AMEA 2017 Performing Groups


The Pizitz Middle School band program serves 250 students in grades six through eight. Sixth grade students are placed in the beginning band program where they receive group and individualized instruction. In the seventh and eighth grades, students are placed into one of two ability- based performing bands. The top ensemble, Symphonic Band, is under the direction of Kim Bain and the Concert Band is under the direction of assistant director, Leah Seng. The Pizitz Percussion Ensemble is comprised of percussion students from Beginning, Concert and Symphonic Bands. The Pizitz Jazz Band is an auditioned ensemble made up of seventh and eighth grade students. The Pizitz band program has received many awards as well as earned consistent superior ratings at the yearly Alabama Bandmaster’s Music Performance Assessment festivals. In 2014, the Pizitz Band received the National Band Association Blue Ribbon National Middle School Award of Excellence. In 2013, the Pizitz Band was awarded the John Philip Sousa Sudler Silver Cup. Notable performances by the Pizitz Symphonic Band include the 2015 Midwest Clinic Band and Orchestra Conference, 2014 NBA/CBDNA Southern Division Conference, 2013 Music for All National Concert Band Festival, 2011 Alabama Music Educator’s Association Conference as well as performances at the honor band festivals of Auburn University, University of Alabama, UAB and Troy University. The Pizitz Jazz Band recently performed at Loyola University in New Orleans and has received the Gold and Silver Awards at Festival Disney. The Pizitz Percussion Ensemble was featured on the Midwest Clinic performance. Both the Jazz Band and Percussion Ensemble also perform on all school concerts and on many school assemblies.


In the past seven 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 10th - 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 well 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 Ramsay High School Concert Choir has been a mainstay of Ramsay International Baccalaureate High School since its founding in the 1930s. It has always strived for excellence and has adopted as its motto “The Spirit of Excellence.” The Ramsay Concert Choir has had many esteemed choral directors in its tenure. It is important that we recognize Ms. Myrna Ria Ross who was the school’s beloved choral director from 1987 until her untimely passing in October, 2015. Known to her students as “Ross the Boss”, she directed the choir in performances throughout the United States and was certainly one of the brightest lights in the Birmingham City School system. Her physical presence is missed, however; her spirit permeates the choir room and the school. Clarence H. Janes, Jr. has taught at the elementary and secondary levels since 1982. He retired from teaching in August, 2015 after serving twenty years at Birmingham’s Huffman High School. When Ms. Ross died, he was asked to fill in until a new director could be found. He has no intention of leaving. Growing the program and performing with the choir has been an amazing musical experience. This is the Ramsay High School Concert Choir’s first performance at the Alabama Music Educators Association Conference. The choir has enjoyed preparing for this amazing opportunity.


The Smiths Station High School Choir program began in 1999 under the direction of Mrs. Faye K. Haag with a choir of 34 students. SSHS now has 5 choirs with yearly enrollment over 100 students each year. The SSHS Concert Choir consists of students who are in 4 different levels of Vocal Music. There are some students who are in their 2nd semester of Choir and others who may be in their 8th semester. This Choir does not get to meet together every day, but work on their music during their individual choir period. This Choir was chosen through the process of auditions on their music, checking their grades in all classes to be sure there are no failing grades, and their consistent attendance and hard work. The SSHS Choirs consistently receive Superior Ratings in Concert performance and Sightreading for Alabama Vocal Association Evaluations. They were selected to perform at the 2008 ACDA Invitational Choral Festival with Dr. Jerry McCoy at UAB. Our 2009 SSHS Chamber Choir was selected to sing for the 2009 AMEA Convention in Tuscaloosa. They sang in the National Youth Festival Choir at Carnegie


Hall in 2012 with Randall Stroope. They placed 3rd in the National Choral Competition at Rollins College in Orlando in 2013. They won 1st place in the Masters of Music in Nashville, Tennessee in 2015. They have participated in the Epcot Candlelight Processional at Disney World 5 times. The SSHS Choirs participated in several Choral Competitions at the National Peanut Festival in Dothan and were named Best of Festival 3 times. They have also been in the top 3 choirs for two years at the Alabama State Fair Choral Competition. The SSHS Choirs have had members in Alabama Allstate Choirs 15 of the 17 years that Mrs. Haag has been teaching at Smiths Station. And those two years were scheduling problems, not lack of student ability. They were the first high school choir to perform at the Bill Heard Theatre at the River Center for the Performing Arts in Columbus in 2003 along with our outstanding SSHS Symphonic Band. We have performed several times with our Band including AMEA in 2007.


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