when scanning the names and next year’s destinations of the group’s grads. Ethan Amoh heads to Cornell University for Chemistry and Chemical Biology; Sophia Kuzminski and Daria Slowinska to UVA for Biology and Computer Science respectively. But Evan Romito heads to Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in horn performance, and Elliot Boyko is off to Christopher Newport and Benjamin Dickson to Ohio State University for Music Education. Lauryn and Lily Parks will attend Virginia Tech, Lauryn in Hospitality and Tourism Management and Events and Lily in Music and Event Management. Anson Chen will attend William and Mary. And Kailash Patel wants it all, attending UVA for both Computer Science and Music.

It’s not hard to see why all these students have excelled to such a degree at such an early age. Dr. Hayden Denesha, Music Director and Conductor for the LSYO has an intense dedication to his young performers and to expanding their appreciation of contemporary programming, and has premiered numerous commissions, including at the Kennedy Center.

His multiple conducting degrees come from the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins, the University of South Carolina – where he later helped grow the South Carolina Philharmonic Youth Orchestra program into one of the largest in the state — and the State University of New York at Fredonia.

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B ACK STAGE | ARTS + CULTURE

Violinists Eli Ethington and Amanda Dickson

Emily Banner (bassoon), Matt Banner, Felicity Banner (violin)

Dr. Denesha Hayden, LSYO Artistic Director & Conductor

Robby Carroll, String Orchestra Conductor, brings his wiry enthusiasm to the stage. He currently directs the orchestra at Lightridge High School in Aldie, which boasts a highly rated performance hall. A violin player, he received his Master’s Degree in Music Education with an emphasis in strings from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago. Ashley Driscoll, LSYO’s Symphonic Orchestra Conductor, is the Orchestra Director at Independence High School. She plays cello professionally locally, having earned Bachelor of Music degrees in Cello Performance and Music Education and Master of Music degrees in Orchestral Conducting and Cello Performance from West Virginia University.

But as you might imagine, Loudoun also can call on local professional musicians for master classes (see loudounsymphony.org/ lsyo-masterclass-series), from performers like bassoonist David Young, and musicians from the National Symphony Orchestra including violist Mahoko Eguchi, Assistant Concertmaster Ricardo Cyncynates, cellist Rachel Young, and horn player Robert Rearden.

Dr. Denesha says that, in a normal year, the well over 100 musicians in the program have about eight to 10 rehearsals per concert cycle and do three concerts a year with the three-part ensemble.

There’s an audition process every May, with a supplemental

round in August. Each performer needs to meet requirements to participate in any of the three orchestras. “They have to prepare a solo for performance to basically show us what they can do on their instruments. A lot of times we require scales as well to show facility on the instrument. But then we ask them to prepare orchestral excerpts — little snippets of classical music — to help us sort the solo spots and to help us as conductors program the season better to meet their needs.”

Bottom line, “The audition process serves two purposes. It allows the kids to audition for us and show us what they’ve got.

But at the same time, we get to listen to them and say, if so many kids of this level are joining, then I’m going to pick a certain set of pieces.”

Typically, the String Orchestra draws together the middle-school students to help build foundational skills as orchestral players. Symphonic performers range from 8th to 10th grade, serving as the first tier for winds, brass and percussion to join with the strings. Dr. Denesha’s group consists primarily of juniors and seniors who play professional level literature like Aura by Alan Hankers and Variations on an Original Theme “Enigma” op.

36 by Edward Elgar, performed for the Spring concert.

CONTINUED >

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Seniors Anson Chen, Elliot Boyko, Benjamin Dickson, Evan Romito, Kailash Patel, Ethan Amoh, Daria Slowinska, Sophia Kuzminski, Lily Parks, Lauryn Parks

Dr. Denesha acknowledges that “If the Loudoun Symphony and the Loudoun Symphony Youth Orchestra, as well as our sister organizations across the county, had our own performing arts space, we could build a larger audience and community outreach and have a more flexible rehearsal and performance schedule that better suits the community’s needs. The possibilities are endless.”

Matt Banner, Loudoun Symphony Association, Inc., president says, “Without a performing arts center in Loudoun, we have to rent space to rehearse and perform. Both the LSO and LSYO rehearse in Loudoun County Public School buildings – usually Stone Bridge High School and Trailside Middle School.

LSO performs at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Ashburn; LSYO performs in high school auditoriums.” He and other arts enthusiasts say that despite talks for many years about building such a center in Loudoun nothing has emerged and a recent Rivana development, which originally advertised that it would include a world-class performing arts center now references “community space.”

“Having a dedicated space to rehearse and perform would be transformational,” he adds. Relying on schools as much as they do means the musicians have had cancel concerts and rehearsals due to weather-related school closures. Reservations on a rehearsal space often fall prey to other priorities.

But, Matt, like so many in LSYO’s appreciative audience, is himself a parent and smiles good-naturedly at the many obstacles that have often made it difficult for the music to go on. Last season’s Loudoun Symphony Orchestra performances were virtual through a program they called the LSO Musician Showcase

40

B ACK STAGE | ARTS + CULTURE

and the LSYO offered short virtual concerts every 6-8 weeks.

Students who could perform in person were recorded and the video shared with at-home students who would record their own tracks from home. They then stitched the videos together (see an example here: youtube.com/watch?v=led25m0p1Qs&t=1173s – and trust me that this holds no candle to their performing in person.) LSYO’s 2021 t-shirts were emblazoned with the words “WHATEVER IT TAKES,” and the theme carried over this year to “Music, No Matter What.”

He says his own daughters discovered the Loudoun Symphony in April 2012 when they hosted an instrument “petting zoo” at Rust Library. Musicians were there with their instruments and kids could talk to them and try each instrument. Some two years later Felicity said she’d like to play the violin, a seed planted at that event. Her sister Emily had the chance to hear a bassoon quartet practice during Felicity’s music lessons and took that instrument up a few years later.

His point is clear: from even fleeting exposure, true passion takes root. Getting music out into the community is a prevailing theme. While planning is in the early stages, he says “We are excited to start a chamber concert series this year,” adding that they’d love to partner with wineries as regular venues.

One way to catch a performance is to join the mailing list at loudounsymphony.org/connect and to follow them on social media. Donations (loudounsymphony.org/donate) support all the orchestra’s programs, including renting rehearsal and performance space, master classes, compensating Loudoun Symphony Orchestra musicians who provide sectional coaching and the Summer Orchestral Institute which took place in July.

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Young

ARTICLE BY MELINDA GIPSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARTY SHOUP, BLUE LION MULTIMEDIA

Entrepreneurs YEA! 2022 WINNERS TAKE HOME $5K IN INVESTMENT

Shape Business to Fit Their Own Reality

This year’s graduating class of the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) in Loudoun seemed somehow both younger in age and more grounded in reality. An extremely diverse group, in terms of demographics as well as their approach to business, all were able to leverage their pandemic isolation into a unique perspective on what kinds of products and services they could make that would delight customers and make money.

The entrepreneurial middle school and high schoolers who participate in the 7-month program run by the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce learn how to “make a job” not “take a job,” and to build an actual business plan. Of 22 local student entrepreneurs, seven received a total of $5,000 in funding from YEA!’s investor panel.

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EDU CAT ION COR N E R | EDUCATI ON

Reem Khalil

William Just

Praggy Sangeetham and Priyanka Thaker Michael (Tiger) Combest

Praggy Sangeetham and Priyanka Thaker at Graduation

Samhita Kotamraju At YEA! Graduation

Logan McMillon

AUGUST 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / L E E S BUR G

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Instructors Left to Right: Eric Byrd, Kindra Dionne, (William JustStudent-Investor Panel Winner), Chris Ricci, Kristine Jacobson

46

EDU CAT ION COR N E R | EDUCATI ON

Full 2022 YEA! Graduating Class

“What makes being an entrepreneur exciting for me is knowing that there is never an end – I can keep innovating and expanding forever.” ­— Samhita Kotamraju, Farmwell Station Middle School

THEIR AWARDS INCLUDED:

Faith Shoup, Loudoun Chamber Program Administrator, and a YEA! Graduate Jordan Turnquist

Instructors Left to Right: Eric Byrd, Kindra Dionne, (William Just-Student-Investor Panel Winner), Chris Ricci, Kristine Jacobson

$1,500 to William Just, a sophomore at Independence High School for his Loudoun Candle (LoCA) venture designed to handcraft candles, using 100% natural soy wax, that is uniquely inspired by locations, geography, and the rich history of Loudoun County. His pitch: “These candles can emotionally transport consumers back to a specific location or help them replay a special memory. The candle industry is strong and continuously growing. There is no local company that creates candles specific to Loudoun. Residents can celebrate their community when they burn a candle, and when tourists purchase a candle, they are able to take home “a part” of a special place they visited.” $1,000 to Praggy Sangeetham of Stone Bridge High School and Priyanka Thaker of Lightridge High School who teamed to form P Squared. Priyanka describes their product as a safety attachment device with a built-in tracker and a button that links up to an app where a person can put their emergency contact.

A simple click on the button will reach out to that contact with a message including the identity and location of the sender. Priyanka, who has taught herself to code using White Hat Jr., said her inspiration came from a scary encounter she had with a street peddler while on vacation. Praggy said, “We will be taking other loans and start a Kickstarter campaign to raise more funds to actually start our business. We will use this money to create real prototypes and plan consultations with app developers.”

CONTINUED >

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$1,000 to Reem Khalil of Farmwell Station Middle School, whose business is called, TaVue which has set its sights on “the future of healthy skincare using chemical-free Rosewater.” She says she’ll use her investment on start-up costs and to “promote healthy skincare and confidence among Generation Z.” Her plan is to go to Morocco this summer to find a manufacturer for her line. Besides having a mentor to help her write a realistic business plan, she appreciates the Academy because it, “taught me how to be a good businesswoman.

It taught me to take opportunities and to be patient because wonderful things take time.” $500 to Logan McMillon of Independence High School, whose company HydroDripz would sell colorful, customized hydro-ripped gaming accessories. He says, “The gaming industry is on a massive incline in sales and popularity, and much of gaming equipment is mass-produced, but each gamer is unique.”

HydroDripz uses the art form of hydro dipping to let gamers express themselves with a multi-colored accessory.” Embracing his own uniqueness sparked his product inspiration.

“As I got older, I started to realize that being different is what made me, me. I decided to take pride in my background and culture and started showing it off every moment I could, resulting in the green, yellow and red color scheme in my logo to represent the Guyanese flag.” His takeaway from YEA! was “the template on how to become a successful entrepreneur no matter what idea I have.” $500 to Michael Tiger Combest, of Mercer Middle School for his Happy Cone SnoBall Shop, offering self-serve New Orleans

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EDU CAT ION COR N E R | EDUCATI ON

-style sno-cones. Clearly Tiger’s other major talent is storytelling as he pitches, “It’s Finally Summer and people are craving something delicious, cold, and refreshing. In comes a refreshing, self-serve, mobile Sno-Ball business called the Happy Cone Sno-Ball Shop!”

His brain-child is packed with nostalgia as his grandfather had a similar sno-ball business in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where he was a professor. His innovation is mobilizing the business. “I’ve already made my website and a finalized prototype, now I just need a truck to hold all our stuff.” He says YEA! “makes it so that you can have your own vision in creating your business so that anything you think is cool can be implemented.” $500 to Samhita Kotamraju of Farmwell Station Middle School for VizMe, a visualization software that eliminates the ‘one image for all sizes’ concept in e-commerce clothing stores. She explains, “Not all of us are size 2 models! VizMe will allow online shoppers to visualize clothes on someone their size. I think there is a demand for this product because there is no way one picture of one size could possibly be enough to help everyone visualize how the clothing will look on them.” She is reaching out to local online businesses to see if they would be interested in hosting the first version of VizMe. “What makes being an entrepreneur exciting for me is knowing that there is never an end – I can keep innovating and expanding forever.”

If you know a budding entrepreneur or want to mentor the next generation of Loudoun’s business leaders, check out loudounchamber.org/YEA.

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AUGUST 2022

realty report A sample of recently sold properties in Leesburg.

N E I G H B O RH O O D

ORIGIN AL PRICE

SO L D P RIC E

%SO L D/ O RIG

Beacon Hill

$1,649,999

$1,655,000

100%

14

6

5.5

Big Springs

$875,000

$840,000

96%

33

4

3.5

Courtland Farms

DO M

B DRM S

B AT H S

$2,100,000

$1,750,000

83%

43

5

5.5

Courtland Rural Village

$995,000

$1,085,000

109%

5

5

4.5

Crescent Place

$1,150,000

$1,150,000

100%

1

4

3.5

Edwards Landing

$895,000

$960,000

107%

3

4

3.5

Historic Leesburg

$1,750,000

$1,750,000

100%

0

4

2.5

Historic Selma Estates Lansdowne on the Potomac Detached Lansdowne on the Potomac TH

$1,650,000

$1,500,000

98%

13

5

5.5

$1,475,000

$1,580,000

107%

3

6

5

$807,000

$876,000

109%

6

5

5.5

Little River Estates

$1,297,500

$1,230,000

95%

23

4

3.5

Meadowbrook

$1,302,067

$1,302,067

100%

0

6

5.5

Mount Gilead

$1,040,000

$1,035,000

100%

10

4

3

Peer Manor

$1,350,000

$1,300,000

96%

13

5

3.5

Potomac Station

$950,000

$1,050,000

111%

6

5

3.5

Raspberry Falls

$1,899,000

$1,899,000

100%

9

5

6.55

$869,000

$871,000

100%

3

4

2.5

River Creek Detached

River Creek TH

$1,250,000

$1,350,000

108%

1

6

4.5

Shenstone

$1,325,000

$1,500,000

113%

2

4

5.5

$859,000

$910,000

106%

3

4

3.5

When it comes to buying and selling homes virtually, “Rely on Pam”!

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After retiring further south, we decided to sell our River Creek home after leaving it on the rental market for over ten years. Selling an older home in a high-end neighborhood, with a tenant in place, with $150k of needed updates, long-distance and during COVID-19 pandemic—this could have been the ultimate real-estate horror story. Instead, it was one

of the easiest, smoothest house sales I’ve ever experienced. Pam handled everything and quickly sold the house for more than the asking price. Pam is the most professional and capable agent that I’ve ever worked with.

—Former River Creek Residents

TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT US AT: Pamela Jones, Inc. Dave Jones, GRI

TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT US AT: Pamela Jones, Inc. Cell: (703) 587-7440 Office: (703) 724-9494

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Dave Jones, GRI Cell: (703) 587-7440 Cell: (703) 587-7550 Office: (703) 724-9494 www.ETSellsFineHomes.com

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Treating “Trust” as an Active Verb

Meet Debra Purrington, Bank of Clarke County’s Chief Fiduciary ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY MELINDA GIPSON

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By definition, a fiduciary is a person who holds a legal or ethical relationship of trust with one or more other parties. But beyond that, there’s no fixed road map for how such a person functions day to day. Too often, trusts are forged once and assumed to perform the function for which they were intended without care and feeding.

The Bank of Clarke’s new Executive Vice President, Chief Fiduciary, and Bank Legal Counsel Debra Purrington, operate differently. Debra says the Bank of Clarke’s commitment to community and entrepreneurship so perfectly mirrored her own philosophy that she leaped at the chance to implement the kind of trust department within the bank’s wealth management services that she’d always dreamed possible. “I was determined to create a profitable trust department that really worked for people -- one that didn’t just sort of hand investments over to someone who would sit on them.” Such a department would be proactive, with clear objectives for administering trusts based on classic project management principles.

Debra forged her own expertise in the field of practicing law in Western Massachusetts for 32 years where she and her husband raised their family. During that time, she spent 10 years “in house” at Bank of America in Hartford, West Hartford and Springfield. More recently she worked with The Fauquier Bank, which recently merged with Virginia National Bank, then joined The Bank of Clarke.

Many of her clients have followed her from both Massachusetts and Fauquier, as well as

many team members. Her team now has eight people who proactively administer trusts, review them weekly, and grow their clientele strategically. While BoC does administer some smaller trusts, Debra wants to grow in a direction that makes the added attention cost-effective for both the bank and the client. Much smaller than $300,000 in assets, and some investment clients might be better served by a brokerage if they have investment know-how.

“Quiet clients” who don’t advocate for themselves don’t receive attention from some trust departments, and that can be a recipe for disaster. because, “In the trust area, mistakes or problems multiply over time,” Debra explains. “We want to administer trusts differently. We offer not only the standard Trust Services, but in a way that pledges to assure our clients that they will get hands-on attention every single year.”

To determine which things should be addressed annually, Debra said, “we identify objectives that need to be accomplished and things that should be checked and reviewed every year. And, we engage people to check and review them.”

It’s that specialized list of objectives that forge a fully functioning trust department, Debra says. “I had run a trust organization at Bank of America but I had also represented probably dozens of trust departments over many years and saw what kinds of issues could lurk in the trust area ... there are routines that can prevent problems if you are fastidious about applying those routines.”

Clarity of purpose is critical. Each trust the bank administers has an investment policy

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statement when accepted for administration if not originally. “We create a policy statement that says, ‘here’s what this trust is about.

Here’s what it is trying to accomplish. Here’s the timeframe in which it’s likely to accomplish it. What should our investment portfolio look like?’,” Debra explains. “That’s done as a collaboration between our trust officers and our registered investment advisory firm. We put together a portfolio for each client, and that level of care goes into every single one, whether it’s $250,000, or $50 million.”

“We” includes the bank’s trust committee, to which Debra and her team are accountable. The goal of a trustee is to follow the directives in the trust document.

Being a trained tax attorney gives her highly useful expertise when determining the consequences of a plethora of options when disbursing funds. She also is supported by “professionally trained, lifetime-dedicated people who work on the trusts here.” Each is then subject to several levels of review at their discretion. To manage investments, the bank hires a registered investment advisory firm that provides services under the bank’s supervision to each client., Investment Performance is monitored by state-of-theart reporting technology.

Why have a trust? The most common reason is to control tax liability in Virginia, which still has a probate or death tax. “Special Needs Trusts,” which are on the rise, often hold family assets in a trust to qualify a disabled

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person to receive public benefits. “We take a limited number of special needs trusts, which distinguishes us from most other banks,” because it calls for specialized administrators, Debra explains. “It’s a service that we want to provide because we’re a community bank and many of the people in our community need the services.”

More common are marital trusts intended to support one spouse if the other dies, with the balance of wealth going to the children after the survivor passes. Charitable remainder trusts support the owners during their lifetimes, with the remainder going to charity upon their death. These may be administered in such a way as to mitigate tax liability for those with higher incomes. Educational trusts for children, trusts that hold a large gift for a person until they reach a certain age – each has its own characteristics and instructions that may need to be evaluated by trustees. “Being a trustee sometimes means being in sort of a surrogate parental role. We decide, ‘Does this make sense? Are you going to run out of money by doing this?’ We ask those questions all the time.”

Trusts aren’t for everyone, she says – whether to have one is a discussion everyone should have with an attorney. But, from her perspective, and under her careful watch, “it’s a powerful and useful tool that addresses certain issues and needs. It’s a workhorse.

You decide how you want it to work for you.”

See bankofclarke.bank/.

Whether you’re looking to upgrade your life or your business, we have a lending solution that fits.

PERSONAL & BUSINESS LENDING SERVICES 2 East Main Street, Berryville, Virginia 22611 (800) 650-8723 | www.bankofclarke.bank