AMEA 2014 Performing Groups


In the past four years the Pleasant Grove Chorale has grown in quality and accomplishments. Started in the fall of 2009, they began as a choir that met after school just learning to sight read. In the spring of 2010 they received straight superior ratings in performance and sight reading at AVA District Assessment and attended the AVA state Assessment receiving an overall Superior with a Superior in sight reading. Since its conception that year they have been allowed to meet as a class. The Pleasant Grove High School Chorale now consists of auditioned 9-12th graders who have had either band or choir for at least one year. They have constantly received over all superior ratings with a superior in sight reading at AVA State Choral Performance Assessment, are always represented at Alabama All State, and have received multiple awards from different regional and national festivals including Festivals of Music Atlanta and Music in the Parks in Orlando.


The Spain Park High School Chamber Choir is in its third year of existence, all under the direction of Charles F. Henry. The Chamber Choir is an auditioned group consisting of ninth through twelfth graders that meets once a week outside of the regular school day. This past year, the Chamber Choir competed at the Ole Miss Choral Festival in Oxford, MS and earned second place overall with a Superior rating. Also, the Chamber Choir performed at SPCA and received straight Superior ratings, with two perfect scores included. The Chamber Choir was started as a way to give talented and motivated students an opportunity to explore and perform high-quality music with other equally gifted students that may not have a class together. The Spain Park Chamber Choir is committed to performing the best choral music from all periods with nuance, passion, sensitivity and a great appreciation for choral art.


The Thompson High School Wind Ensemblewas formed in 2001, the result of tremendous growth in the Thompson High School Band program that allowed for the creation of another performing ensemble. The Wind Ensemble is 65 members strong with the majority being juniors and seniors. Since the inception of the Wind Ensemble they have earned straight superior ratings at all Alabama Bandmasters Association District and State Evaluations. In addition, they have also earned straight superior ratings from other regional competitions throughout the southeast, most recently Festivals of Music in South Carolina, Smoky Mountain Music Festival in Tennessee, the Alamo Music Festival in San Antonio, Texas, and the Dixie Classic National Adjudicators


Invitational in St. Louis, MO. Most notably, the Wind Ensemble was selected as a guest performer for the Southeastern United States Concert Band Clinic held on the campus of Troy University, Troy, AL in February 2007, the Alabama Music Educators Association in- Service Conference in January 2009 , Alabama Honor Band Festival in February of 2010, the Music for All National Concert Band Festival in 2011, the 2012 CBDNA / NBA Southern Division Conference at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, GA and most recently the 2014 JanFest at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA. Membership into the Wind Ensemble is through an audition / selection process. While the members are serious and dedicated to the performance of outstanding symphonic wind literature, few students actually study privately. The Wind Ensemble consistently has members selected for the Alabama Bandmasters Associations All State Music Festival and for the many university sponsored honor band festivals throughout Alabama. Other performing ensembles at Thompson High School include the 200 member “Marching Southern Sounds”, the 65 member Symphonic Band, the 45 member Concert Band, various chamber ensembles and the 19 member Thompson Jazz Band.


48 October/November 2013


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64