Friday, March 6, 2026

A Message from Principal Peterson

March is Music in Our Schools Month, and we are fortunate to have two incredibly talented music teachers who inspire our students every day at Riverside.

Mr. Whelan-Morin, who teaches General Music and Chorus, is also an accomplished professional tenor who performs throughout the region in opera, musical theater, and choral music. He frequently serves as a guest soloist, section leader, and conductor at area churches and is a founding board member of the Mount Vernon Chamber Singers. In addition to performing in numerous musicals and operas, he co-chaired the FCPS All-County Choral Festival in 2023 and 2024. One of his most memorable experiences was performing with his high school production company alongside Stevie Wonder at the opening ceremony of Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Mrs. Blashford, known as “Mrs. O”, also loves making music both inside and outside the classroom. She is a lead singer in two local bands, The NonEssentialz, a Northern Virginia cover band, and a jazz ensemble where she performs as the lead vocalist. In addition to singing, she enjoys playing the ukulele and even taught private lessons before earning her Master’s degree in Music Education. Inspired by artists like Janis Joplin and Lady Gaga, Mrs. O believes that continuing to perform helps her stay connected to the joy of music something she loves sharing with her students every day.

Music education strengthens important academic skills such as pattern recognition, listening, collaboration, and creative problem-solving helping students grow both artistically and academically.

Happy Music in Our Schools Month!