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
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 & ORCHESTRA 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
Kyra Mobley, Community Facility Manager
Asia Jackson, Recreation Operations Assistant
Javen Gilmore, Recreation Operations Assistant
SOUTH BEND CENTER FOR ARTS & CULTURE
Olivia Whipple, Community Facility Manager
Donna Wahl, Recreation Operations Assistant
Joshua Brown, Recreation Operations Assistant
Xavier Adams, 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 tuitionfree 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.
SPRING PROGRAM
PERKERSON PARK BEGINNING STRINGS
Jordyn Speakman, Conductor
Hot Cross Buns.................................................................................Traditional arr. John Higgins
See a Little Bunny.........................................................................Meghan Yost
Jazz for Open Strings ......................................................................Jiyoung Um
PERKERSON PARK STRING ENSEMBLE
Jordyn Speakman, Conductor
Ode to Joy........................................................................arr. Jordyn Speakman
Spring from Four Seasons..........................................................Antonio
Jazz for Open Strings ......................................................................Jiyoung
AFTER-SCHOOL BAND & ORCHESTRA
PERKERSON PARK STRINGS
VIOLIN
Cymone Francis
Ju’Liah Rawls
Langston Jackson Dawkins
Tristian Kelley Williams
Imani Hollins
Ever Sumner
VIOLA Dakota Foote Honestii Shivers
CELLO
Zuri Thomas Melia Ford
SOUTH BEND CENTER BEGINNING WINDS
Dr. Dyann Ryans, Conductor
SOUTH
BEND CENTER
WIND ENSEMBLE
Douglas Escobar, Conductor
William Tell............................................................................Gioachino Rossini arr. Viktor Lopez
SOUTH BEND CENTER FLUTE & TRUMPET DUET
Naomi Lloyd & Erica Peterson
In the Sweet By & By...............................................................Bennet/Webster
SOUTH BEND CENTER WIND ENSEMBLE
Douglas Escobar, Conductor
The Big Three..........................................................................arr. John O’Reilly
PERKERSON PARK & SOUTH BEND CENTER COMBINED
Douglas Escobar, Conductor
Wonderous Love ............................................................anon. Christian Morris
AFTER-SCHOOL BAND & ORCHESTRA SOUTH BEND CENTER WINDS
BEGINNING WINDS
FLUTE
Lyric Crumbley
Layla Smith
Josiah Gray
Levi Wade
JubaRose Dunnaville
CLARINET
Ayaan Caldwell
Na’Mhir Gaither
Sathya Dunnaville
FLUTE
Naomi Lloyd
Nylah Lloyd
TRUMPET
Franklin Peterson
Na’Khai Gaither
WIND ENSEMBLE
TRUMPET
Erica Peterson
TROMBONE
Jhaliyha Ligon
Hunter Wade
TROMBONE
Demi Williams
Benjamin Daniels
are you ready to take your artistry to the next level? The Atlanta Music Project announces Spring Auditions for our celebrated Youth Orchestras and Youth Choirs!
are you ready to take your artistry to the next level? The Atlanta Music Project announces Spring Auditions for our celebrated Youth Orchestras and Youth Choirs!
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.
For more information visit http://www.atlantamusicproject.org
