DEAR FRIENDS
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to the Atlanta Music Project’s 16th season. For those of you who may not know, our first program, back in 2010, was a small but mighty after-school orchestra program at the Gilbert House, a City of Atlanta Recreation Center in Southwest Atlanta. We had 30 elementary school students attending five days per week, in class for two hours each day! I remember being so inspired by their enthusiasm and natural ability. I was also grateful for their parents, who had the courage to entrust their children to a brand new organization. The teaching artists we hired were not just absolute professionals, they were fully behind our mission to empower youth to realize their possibilities through music.
Sixteen years later, those three groups - students, families, and teaching artists - remain the heart of our success. If they are the heart, our donors are our lungs. Donors breathe life into our vision that music training can lead to life-changing outcomes for youth. Without our cherished donors, AMP would simply not exist. Therefore, they have our ever-lasting gratitude. Tonight’s concert represents all the best parts of AMP coming together. The young musicians of our current youth orchestras and choirs have taken on the repertoire and coachings of our faculty with remarkable courage and artistry. I’m excited to follow their progress throughout this season. Thank you to you all for your continued involvement and support. Cheers to 16!
With Gratitude,
Dantes Rameau, Co-Founder & CEO
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.
LATASHIA BRIDGES
AMP PREPARATORY STRING ORCHESTRA
LEVEL I VIOLINS & VIOLAS
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).
KEVIN SMITH
AMP PREPARATORY STRING ORCHESTRA
LEVEL I CELLOS & DOUBLE BASSES
Kevin Smith is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. He was first exposed to music growing up in some of the city’s historical Black Baptist churches. The culture’s hymnody, negro spirituals, country, blues, and gospel music would set the foundation for his successful music career.
Kevin’s musical ability was recognized early on in the areas of voice, orchestral playing and jazz, leading him to entering the Governor’s Honors Music Program in his junior year of high school. That following year he participated in what would be his first Grammy award-winning project “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below” with local hip-hop group Outkast. Kevin was soon accepted into Florida State University and received a scholarship to be placed in the School of Music’s String Performance Program. Here he studied classical/baroque contrabass with Melanie Punter under the direction of Maestro Dr. Alex Jimenez.
He also was accepted into the Jazz Studies Department where he studied and performed with Rodney Jordan, Leon Anderson Jr., Marcus Roberts, Scotty Barnhart, Inga Sweringen, and Dr. John Parks.
Kevin held a chair in the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra and played in the
in the Columbus Symphony, Albany Symphony, and Dothan Opera Orchestras. His performance record in the world of jazz is equally formidable, having performed with Marcus Printup, Kevin Bales, Curtis Fuller, Vincent Gardner, Calvin Newborn, Russell Malone, Fred Wesley, Chris Crenshaw, Wycliffe Gordon, Donald Harrison, Victor Goines, Takana Miyamoto, Toku Baba, Russell Gunn, and Terreon Gully.
Kevin presently maintains a busy performing and teaching schedule in Atlanta and New York City.
DR. LANA TEKO
AMP PREPARATORY STRING ORCHESTRA II
Dr. Lana Teko is a freelance violist and teacher in the metropolitan Atlanta area. She is in demand for adjudication, clinics, and master classes in Metro Atlanta and beyond. An avid chamber musician and enthusiast, Dr. Teko coaches chamber music and Viola Choir for At First Sight Chamber Music Workshop each summer.
Dr. Teko began playing the violin as a sixthgrader in her school orchestra and holds dear the encouragement of Kimbraly Grimes, her first significant teacher-mentor.
Dr. Teko holds music degrees from Florida State University, Georgia State University, and the University of Alabama where she obtained the Doctor of Musical Arts degree.
Under viola study with Dr. Susan Dubois of The University of North Texas, she became acquainted with Karen Tuttle’s ‘Coordination’ techniques; bringing profound insight to Lana’s teaching and performing style. Her other influential teacher-mentor include Karen Clarke and the late Dr. Michael Allen.
Dr. Teko has maintained a private teaching studio and performed in regional orchestras since 1998. She currently resides in Decatur, Georgia with her two sons. When not teaching and performing, she is a homeschool mom
to her sons and enjoys trail walking with her family.
RESERVE YOUR TICKETS HERE
ATLANTA MUSIC PROJECT PREPARATORY STRINGS LEVEL I
VIOLIN
Amari Brown
August Sasfy
Azizi Wesley
Elijah Drew
Elijah Pope
Emerie Forogo
Euna Saxton
Evan Barlaan
Isaiah Pope
Jett Thompson
Kyler Drew
Langston Chapman
Leah Waithe
Maiayana Cyrus
Miles Gordon
Savannah Adeyele
Tafari Bradford
Zestlan Thomas
VIOLA
Abigail Lawrence
Ever Byrd Kalia James
Kannon Primus
Quinn Turner
Tristan Coleman
CELLO
Joelle Credle
Layla Credle
Roman De Leon
Amir Moreland
London Watson
William Walls
DOUBLE BASS
Sulaiman Abdul-Samaad
ATLANTA MUSIC PROJECT PREPARATORY STRINGS LEVEL II
VIOLIN
Aya Brown
Braelin Pittman
Cymone Francis
Feruzi Tiya
Foster Kolts
Hunter Graves
Jayla Billingsley
Jude Sasfy
Kandia Diawara
Meilani Thomas
Melody Hayes
Sally Erwin
Silas Philatre
Tymeir Malloy
Zara Francois
VIOLA Andrew Walls
Elyse Ezzard
Kylee James
Ori Hamilton
Sola Hamilton
CELLO
Amora Rutland
Austin Waithe
Manzo Tiya
Maya Walton
DOUBLE BASS
Quinn Fuller
Sadie Westmoreland
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, Elijah Brown, 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
Kamyron Williams, Music Career Advisor
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
DEC 15 -16 | 5PM-8PM | AMP CENTER CLICK
ATLANTA MUSIC PROJECT YOUTH CHOIRS AUDITIONS
DEC 15 -16 | 5PM-8PM | AMP CENTER
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
COLLEGE & CAREER
SCHOLARSHIPS, EMPLOYMENT, ADVISING ALUMNI STATUS
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
