Georgia Magazine - March 2011 - (Page 24)

ANNE ALMASY Martha Shaw is founding director of the Spivey Hall Children’s Choir, based at Clayton State University in Morrow. The Spivey Hall Children’s Choir poses in their colors. the direction of founder Fletcher Wolfe for 45 years, this choir has sung in practically every concert hall, cathedral and music festival in the world. Thousands of boys have gone through the choir’s ranks, many receiving Tony and Grammy awards themselves or going on to the Metropolitan Opera like Morris Robinson. For young boys just starting to sing and those more experienced, there’s the Georgia Boy Choir, based at the Northwest Presbyterian Church in Atlanta. Founded in 2009, the ﬁve-layered effort serves boys from 5 years old to high-school age. David R. White is artistic director and conductor; Adisa Nickerson is executive director. Performances have taken the choir around the country Lifting the voice in song and to China, and a trip to England is set for July. In addition to efforts like BYO’s, church groups and For boys and girls, there’s a 200-youth Atlanta one-on-one private lessons, more mega-youth music ex- Young Singers of Callanwolde, known for its advanced, periences abound in the state, especially for singers. creative approach under the baton of Paige Mathis, a Of course, there’s the world-famous Atlanta Boy frequent guest clinician for other programs and the curChoir, for boys ages 6-13 with unchanged voices. Under rent Repertoire & Standards chair for the Georgia division of the American Choral Directors Association. The AYS has seven choirs and ﬁve locations in Atlanta that serve boys and girls ages 7-18, representing 90 metro schools. Then there is the 21-year-old Gwinnett Young Singers, of Duluth, a reﬁned yet mirthful group of boys and girls under the direction of Lynn Urda. The choir is a frequent guest of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and performs at the Fox Theatre each Christmas. An icon on the Georgia music education scene, Urda says she selects pieces that are, in her words, “soul-worthy, to get young musicians to sing from their heart and soul. I look for beauty, harmony, things that make our audiMusic Director Paige Mathis gives the cue to the Atlanta Young Singers of Callanwolde (Continued on page 26) during a performance. teachers, youth orchestras and choruses make scholarships available for children where there is need. And, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice!” Two Georgia music teachers share variations on that theme. “Getting children to practice is a classic question,” observes Deane. “We have two young kids, and we deal with the issue, ‘I don’t wanna do this!’ What they want to do is watch TV or play their Leapster game. But we have slowly gotten them to understand that delayed gratiﬁcation is a very viable concept.” 24 JOELLEN HOLMES More online at www.georgiamagazine.org ANNE ALMASY GEORGIA MAGAZINE http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - March 2011

Georgia Magazine - March 2011
Contents
Viewpoint
Mailbox
Picture This?
Georgia News
Calendar
Currents
Georgia’s Energy Outlook
Special Energy Report
A Balancing Act
Right on Key
Around Georgia
Georgia@Home
My Georgia
Gardens
Georgia Cooks
Snapshot

Georgia Magazine - March 2011