About the Director

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Dr. McCormick is in his sixth year of teaching with the Fairfax County Public school system. He is also the director of the summer orchestral program at the Shenandoah Conservatory of Music. Before joining the music department at LHS, Dr. McCormick served on the string faculty of the University of Alabama where he was a Visiting Professor of Viola and Principal Violist of the Tuscaloosa Symphony. He completed his masters and doctoral degrees in Music Performance & Literature at Indiana University, Bloomington. He was also a member of the Temere String Quartet, first place winners of the chamber music division of the Canadian Music Competitions. Dr. McCormick is a contributor to new research in the historical performance practice of music of baroque era. He specializes in the performance of the viola d'amore, an unusual baroque instrument with sympathetic strings. An excerpt of his doctoral thesis 'Pur al fin Gentil Viola' was published in the Newsletter of the Viola d'Amore Society of America. One of his performances, from the National Gallery in Ottawa with members of the Canadian group Tafelmusik, was broadcast nationally by CBC radio. He was also featured by the Atlanta Baroque Orchestra in a double concerto with award-winning lutinist Paul O'Dette. He has also performed as a viola d'amore soloist with the Richmond Symphony, with the Penn State University Baroque Orchestra, and for the annual National Cathedral performance of Bach's St. John Passion.

In 2004, Dr. McCormick and his wife Rebekah founded Second Fiddle Farm in Fauquier County where they raise and train sport ponies. The farm is home to the following spoiled animals: two ponies, Little Black Dress and BabyPhat, matching barn cats Keith and Hugh, and farm mascot Hoser the yellow Labrador retriever.