CONDUCTORS
LATASHIA BRIDGES
JOHN YOUNG SHIK CONCKLIN
PAMELA DILLARD
HERBERT JACKSON
DR. KAY PACE
LOGAN SOUTHER
JUNE 12, 2025 | 7PM SPIVEY HALL
Atlanta
Music Project Board of Directors
Philip M. Juravel, CPA, Chair
Jennifer Dorian, Vice-Chair
Byron Gibbs, Treasurer
Racheal Woods, Secretary
Sarah Griesenauer-Barros, Ben Cherian, Anne Cross, Deva Hirsch, Valerie L. Holmes, James F. Lock III, Aaron C. Mitchell, Ceasar C. Mitchell Jr.,
Aisha Moody, Shawn Pacely, Andy D. Pittman, Dantes Rameau, John Sparrow
Atlanta Music Project Staff
Aisha Moody, Co-Founder & Chief Program Officer
Amber Taylor, Associate Director of AMP Academy
Breanna Johnson, Director of Choral Programs
Cruz Duhart, Operations Associate
Dantes Rameau, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Dennis Freeman, Van Driver
D’Laney Bowry, Development & Grants Manager
Durand Bailey, Senior Director of Operations
Isaiah Cuffey, Preparatory School Program Manager
Jack W. Wagner, Director of Grants
José L. Morales, Marketing & Graphic Design Associate
Lauren Jones, Program Operations Associate
Lauren Spence, Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer
Liesl McWhorter, Youth Orchestras Program Manager
Lydia Falcon, After-School Programs Associate
Michael Crawford, Facilities Manager
Miriam Huppert, Director of College & Career Services
Nassareen Rahman, Van Driver
Ron Pace, Finance Manager
| AMP
AMP SUMMER SERIES INSTITUTIONAL DONORS
Funding provided in part by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners under the guidance of the Department of Community Development.
Major funding for this organization is provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners.
This program is supported in part by the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs.
LATASHIA BRIDGES | CONDUCTOR
AMP SUMMER SERIES PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA
Ms. LaTashia S. Bridges, is a native of Atlanta, GA and a product of the Atlanta Public and Fulton County School systems. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, GA. As a violinist, she has performed with several well-known symphonies including Cobb Symphony Orchestra, Valdosta Symphony Orchestra and Word of Faith Family Worship Cathedral Orchestra.
Ms. Bridges currently teaches Kindergarten in the Cobb County School System. In the past Ms. Bridges has taught middle school and elementary orchestra in the Atlanta, Cobb and Fulton County Area Schools.
An accomplished violinist, Ms. Bridges teaches orchestra with the Atlanta Music Project.
Ms. Bridges has also been an active instructor of the William Grant Still and African American Black Heritage Orchestras.
Ms. Bridges is a member of Sigma Alpha Iota, the women’s professional music fraternity and the Tau Beta Sigma Sorority, as well as Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.
Ms. Bridges is also actively involved in music education organizations such as The National Association of Music Education (MENC) and American String Teachers Association (ASTA).
JOHN CONCKLIN | CONDUCTOR
AMP SUMMER SERIES FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA
John Young Shik Concklin has served as conductor of the Atlanta Music Project Senior Youth Orchestra since 2017. He is the Music Director of the Spartanburg Philharmonic and Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra. He is also the conductor of the Piedmont Chamber Orchestra. For the 2023/24 season, he is also a Music Director Finalist with the Walla Walla Symphony in Washington State.
John has been a finalist for the 2019-2020 American Prize in Conducting. He has competed internationally at the Almaty, the Nino Rota, and the Città di Brescia Conducting Competitions. He is also regularly invited to cover-conduct for the the Nashville, Atlanta, and Kansas City Symphony Orchestras.
Previous positions include Associate Conductor of the Georgia Symphony, Assistant Conductor of the Cleveland Pops Orchestra, and faculty appointments at Vanderbilt, Clemson, Furman and Converse Universities He has been a fellowship conductor at the Aspen Music Festival, a teaching assistant at the Brevard Music Center, and a finalist at the New World Symphony and Debut Orchestras.
John Young Shik Concklin is Music Director of the Spartanburg Philharmonic and Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra. He also serves as Conductor with the Atlanta Music Project and Piedmont Chamber Orchestra. For the 2023/24 season, he is also a Music Director Finalist with the Walla Walla Symphony in Washington State.
John has been a finalist for the 2019-2020 American Prize in Conducting. He has competed internationally at the Almaty, the Nino Rota, and the Città di Brescia Conducting Competitions. He is also regularly invited to cover-conduct for the the Nashville, Atlanta, and Kansas City Symphony Orchestras.
Previous positions include Associate Conductor of the Georgia Symphony, Assistant Conductor of the Cleveland Pops Orchestra, and faculty appointments at Vanderbilt, Clemson, Furman and Converse Universities He has been a fellowship conductor at the Aspen Music Festival, a teaching assistant at the Brevard Music Center, and a finalist at the New World Symphony and Debut Orchestras.
PAMELA DILLARD | CONDUCTOR
AMP SUMMER SERIES PRIMARY CHOIR
Mezzo-Soprano, Pamela Dillard, a native Atlantan, performs frequently on concert stages, recitals, oratorio, and operas in Atlanta, Augusta, and Florida. Pamela was a featured artist on the concert “Sisters in Song” performing with Atlanta’s leading female song stylists, celebrating America’s Jazz Divas. She is a Professor of Voice at Spelman College, a board member of Capitol City Opera Company of Atlanta, and a member of the National Association of Negro Musicians, Inc. where she serves as a national board member. Pamela debuted with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in Prokofiev’s Alexander Nevsky, returning the following year to sing the title role in Bizet’s Carmen.
She has appeared on the stages of several American opera companies and orchestras including, Atlanta Opera, Opera Carolina, Opera Columbus, Tulsa Opera and Boston, Saint Louis, Colorado, New Haven, and Cobb Symphony Orchestras and The Brooklyn Philharmonic among others. Pamela performed internationally with L’Opéra-Comique of Paris, France as Lily Holmes in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess in Paris, Normandy, Luxembourg, and Spain. She has sung under the baton of many of the world’s greatest conductors, some of which are Robert Spano, Donald Runnicles, Keith Lockhart, Yoel Levi, John Williams, Wayne Marshall, and David Morrow.
Earning her B.F.A. from Newcomb College of Tulane University, Pamela was a recipient of the M.L. King Graduate Fellowship at Boston University where she received a Master of Music. Her recordings include, Watch and Pray, Spirituals and Art Songs by African American Women Composers and Grant Still’s Highway One both for Videmus. She is the featured artist on the Grammy-nominated soundtrack to Stephen Spielberg’s Amistad.
HERBERT JACKSON | CONDUCTOR
AMP SUMMER
SERIES
PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA
Herbert Jackson is a proud Black male music educator from Snellville, GA. Jackson attended Central State University, a Historically Black University in Wilberforce, OH graduating as an honor student in 2016 and earning his Master’s in Music Education degree from Boston University with an emphasis in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Mr. Jackson has been an educator for seven years and has taught band and choir at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Herbert currently serves as the director of bands at the School of the Arts at Central Gwinnett High School in Lawrenceville, GA. Under the leadership of Mr. Jackson, the band program was able to earn superior and excellent ratings for state-adjudicated performances. Seniors in the band program have also earned and been awarded over $1 million dollars in scholarships for post-secondary opportunities.
Mr. Jackson also serves and gives back to his community through the Atlanta Music Project, (AMP) serving as a teaching artist for local students enrolled in the preparatory band program.
Jackson also serves as Board secretary for Georgia Educators for Equity and Justice Inc, an organization founded on the liberation and belonging of black teachers in the state of Georgia.
Mr. Jackson’s professional affiliate organizations include Mu Phi Epsilon International Professional Music Fraternity Inc., Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., Professional Association for Georgia Educators, National Association for Music Educators, Georgia Music Educators Association, and Georgia Educators for Equity and Justice Inc.
His hobbies include cooking, traveling, producing, arranging, and composing music.
DR. KAY PACE | CONDUCTOR
AMP SUMMER SERIES FESTIVAL CHOIR
As concert pianist, Dr. Pace made her professional debut in solo recital as 1st Place Winner of the Artist Presentation Society’s Young Artist Competition in St. Louis, MO., as well as 1st Place Southeast Winner and National Finalist of the National Black Music Colloquiam and Competition (Washington, DC); 1st Place Winner, the Illinois State Music Teachers Young Artist Competition; 1st Place Winner, Solo Artist Fellowship, Alabama Arts Council; Semi-Finalist, the University of Maryland International Piano Competition; and Special Award Recipient, the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Dr. Pace was also featured in a nationally televised 30-minute PBS documentary “A Portrait of Kay Pace” on HARAMBEE via Auburn University.
As music educator, Dr. Pace served as college instructor or administrator in Southern Illinois University (Carbondale), Alabama State University (“ASU” Montgomery), Morgan Statenure, Dr. Pace served as music professor and School of Music Dean where she was recognized for securing full NASM accreditations for all graduate and undergraduate degree programs and for her sponsorship of the only state-wide celebration to honor the life and work of world renown composer and native Alabamian, William Dawson, during his lifetime.
A Mobile, AL native, Dr. Pace has earned the BA from Xavier University (Louisiana); MM, Southern Illinois University (Carbondale); DMA, the Peabody Conservatory of Music (Baltimore); and PhD in ethnomusicology from Pacific Western University (CA). She has been elected to Phi Kappa Phi and Pi Kappa Lambda Honor Societies and holds memberships in the Music Educators National Conference, Georgia Music Educators Association, American Choral Director’s Association as well as Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. ori
LOGAN SOUTHER | CONDUCTOR
AMP SUMMER SERIES PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA
Logan Souther is quickly developing a reputation as an orchestra conductor and pianist of significant talent with a serious approach to music in Atlanta, Georgia. A gifted conductor of the operatic repertoire, Logan has served on the music staff of the Sarasota Opera, Atlanta Opera, OperaNEO (San Diego), The Harrower Summer Opera Workshop, The Augusta Opera Initiative, and for several years was the music director and principal conductor for the Georgia State University Opera Theatre. While leading the GSU Opera Theatre Logan consistently raised artistic standards among singers and instrumentalists alike while performing reperoite that ranged from Mozart to Stephen Paulus.
Logan has served as a recurring guest conductor with the Atlanta Pops Orchestra and the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra and for two seasons was the assistant conductor for the Bellingham Festival of Music, the premiere orchestral festival of the Pacific Northwest. Logan is the associate conductor of The Hamptons Festival of Music, where he also serves as artistic director of the THFM Salon Series community outreach programs An engaging arts entrepreneur, at the age of 19 Logan founded the Gainesville Sinfonietta where he was fully responsible for all levels of production and successfully mobilized funding for the Sinfonietta each year. The Gainesville Sinfonietta was a fully professional orchestra which performed free concerts each year for the North Georgia community.
Logan began intensive studies in orchestral at the age of 15 with Michael Palmer with whom he went on to study with at Georgia State University completing a Master’s in Orchestral Conducting (2017) and a Bachelor’s in Piano Performance (2016.) Additional teacher’s include Dwight Oltman and David Effron.
CONCERT PROGRAM
AFRICAN DRUM & DANCE ENSEMBLE
Manga African Dance | Teaching Artist
Mandiani (Dance of Strength)
Origin - Mali | This dance is done for all rites of passages in life.
AMP SUMMER SERIES PRIMARY CHOIR
Pamela Dillard | Conductor Eli Manos| Collaborative Pianist
Plena................................................................................................Diane V. Sáez
Translation
Plena, let’s dance the plena, Plena Puerto Rican, with lots of flavor.
It’s played with hand drum, with güiro, with drum. Let’s dance the plena with lots of flavor, Let’s dance the plena of my heart.
Plena, plena, is a rhythm good really, Plena, plena, is very good to dance.
Climbin’ Up the Mountain, Children!........................................Traditional Spiritual arr. Rollo Dilworth
Soloists
Naomi Croom, London Moten, Ava Parks, & Kiari Moore
AMP SUMMER SERIES FESTIVAL CHOIR
Dr. Kay Pace | Conductor Tammy Harper| Collaborative Pianist
Hallelujah, Amen................................................................George Frideric Handel from Judas Maccabeus ed. Carl Deis
The Impossible Dream.......................................................Joe Darion, Mitch Leigh from Man of La Mancha arr. Kay Pace
Soloists
Isabella Castro & Neilah Bell
CONCERT PROGRAM
AMP SUMMER SERIES PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA I WINDS
Herbert Jackson | Conductor
The Big Three.......................................................................................Larry Clark
Bravada..........................................................................................Jeremy Nowak
AMP SUMMER SERIES PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA I STRINGS
LaTashia Bridges | Conductor
Theme from Symphony No. 9 Ode to Joy..............................Ludwig van Beethoven arr. Jeff Manookian
Banana Boat Song...................................................................Jamaican Folk Song arr. Frank J. Halferty
AMP SUMMER SERIES PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA II
Logan Souther | Conductor
Intermezzo........................................................................................George Bizet from Carmen arr. Richard Meyer
Take Five.........................................................................................Paul Desmond arr. Bob Cerulli
AMP SUMMER SERIES FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA
John Concklin | Conductor
Ballade, Op. 33 in A Minor.................................................Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
AFRICAN DRUM & DANCE ENSEMBLE
PERFORMERS
Aiyé Banks
Ava Parks
Camille Childers
Celeste Banks
Dajanel Chatmon
Jayla Jacobs
Jirad Williams
Joshua Banks
Justice Banks
Lauren Gaubert
Lauren Hunter
LonDyn Weeks
Lucas Jones
Mia Mclennon
Micah Rodriguez
Nadia Nu’Man
Nalivia Preston
Naomi Croom
Ngoza Tembo
Rachel Barnett
Reagan Reynolds Reagyn Requena
Somer Lindsay
Zahara Bradford
AMP SUMMER SERIES PRIMARY CHOIR
PART I
Ava Parks
Danaé Dieudonne
Kiari Moore
London Moten
Naomi Croom
Ngoza Tembo
Rachel Barnett
Somer Lindsay
Zen Hayes
Zoie Fielder
PART II
Areli Palacios
Dean Elise McKnight
Ildikó Binecz
Lauren Gaubert
Lucas Jones
McKinley Twiggs
Nadia Nu’Man
Nalivia Preston
Zahara Bradford
PART III
Camille Childers
Celeste Banks
Jirad Williams
Justice Banks
Micah Rodriguez
Sarah Wilcox
Zachary Early
AMP SUMMER SERIES FESTIVAL CHOIR
SOPRANO
Cheyenne Harris
Da’janel Chatmon
Isabella Castro
Journee White
Lauren Hunter
Makyla Platt
Neilah Bell
Reagan Reynolds
ALTO
Eden Kearse
Inaya Diop
Jayla Jacobs
LonDyn Weeks
Maya Winfrey
Mia McLennon
Reagyn Requena
Solis Delasalas
TENOR
Antwan Hailey Jr.
Justin Williamson
Tyaire Charles
Victor Halliburton
BASS Aiyé Banks
Joshua Banks
Matteo Herane
Royal Joseph
PERFORMERS
DOUBLE
PERFORMERS
VIOLIN I
Anaika Dominic
Malia White
Ethan Waithe
Adriana Smith
Jasmine Barnettt
VIOLIN II
Ta’Kari Tatum
Zekiel Humbert
Hannah Barnett
Ethan Ezzard
DOUBLE BASS
Lourdess Culpatrick
Marlee Williams
Bella Rose White
BASSOON
Jonah Banks
Harmony Rojas
Keira Clarke
Daijah Hall
Victoria Duncan
Akilah McMillon
Genevieve Lewis
Zoe Gibson
FRENCH HORN
Preston Harris
Jameson Olowoyo
Kailey Gaudet
TUBA Mason Banks
Izaiah McMillon
Dineo Halisi Adams
Alauna Jolly
TROMBONE
Nia Johnson
Israel Smith
Ethan Gibbs
Gabrielle Bagot
PERCUSSION
Neyri Guerrero - Maya
Maasai Jarrett
Corey Whitehead Jr. 14 | AMP
AMP SUMMER SERIES FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA
PERFORMERS
VIOLIN I
Kerren Berz, Concertmaster+
Foster Wilson
Alex Lipsky+
Graison Saba
Jasmine Anderson
Nadine Mitchell
CELLO
Ismail Akbar, Principal+
David Walton
Giancarlo Ortiz+
Raiah Wright
Mauricio Alvarado
Preston Walton
Kendel Felton
OBOE
Natalie Beckenbaugh, Principal+
Nehemiah Preston
FRENCH HORN
Dilon Bryan, Principal+
Anthony Flores
Natali Huff*
Amy King Black+
BASS TROMBONE
Lovrick Gary, Principal+
VIOLIN II
Grace Kim, Principal+
Jackson Betts
Julie Saxton+
Cailah Matamoros
Donovan Fuller*^
Torrance Mosley*
DOUBLE BASS
Adam Bernstein, Principal+
Brooklyn Chaney
Joshua Sheperd*^
Nia Blount
Santana Wade
CLARINET
Andrew Warwick, Principal+
Amir Foster
Riley Braithwaite
TRUMPET
Douglas Escobar, Principal+
Ethan Crawford
TUBA
Robert Boone, Principal+^
VIOLA
Josiah Coe, Principal+
Kree Willingham
Alvoy Bryan+
Joshua Croom
Violetta Vanzini
FLUTE
Nia Bourne, Principal+
Leighlah West
Lailani Smith
BASSOON
Lazara Santana, Principal+
Shanae Cousley
TROMBONE
Ed Nicholson, Principal+
Caleb Alexander
Brandon Muskelly
PERCUSSION & TIMPANI
Kori Harmon, Co-Principal
Dominic Ryder, Co-Principal+
SECURE TICKETS HERE
the atlanta music project mission and history
Founded in 2010, the Atlanta Music Project (AMP) provides world-class music training and performance opportunities supporting youth growth and development. Operating in under-resourced communities, AMP’s mission is to empower youth to realize their possibilities through music.
AMP serves over 1,000 young musicians annually through band, orchestra, and choir programs, private lessons, and the annual month-long AMP Summer Series. The AMP Senior Youth Orchestras and Choirs perform and compete both nationally and internationally. Additionally, AMP houses a college and career program, supporting AMP high school students and alumni. Since 2021, AMP has awarded $545,000 in college scholarships to its alumni.
AMP music ensembles perform more than 60 concerts annually, performing in venues all across Atlanta, from community centers to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. AMP music ensembles have performed alongside international stars such as cellist Sterling Elliott, rapper Lecrae, operatic baritone Edward Parks, R&B singer Monica, The Piano Guys, the Harlem Quartet, electric violinist Lindsey Stirling, pianist Terrence Wilson, and the Imani Winds. AMP musicians can be seen performing with rapper T.I. on NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series.
AMP’s young musicians have successfully auditioned for Georgia All-State ensembles, and performed with the Atlanta Opera, the Atlanta Ballet, and the Fox Theatre. AMP ensembles have concertized as far away as Los Angeles, Aspen, Mexico, Canada, and New Zealand. The AMP Senior Youth Choir was crowned winner of the Youth Choirs category at the Open Competition of the 2024 World Choirs Games.
AMP is the recipient of several prestigious awards: 2015 Local Community Service Award (Spelman College), 2016 Neighborhood Builder (Bank of America), 2016 & 2017 Top 50 Youth Arts Program (USA President’s Committee on the Arts & Humanities), 2018 MLK Jr. Community Service Award (Emory University), 2019 Luminary Award for Arts Education (ArtsATL), and 2021 Infusion Award (Lewis Prize for Music).
AMP’s current major funders include the Chestnut Family Foundation, Intuit Mailchimp, the Abraham J. & Phyllis Katz Foundation, the Harland Charitable Foundation, the Arthur M. Blank Foundation, The Rich’s Foundation, the Sartain Lanier Foundation, the Luluma Foundation, Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, Fulton County Arts Council, Georgia Council for the Arts, Georgia Department of Education, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Delta Community Credit Union, the Next Generation Fund, and the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta.
In 2024, AMP became the recipient of five Steinway pianos and was awarded the prestigious honor of being a Steinway Select School, making AMP one of eight schools in the country with this distinction.
AMP’s partners and collaborators include the City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation, Atlanta Public Schools, Clayton State University, and the Chestnut Family Foundation.
AMP’s existence is a direct result of the 2009 TED Prize, which was awarded to Dr. Jose Antonio Abreu, founder of Venezuela’s El Sistema. AMP’s co-founders were members of the Sistema Fellows Program at the New England Conservatory in Boston. AMP is a member of “El Sistema USA,” the National Alliance of El Sistema Inspired Programs.
For more information visit http://www.atlantamusicproject.org
YOUNG MUSICIAN PATHWAYS
& CAREER SCHOLARSHIPS, EMPLOYMENT, ADVISING
ADVANCED PROGRAMS
AMP SENIOR YOUTH ORCHESTRA & CHOIR
INTERNATIONAL TOURS & COMPETITIONS
COLLEGE & CAREER SERVICES
INTERMEDIATE PROGRAMS
AMP JUNIOR YOUTH ORCHESTRAS
AMP JUNIOR YOUTH CHOIRS
PREPARATORY PROGRAMS
AMP AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS
AMP PREPARATORY SCHOOL
EMPOWERING YOUTH TO REALIZE THEIR POSSIBILITIES THROUGH MUSIC
