Grace Notes Conservatory

(from email list)

Announcing the launch of Grace Notes Homeschool Conservatory on May 5th!Joyful Noise Homeschool Band in Cobb County is thrilled to announce the launch of its former satellite program, Joyful Noise Homeschool Band Northeast (JNNE), into independence! JNNE is in the process of becoming an independent program called Grace Notes Homeschool Conservatory, in Lilburn. You can find more information about them at their website. We are excited to announce our second band "planting' in the last two years. The first of our satellite programs to go independent was formerly known as Joyful Noise North in Pickens County, but is now known as North Georgia Homeschool Band. They are growing and thriving! Grace Notes will do the same. We will continue to encourage and support this wonderful homeschool opportunity in the Gwinnett County area. Currently JNNE/Grace Notes has beginner and intermediate/advanced bands, and Marching Band, as well as recorder and chorus classes. New and exciting news for next year includes the possible addition of an Advanced Band class as well as Beginner and Intermediate String Orchestra Classes. (There is also the possibility of an Advanced Strings class, given sufficient demand.) Please register early as classes will be closed as they fill. We are equally thrilled to announce Lachlan McBane as the director for the new Grace Notes Homeschool Conservatory Orchestra. Lachlan McBane has been a member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra viola section since 1998, serving as Acting Assistant Principal during the 2007-2008 season. Before coming to Atlanta, Mr. McBane served as Principal Violist of the Nashville Symphony and has also been a member of the San Diego Symphony, New Jersey Symphony, Toledo Symphony, and Springfield (IL) Symphony. Mr. McBane earned his bachelor's degree in viola performance from Bowling Green State University, where he also pursued a double major in music education (fully intending to be a school band & orchestra director). A career in performance beckoned, though, and he completed his M.M. in viola performance at The Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied with nationally renowned teacher Robert Vernon, Principal Violist of The Cleveland Orchestra. His musical interests have always been broad: he enjoyed playing lead trombone and violin in jazz ensembles through college and has won awards at the Great Lakes Scottish Fiddling Championships. He has toured with Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith, and can be heard on albums by artists as diverse as Yo-Yo Ma, Mark O'Connor, and Bruce Springsteen.Mr. McBane is active in chamber music and student coaching around Atlanta. He and his wife Cheryl reside in Lilburn, where they homeschool their four children. They are members of Redeemer Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Tucker. He joins our excellent current staff of Directors, including Mr. George Uterhardt, who directs our Beginner and Intermediate Concert Bands, Ms. Amy Wilson, who directs our Recorder Ensembles and Chorus, and Mr. Todd Menefee, who directs the GA Force Marching Band.George Uterhardt studied Music Education at the University of South Florida, then spent a 26-year career as a Navy Musician, where he studied conducting, completed the Berklee arranging course, played in various types of groups including Dixieland, brass quintet, concert band, big band, jazz combo and rock band. George has played and conducted for high ranking officials of the military services as well as dignitaries of foreign countries. He has made concert tours in the U.S. and abroad. Since he was called to Christ in 1968, George has been involved in church music (including ship's choir and Navy Chapel choir) everywhere he has lived. He has for many years been the choir director at Redeemer Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Tucker. George is an active member of several local professional music groups such as the Gwinnett Symphony Orchestra and the Atlanta Jazz Krewe (dixieland jazz), in both of which he plays the tuba, and several big band ensembles in which he plays string bass. Ms. Amy Wilson, known as "Miss Amy" to her students, holds a Bachelor of Music degree from West Georgia State University and a Master of Music Education degree from Columbus State University. She served as principal flutist in the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra in 1980-81 and has played keyboards, flute and sax with several jazz, rock and blues bands. She has worked with such artists as "Big Bossman", Little Jimmy Reed, and Big Bill Morganfield, (son of blues legend Muddy Waters), with whom she appeared on the television program "Good Day Atlanta". She also sings and performs frequently as a piano/vocal soloist at weddings, receptions, parties and other events. Amy taught elementary school music, and middle/high school chorus and band from 1987-1991. From 1991 to the present she has been teaching privately full-time. Todd Menefee has 15 years experience playing in Band and Marching Band, including one year with the Penn State Blue Band. A former Drum Major, Todd has played in the Pennsylvania Regional Band as well as the Pennsylvania Dauphin County Band. More recently, Todd has been involved as an Assistant Director for 2 years with Vertical Sound Home School Band. Todd is the Founder and Inaugural Director of the GA Force Marching Band, now entering its fourth season.Registration for 2009-2010 at Joyful Noise Northeast Homeschool Band / Grace Notes Homeschool Conservatory is open NOW from March 1 through September 14. Registrations received after August 1 will be subject to a late fee. Classes meet on Mondays at Lilburn First Baptist Church <www.firstbaptist.net>, about 7 miles outside the Perimeter on Lawrenceville Hwy. A registration fee of $60 per student reserves your place, and tuitions range from $50 for Recorder classes to $120 for Concert Bands, Strings, and Marching Band classes. Individual class times for the 2009-10 season will be finalized soon, and rehearsals are scheduled to begin Monday, August 31. Watch for more details soon. The JNNE/Grace Notes website is at <http://www.collecttech.net/Default.aspx?alias=www.collecttech.net/jnne>. Look under "News" in the right-hand column for Registration Forms. For more information, please contact Christi Babaz at <cmbabaz@gmail.net> (678-643-8067) or Nancy Jones at <titleclear@bellsouth.net> (770-448-1511). For questions about the string program specifically, contact Lachlan McBane at <gracenotesstrings@gmail.com>.Congratulations to Grace Notes Homeschool Conservatory as they launch on May 5th! May they bless the homeschool community with the ability to make beautiful music!Joyfully yours, Susan DavisFounder, Joyful Noise Bandwww.joyfulnoiseband.com



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