Arts
Music

Dillon Moran Musicians in Residence

VISITING ARTISTS BRING US TOGETHER

Musicians-in-Residence
We make it a priority to teach our students about the value of the arts in society. We want every student to have an appreciation for the talent, dedication and purposeful practice necessary to be a successful performing artist. These visiting performers broaden our understanding of different genres of music and performance styles while exploring opportunities available for students. The musician-in-residence workshops and performances bring our community together to learn, practice and share in the joy of great music.

DILLON MORAN MUSICIAN-IN-RESIDENCE

Doug Lagarde, Head of School

Dillon Moran was the embodiment of a Severn student – a serious scholar, athlete and musician who truly exhibited a passion for life and the Severn community. A friend to all, Dillon will be remembered for many things including his enthusiasm for music. He loved music of all kinds and this resident musician program is designed to inspire all Severn students to appreciate great music the way that Dillon did.

2023 Musician in Residence - Julian Gargiulo

22-23 Dillon Moran Musician in Residence

2024 Musician in Residence: Paolo Schianchi

2024 Dillon Moran Musician in Residence

Dillon Moran Musicians-in-Residence: Recent Performers

List of 3 items.

  • 2023-24: Paolo Schianchi

    Severn is excited to welcome Paolo Schianchi as our 2023-24 Dillon Moran Musician in Residence. 

    Paolo Schianchi is considered by many one of the best Italian musicians of his generation. He is an out of the ordinary performer, able to master all the varieties of the guitar, spanning from the Renaissance lute to visionary instruments which he has personally invented. Among them, a 49-string guitar (specifically made for him by the Argentine luthier Carlos Roberto Michelutti) and the Octopus (a patented, complex electro-acoustic system which enables him to play several guitars contemporaneously using both hands and feet, mixing their sounds in real time exclusively live). Both the 49-string guitar and the Octopus are  currently unique worldwide.
     
    Paolo is a guitarist, composer, arranger, producer, researcher, inventor and educator. He has earned 4 University Degrees in Music and in Communication in Europe, and in 2012 he became the first Artist in Residence in the history of  Saint Francis University (PA), founded 1847. He was also the first soloist to perform in a concert on the guitar at Carnegie Museum of Art (PA, USA).

    Read the recap story on Paolo Schianchi's visit, written by Emily Leach '24.
  • 2022-23: Julian Gargiulo

    Pianist and composer Julian Gargiulo was the 2023 Dillon Moran Musician in Residence. Gargiulo spent two full days with Severn students, where he performed for both the Upper School and Middle School, taking questions from the audience afterwards. He also held a small-group composer discussion with AP Music Theory students, a composing discussion with Music Tech students, and a piano recording session with the Recording Studio class. In addition, he hosted coaching sessions with two of Severn’s performance groups - Instrument Ensemble and Treble Choir. He also held an Open Masterclass where students performed and received feedback from Gargiulo, and he had lunch each day with students interested in music.  His residency concluded with an evening concert that was open to the public.
  • 2021-22: Super City

    For our 2021-2022 Dillon Moran Musician in Residence program, local Baltimore band Super City joined us for two days of performances and workshops for our Middle and Upper School students with a final show open to Severn families and friends on Friday evening. From jam band sessions to rehearsing vocals with our Severn vocal ensembles, Super City gave our students a peek into band life, offering practical advice to let their creativity shine.

    Melodic and guitar driven, Super City is known for their hooky pop sound that blends heavy rock elements and danceability, all with coordinated band choreography that results in killer live performances. This Baltimore band expertly crafts guitar and synth earworms that thrive on the creative tension between bombastic rock and roll and stylized movements. Their structures and melodies leave no room for a dull track. At times soothing and inviting, at times posturing and timeless, Dan Ryan and Greg Wellham vocally guide this pop band into a new, heavy, and beguiling territory that is both memorable and brash.
     
    Super City is Dan Ryan (lead vocals, guitar), Greg Wellham (lead vocals, guitar), Brian Brunsman (bass, vocals), Jon Birkholz (guitar, keys, vocals), and Ian Viera (drums & vocals).

RESIDENT MUSICIANS

2023-24: Paolo Schianchi
2022-23: Julian Gargiulo, Pianist & Composer
2021-22: Super City
2020-21: Dr. Marques Garrett, John Dierker, Zack Branch, Ball in the House
2019-20: Mackenzie Shivers
2018-19: Creative Connections
2017-18: Ball in the House
2016-17: Marissa McGowan & Will Reynolds
2015-16: Charles Yang & Peter Dugan
2014-15: Eric Hutchinson
2013-14: The Onus Trio with special guest Helen Sung
2012-13: Matt Scannell

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

The Dillon Moran Musician in Residence program was created in the Fall of 2012 to commemorate the passion, exuberance and solid musicianship exemplified by Dillon Moran, Severn School Class of 2013. Dillon’s life was tragically cut short in the fall of 2011 as the result of an accident at his home in Davidsonville, Maryland.

The purpose of the program is to invite outside musicians to spend a defined period of time at Severn working with students, faculty, and the entire community to inspire, create and perform great music. The visiting musician will share his/her talent with Severn students and hopefully provide a fresh approach and new ways of bringing music to life in the Severn community.

Lower School

Upper School