Music Department "Notes"
AIS Music Student Honors
Four AIS students participated in the Georgia State University Honor Band and Orchestra event during the month of February. Representing AIS in the Orchestra was Julius Gebhard-Koenigstein (Grade 9), and participants in the Band were Katie Wilkins (Grade 12), Joshua Handford (Grade 9), and Jordan Suresky (Grade 9). The students had two days of intensive rehearsals and workshops culminating in a public concert in the Rialto Theatre.
For the first time in three years, an AIS student has been selected to one of the All-State ensembles sponsored by the Georgia Music Educators Association. Jessica Sachsenmaier (Grade 8) was selected through extremely competitive audition to membership in the 2006 All-State Middle School Chorus. This chorus performs in the Savannah Civic Center on March 4. The chorus is conducted and rehearsed by several world-renowned choral conductors in preparation for this event. A student of noted soprano Wanda Yang Temko, Jessica currently is a member of the Girl's Chorus of the Cathedral of St. Philip, under the direction of Bruce Neswick. Jessica's past honors include performances at Westminster Abbey, Washington National Cathedral, and the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
We would also like to congratulate the following students for auditioning: Meaghan Flaherty, Liya Khaimova, Maxine Litré, Sarah McKenney, Pan Nimmanonda, Fiona Schlumberger and Adam Wadley. We applaud their hard work and dedication in preparation for the auditions. Their excellent attitudes and efforts are a true reflection of the RAVA philosophy that exists in the AIS community.
March 2006 Recital and Concert Programs
The Department of Music will present a pair of programs in late March. On Tuesday, March 21 at 7 p.m., the Middle and Upper School Bands, Choirs, and Strings will give a free public program in the Auditorium. The following Tuesday, March 28, the IB Music Junior recital and AIS Chamber Players will give a free public program (also at 7 p.m.) The six students currently enrolled in the Grade 11 IB Music class are Andre Soschinski (guitar), Roman Schmutz (military drums), Nik Beisert (guitar), Marissa Smith (clarinet), Nick Anspach (guitar), and Cian OFaolain (piano and alto saxophone). The AIS Chamber Players portion of the program will feature various students, faculty and staff members. The conductors of the above ensembles would like to see a large audience for both concerts! Please make every effort to attend one or both of our March programs.
Music Department Adds a Twelfth Performing Ensemble: The AIS Symphony Orchestra
The Theatre Department's recent production of The Wizard of Oz incorporated a 24-member pit orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Howard. As an outgrowth of this orchestra, a new performing ensemble has been created, the AIS Symphony Orchestra, which will give its first performance as a part of the March 21 program described above (as well as on the year-end music department program on April 27). The orchestra meets on Mondays after school in the AIS Band/Orchestra Room. The ensemble is conceived and intended to be the premiere instrumental large ensemble for qualified AIS students and community members. An extensive season of programs has been planned for the new AIS Symphony Orchestra for the 2006-2007 academic year.