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 Associate
Durand Bailey, Senior Director of Operations
Dr. Emily Boone, Music Career Advisor
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
Ron Pace, Finance Manager
Atlanta Music Project 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.
Atlanta Music Project
After-School BAND & Orchestras Program PArtner
MAYOR
The Honorable Andre Dickens
city council
Doug Shipman, Council President
Jason Winston, District 1
Amir R. Farokhi, District 2
Byron Amos, District 3
Jason Dozier, District 4
Liliana Bakhtiari, District 5
Alex Wan, District 6
Howard Shook, District 7
Mary Norwood, District 8
Dustin R. Hillis, District 9
Andrea L. Boone, District 10
Marci Collier Overstreet, District 11
Antonio Lewis, District 12
Michael Julian Bond, Post 1
Matt Westmoreland, Post 2
City of Atlanta Office of Recreation and Youth Development
Justin Cutler, Department of Parks and Recreation Commissioner
Doug Voss, Deputy Commissioner
Ramondo Davidson, MBA,CPRP, Director of Recreation
Sonia Wimbish, Assistant Director of Recreation
Charles Brown, II, MPA, Operations Director
Tiffani D. Bryant, Operations Director
Shelby Beverly, Recreation Program Supervisor
Perkerson Park Recreation Center
Terrence Boney, Senior Recreation Operations Assistant
Asia Jackson, Recreation Operations Assistant
Xavier Adams, Recreation Operations Assistant
South Bend Center for Arts & Culture
Akua Pippins, Community Facility Manager
Donna Wahl, Recreation Operations Assistant
Jalen Shields, Recreation Operations Assistant
Joshua Brown, Recreation Operations Assistant
ABOUT THE ATLANTA MUSIC PROJECT
AFTER-SCHOOL BAND & ORCHESTRA
The Atlanta Music Project (AMP) After-School Band & Orchestra is an after-school program for students at the beginning of their musical journey based at two City of Atlanta recreation centers: Perkerson Park Recreation Center and South Bend Center for Arts & Culture. No prior musical experience or audition is required for participation and spots are filled year-round on a first-come-first-served basis. The program is offered tuition-free right in under-resourced neighborhoods to ensure that every student in Atlanta has the opportunity for high-quality and world-class after-school music education and performance opportunities, regardless of socio-economic standing. AMP provides all participants an instrument, teaching artists (paid, local, professional degreed musicians and music educators), classes, and performance opportunities. Students work on theory, technique and perform both classical repertoire and music of the African Diaspora (jazz, spirituals, Caribbean, etc.) representing the community and youth being served. The only requirement for students is to attend all classes which meet on Tuesdays-Thursdays from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Classes are comprised of group lessons, music theory, and large ensemble rehearsals. Students perform two major public concerts at the AMP Center for Performance & Education each season.
The AMP After-School Band & Orchestra program is in its 15th year of partnership with the City of Atlanta Department of Parks & Recreation, providing an exemplary wraparound program. While AMP provides music education, the City of Atlanta provides transportation from local schools to the recreation centers, a healthy snack, a supervised homework period, and a warm dinner after the AMP class. This partnership has allowed AMP to engage in a collective impact model whereby the City’s resources and expertise are leveraged to allow AMP’s time and resources to be focused on what we do best: music.
PERKERSON PARK Beginning CELLOS
HOLIDAY PROGRAM
Jordyn Speakman, Conductor
Dreidl...............................................................................................Traditional arr. John Higgins
PERKERSON PARK Beginning VIOLINS & VIOLAS
Meghan Yost, Conductor
Jingle Bells..................................................................................Traditional arr. John Higgins
PERKERSON PARK STRING ENSEMBLE
MEGHAN YOST, Conductor
Good King Wenceslas........................................................................Traditional arr. John Higgins
PERKERSON PARK VIOLIN DUET
Mrs. Meghan Yost & Ju’Liah Rawls
Adeste Fideles................................................................................Anonymous arr. Robert S. Fros
After-School BAND & Orchestra
VIOLIN
Cymone Francis
Ju’Liah Rawls
PERKERSON PARK STRINGS
VIOLA
Dakota Foote
Langston Jackson
Dawkins
Logan Foote
Tristian Kelley Williams
CELLO
Jace Johnson
Melia Ford
Zuri Thomas
SOUTH BEND CENTER BEGINNING WINDS
DR. DYANN RYANS
, Conductor
A Breath of Fresh Air...............................................................Bruce
Side by Side...........................................................................Bruce
Two by Two............................................................................Bruce
Half the Price.........................................................................Bruce
Cardiff by the Sea..................................................................Bruce
Quarters
Cross Buns.......................................................................Bruce
SOUTH BEND CENTER WIND ENSEMBLE DOUGLAS ESCOBAR, Conductor
Freddy Freeloader..........................................................................Miles Davis
arr. Douglas Escobar
Christmas Medley...........................................................................Traditional
arr. Douglas Escobar
After-School BAND & Orchestra
SOUTH BEND CENTER WINDS
BEGINNING FLUTE
Josiah Gray
Layla Smith
Lyric Crumbley
BEGINNING CLARINET
Ayaan Caldwell
Na’Mhir Gaither
BEGINNING TRUMPET
Franklin Peterson
Larreion Patterson
Na’Khai Gaither
SOUTH BEND CENTER WIND ENSEMBLE
Naomi Lloyd- Flute
Nylah Lloyd- Flute
Erica Peterson- Trumpet
Demi Williams- Trombone
BEGINNING TROMBONE
Benjamin Daniels
Jhaliyha Ligon
UPCOMING EVENTS
HOLIDAY CONCERT SERIES
HOLIDAY CONCERT SERIES
AMP AFTER-SCHOOL BAND & ORCHESTRA
AMP YOUTH CHOIRS
DEC. 6 | 7PM | AMP CENTER
DEC. 7 | 4PM | FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH EAST POINT
AMP YOUTH CHOIRS
AMP PREPARATORY SCHOOL
DEC. 7 | 4PM | FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH EAST POINT
DEC. 14 | 1PM | JEAN CHILDS YOUNG MIDDLE SCHOOL AMP YOUTH ORCHESTRAS
AMP PREPARATORY SCHOOL
DEC. 14 | 1PM | JEAN CHILDS YOUNG MIDDLE SCHOOL
DEC. 14 | 6PM | GLENN MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
RESERVE TICKETS HERE
AMP YOUTH ORCHESTRAS
DEC. 14 | 6PM | GLENN MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
RESERVE 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 $395,000 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 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.
AMP’s current major funders include the Chestnut Family Foundation, 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 is a member of “El Sistema USA,” the National Alliance of El Sistema Inspired Programs.
YOUNG MUSICIAN PATHWAYS
