The Arnall Middle School Chorus was presented with the 2015 Exemplary Performance Award by the Georgia Music Educator’s Association (GMEA) Tuesday night, recognizing the middle school choral program with GMEA’s highest statewide honor.
GMEA grants their prestigious Exemplary Performance Award to only one middle school chorus each year, among roughly 500 middle school choral programs in Georgia.
Samuel Miller, the GMEA’s Sixth District Chairman, presented the award to Arnall Middle School Chorus director Robin White. Miller made the presentation during the chorus’ Fall Concert, held at the Centre for Performing and Visual Arts on Tuesday, October 27.
To be eligible for the award, the choral program must have chorus students to participate in all GMEA-sponsored events throughout the year, must receive a “Superior” rating at Large Group Performance Evaluation in both Concert Performance and Sight Reading categories, must have students who are selected for the Georgia All-State Chorus, and must have a significant number of students to receive “Superior” ratings at Solo and Ensemble Performance Evaluation.
The Arnall Chorus was presented the award over all other qualified applicants, recognizing the choral program for outstanding performance in all GMEA-sponsored events during the 2014-15 school year.
“Superior programs of the caliber of the Arnall Middle School Chorus are not the norm,” Miller told audience members Tuesday. “They are the result of high expectations on the part of the directors and students, and their dedication to musical excellence.”
Arnall Principal Jan Franks also congratulated chorus students from the stage on Tuesday, and congratulated Arnall Chorus Director Robin White. Franks also thanked parents for their support of the choral program.
The Arnall Middle School Chorus has been under White’s direction for the past eight years.
“When I came to Arnall Middle School, we adopted the chorus mission, ‘Committed to Excellence’ and immediately began to set higher expectations for our choral groups,” said White, as she accepted the award Tuesday. “Since then, the students have grown tremendously in their musical ability and their work ethic. It is nice for them to see that when you work hard, your efforts will be rewarded.”
White thanked former and current Arnall Chrous students for their commitment to the program’s mission and their hard work.
Miller also said that the excellence of Arnall’s program exists because of the support of parents and the school’s administrators. “So I thank each of you for realizing the importance of music education in the life of these students,” he added, addressing parents in Tuesday’s audience.
Jalen Friday – an East Coweta High School freshman who was a member of Arnall’s chorus through last year – said that he was not surprised to hear that Arnall had been selected for the top middle school chorus honor. “We worked very hard last year to make superior ratings in all GMEA events,” he said.
Friday is active in East Coweta’s chorus and the high school theatre program. Asked how his three years with the Arnall chorus impacted him, he said “I feel so much more confident as a singer, especially as a soloist. My experience in Arnall Chorus has challenged me to keep working toward my dream to be a Grammy award-winning singer one day and to motivate others to follow their dreams.”
The Arnall Chorus’ accomplishments for the 2014-2015 school year included two Arnall Chorus students making the 2015 Georgia All-State Chorus and over twenty-five chorus students participating in Solo & Ensemble with almost all of them earning the top rating of “Superior”. At the Large Group Performance Evaluation this year, our Mixed Chorus received “Superior” ratings in both performance and sight-reading.
The chorus was also chosen to perform at the 2014 Georgia Governor’s Mansion Holiday Tour. It was the second time in three years that the Arnall Select Chorus has been chosen to perform at the Georgia Governor’s Mansion. The Consulate-General of Japan, Kazuo Sunaga, was a special guest for their performance at the 2014 event hosted by Georgia First Lady Sandra Deal.
The Arnall Chorus’ October 27 Concert won’t be its last of the year. The chorus’ annual Christmas Concert will be held on Tuesday, December 8, at Heatherwood Church at 7:00 p.m., and will feature all Arnall Chorus groups during the performance.
Press Release Sent From Coweta County School System
