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Program Guide Contents
- Georgia Symphony Upcoming Events
- Sponsors and Supporters
- Administration, Artistic Staff, and Board
- About the Organization
- Timothy Verville, Music Director and Conductor
- Nathaniel F. Parker, Associate Conductor and Dr. Bobbie Bailey GYSO Artistic Director
- Bryan Black, JG Morgan Chorus Director
- Brittny Woods, MHS Director of Choral Activities
- Orchestra Personnel
- Georgia Symphony Orchestra Chorus
- Program Order & Text
The Georgia Symphony Orchestra is supported in part by the Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. The GCA also receives support from its partner agency – the National Endowment for the Arts.
Georgia Symphony Orchestra Upcoming Events
Sponsors and Supporters
It is through the sustained generosity of our supporters that the Georgia Symphony Orchestra is able to continue delivering quality enrichment, entertainment and education throughout our community and greater region, encompassing music and arts lovers of all ages.
Our growing list of programs supports a wide range of needs in the community. Just a small sampling of the diverse options includes young musician education, inclusiveness in the concert hall, veterans’ support, free and affordable concert tickets, community presentations, and collaborative promotion of other outstanding nonprofit organizations.
Combining your giving with a musically infused GSO program doubles your impact in the community. Donating to the GSO is easy. Visit us at georgiasymphony.org/donate. Or call 770-615-2908.
Special Thanks to the Bobbie Bailey Foundation
for their gift of a $1 Million Dollar Endowment Fund
The GSO is sincerely grateful for the substantial support of our youth education program given by:
Gold Baton Circle $15,000-$24,999
Georgia Council for the Arts
The Imlay Foundation
Silver Baton Circle $10,000-$14,999
Bob and Linda Bonstein
Kimberly Gresh
Susan Traendly
Bronze Baton Circle $5,000-$9,999
Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta
Greystone Power
Mary Kay Howard
McMaster-Carr Supply
John and Shirley Morgan
Publix Supermarkets
Bruce and Pam Rhyne
Walton Communities
Jeff and Rose Whittingham
Conductor’s Circle $2,500-$4,999
Chris Clark
Cobb EMC Community Foundation
Indian Hills Country Club
Michael and Pauline Knowles
Marietta Kiwanis Club
Tutt and Debra McCracken
Valencia McCrimmon
Gregory and Christine Mishkin
Randy and Judy Ribarsky
Sydney Trew
Len and Cristy Van Popering
The Vaughn Foundation
Principal Circle $1,000-$2,499
Anonymous
Anonymous
Sandra Barclay*
Daniel Barker
Bright Wings
Marilyn Brooks
Regina Brown*
Dr. Bruce Gillett
Chris and Lisa Greenwood
Bryan Lew Henry, Jr.
Lee and Gail Herring
Rebecca Higgins
Ann Hixson
Mariann Holdzkom
John and Barbara Howell*
Sally Jobe
Kimberly Clark Foundation
Berna and Noah Levine
The Manely Firm
Lydia Mayes
Joanne Mazula*
Valencia McCrimmon
Mighty Cause Foundation
North Cobb Rotary
Foster and Bliss Peterson*
Carlo Purefoy
Robert Kent Galleries
Ronna Ruppelt
Robert Schull
Baker and Debby Smith
David and R. J. Starnes
Erica Stein
Adam and Mallory Stensland
Alan and Susan Stensland
Wahid Tawfik
Jeffrey and Louise Tharp
Richard and Pollyann Thompson
Tom and Susan Tillery*
Patricia Torres
Jeffrey and Suzanne Tucker
Rebecca Strojan Weaver
Todd Youngblood
Musicians Circle $500-$999
Anonymous
Anonymous
Dane Bamburry
David and Leta Barry
Barbara Anne Bennett
Cindy and Henry Bohn
William and Kim Dyer
Frank Harris
Nancy Hodges
Wendy Lerner
Regina Malloy
Yvonne and Michael Perrino
Carlo Purefoy
Dwight Shoemaker Family
Lily WhiteRose
Wallace Ziprik
Concertmaster Circle $250-$499
Alenia Baxter
Judith F. (Judy) Bullard
Buddy and Lillian Darden
James and Terry Dubsky
Stephen Hall
Clifford McCune
Gil Moor
Vijay & Carolyn Srinivasan
Gerry Stephens Jr
Burt and Sharon Stills
Prelude Circle $100-$249
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Janet Adams
Jordan Bonar
Kim Bonstein
Katherine and James Chester
Beth Collier
Katherine Dater
Monica Fambrough
Joe Ferst
Barbara Hammond
Annie Harris-Gunter
Carlyn and Ron Krieger
Emily Lembeck
Dennis Loubiere and Edward Eanes
Beverly Martin
Margaret Menz
Lee and Sandra Miller
Wei Money Family
Martha Moore
Bill and Sara Needs
Mary Nimsgern
Jane Redwine
Janelle Runge
Mark Schilke
Peter and Marian Sebel
Veronica Smith
Eric Swanson
Jo Tucker
Laurie Washington
Ovation Circle $50-$99
Anonymous
Anonymous
Anonymous
Kelley Clark
Fran Crawford
Jacqueline and Robert Downing
Ruth Einstein
Natalya Fainberg
Camille Fairbanks
Jonathan Gallant
Tera Gordon
Sandy Hsieh
Cindy Johnson
Grace Johnson
Nick Johnson
Darron Kendrick
Wiley Kendrick
Kristi Ledford
Lauren Abraham Mahoney
Russell Marshall
Karen Milchus
Nancy and Gordon O’Neill
Jason Ontjes
Eddie Rogers
Marnell Saunders
Marshall and Patty Smitherman
Gary Thomas
Paul Tompkins
Ken Sabo
Dr. Cyndy Stephens
Topaz Wong
In-Kind Supporters
ARTS of Cobb
Atlanta Marriott Northwest at the Galleria Hotel
Carriage House Catering
Chris Savas Photography
Cobb Travel and Tourism
Frank Harris Law
Gift of Music Foundation
Moore Colson CPAs and Advisors
Kathryn Smith
Adam Stensland
Timothy Verville
Daniel Barker
Chandra Brown
James Dubsky
Barbara Hammond
Marianne Holdzkom
Mary Kay Howard
Michael and Pauline Knowles
Dennis Loubiere
Tutt and Debra McCracken
Jeffrey & Suzanne Tucker
Jeff and Rose Whittingham
In Memoriam
Allan Cheshire in memory of Susan Cheshire
Brenda Rhodes in memory of Joanna Cox
Debra McCracken in memory of Frances M. Keith
Debra McCracken in memory of Joanna Cox
Eileen Paulin in memory of Jeff Kotzan
Frank Harris in memory of Polly Anna Harris
Grace Johnson in memory of Frances M. Keith
Jeff and Rose Whittingham in memory of their parents
Joseph Yorio in memory of JoAnn Mary Yorio
Linda Acevedo in memory of Jeff Kotzan
Mary Kay Howard in memory of the Grandfather of Sydney Trew
Ron & Staci Martinez in memory of Frances M. Keith
Sharon Stills in memory of Helen Mackey, Theresa Ireland, Betty Knautz, Sylvia Peters
Susan Stensland in memory of Joanna Cox
Tish Fricks in memory of Jennifer Whitley
In Honorarium
Alenia Baxter in honor of Mary Kay Howard and Susan Traendly
Annonymous in honor of Kate Pfirman
Barbara Hammond in honor of Susan Stensland
Belisa Urbina in honor of Stephen Hall
Brenda Rhodes in honor of Susan Stensland
Brendan Knoblauch in honor of Mary Kay Howard
Dane Bamburry in honor of Valencia McCrimmon
Emily Lembeck in honor of Debbie McCracken
George Darden in honor of Amy and Bryan Black
Ira Pittman in honor of Suzanne Tucker
Jane McGuigan in honor of Mary Kay Howard
Joan Harrell in honor of Susan Stensland
John Morgan in support of Bryan Black, JG Morgan Choral Director
Katherine Dater in honor of Mary Kay Howard
Kim Bonstein in honor of Linda and Bob Bonstein
Kristen Bonstein in honor of Bob and Linda Bonstein
Linda Moore Connor in honor of Timothy Verville
Marian Sebel in honor of Bryan Black
Marie Boatright in honor of Mary Kay Howard
Martha and Dennis Moore in honor of Susan Stensland
Mary Argent in honor of Mary Kay Howard
Nancy O’Neill in honor of Bob and Linda Bonstein
Noah Levine in honor of the GSO Chorus
Valencia McCrimmon to the Julie Whitehead Memorial Library
Paula & Grainger Morrison in honor of Frank Harris & Abby Avery
Phillip O’Brien and Allison Fichter in honor of John and Linda Cooke
Rhea Pridgen in honor of Linda Cooke
Sharon Stills in honor of Susan Stensland
Richard and Pollyann Thompson in memoy of Margaret Curry
Susan Traendly in honor of Beth Johnson
Susan Traendly in honor of Mary Kay Howard
Susan Traendly in honor of Pat Torres
Sydney Trew in honor of Susan Stensland and Mary Kay Howard
Administration
Madison Willits
Artistic Operations Manager
Ann Stoskopf
Business & Patron Manager
Artistic Staff
Nathaniel F. Parker
Board of Directors
For information about joining our Board of Directors or Advisory Board, please click here.
Rebecca Strojan Weaver, Chair
Collective Insights
Pamela Hubby, Vice Chair
ArtsBridge, retired
Michael Knowles, Past Chair
Fifth Third Bank
Sydney Trew, Treasurer
Moore Colson
Adam Stensland, Secretary
pwc
Len Van Popering
Applause Innovation Group, LLC
Bob Bonstein, Past Chair
Cotivity, Retired
Debbie McCracken
Marietta City Schools, retired
Greg Mishkin
Escalent
Amy Drabant
Atlanta Design Solutions
Kathryn Smith
Walton Birch
Frank Harris
Frank Harris Law
Rhea Starnes
Women in Healthcare
Erica Stein
KPMG
Lew Henry
Mauldin & Jenkins
Ronna Ruppelt
Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP
Advisory Board
Jim Glover
Harry Norman Realtors
Susan Stensland
Past Executive Director GSO
Mary Kay Howard
Past-Interim Co-Executive Director GSO
Dr. Jeffrey Tharp
Wellstar Medical Group
Patricia Torres
Ret. Development Director GSO
Harry Norman
Realtors
KSU Interns
Gustavo De la Torre Martinez | Allen Yun | Eduardo Maduro | Allie King
MPAC Interns
John Stagmeier | Ellis Dill
GYSO Jazz! Intern
Evan Skrip
GSO Chorus Site Coordinator
Simri Martinez Chantaca
GSO/GYSO Library Intern
Alyssa McBride
About Us
Founded in 1951, the Georgia Symphony Orchestra has engaged audiences through imaginative programming, visionary leadership, and critically acclaimed performances.
Our Mission
The mission of the Georgia Symphony Orchestra is to break down access barriers to ensure that the transformative power of music serves all members of our community. The GSO enriches lives and creates impact far beyond the concert hall through innovative and engaging performances, world-class educational programs, and intentional community engagement.
Our Vision
Our vision is to be the cultural heartbeat of our community. We envision a world where every voice resonates, is celebrated and is valued through the unique power of music.
Our Values
We value high quality musical performances and we prioritize quality musicianship in our productions.
We value the accessibility of our programs to the community, we prioritize making venues, times, and cost fit the needs of the community, and we make sure no one will be left behind.
We embrace diversity and innovation in our programming to inspire the widest possible audience with our musical experiences.
We value the importance of volunteers across our organization.
We value the support of our donors and audience members and continually manage our resources effectively and efficiently.
We recognize the vital contributions of our musicians and educators and we strive to maintain relationships that create a positive environment for all.
We strive to provide a variety of high-quality musical education opportunities for youth and for life-long learning.
Timothy Verville
Music Director & Conductor
Born in western Oklahoma, Timothy Verville, an award-winning conductor and composer, spent his early years far from concert halls, growing up on a farm where his family raised and trained show horses. Eventually moving to “the city,” he was first exposed to music education in public schools. This ignited his journey of musical discovery and excellence, propelling him to stages and acclaim worldwide.
Verville is a uniquely multifaceted conductor in the modern orchestral sphere. His creativity, innovation, and dedication to sharing the power of the arts result in performances that captivate audiences. His work is described as “awe-inspiring” and credited for “bringing down the house” by the Atlanta Arts Scene. He is praised for his “finely focused conducting (in which) the pace of the music never sagged” by The Tulsa World.
Internationally, Verville conducted the inaugural Kyushu International Festival in Japan and has appeared with the Kyushu Symphony Orchestra, the Far Eastern Symphony in Russia, Opera Panama and the National Symphony Orchestra of Panama. In the U.S., his appearances include the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, and many others.
Since 2016, as Music Director and Conductor of the Georgia Symphony Orchestra, Verville has fostered significant growth in the organization. His focus on audience engagement and outreach has been recognized in the community. In 2023, the Georgia Secretary of State proclaimed him an Outstanding Georgia Citizen for his service.
Under his visionary leadership, the Georgia Symphony has expanded its reach and built bridges to underrepresented populations. Collaborating with Girls Who Conduct, he created a fellowship for women conductors. He also partnered with Make a Wish Georgia to fulfill a young person’s dream of conducting an orchestra, and designed sensory-friendly concerts supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.
From 2010 to 2017, Verville served as the founding Artistic Director and Conductor of Arizona Pro Arte, leading to exponential growth in the organization. He established a full classics season, a summer series, educational performances, a chamber music program, and a dance ensemble.
Verville’s long-standing relationship with the Boston Chamber Orchestra included roles as Associate Conductor and Principal Guest Conductor. Additional previous engagements include Music Director and Conductor of the North Valley Chamber Orchestra (AZ), Scottsdale Baroque Orchestra (AZ), and Conductor of the Pollard Theatre (OK).
An award winner in the American Prize for Orchestral Performance as well as in Composition, his writing style encompasses a wide range of output. Recent premieres include the genre-blending “Liminal: an Atlanta Concerto for Amplified Looping Cello and Orchestra” with Okorie “OkCello” Johnson, and his upcoming “Requiem Americano.”
Verville was mentored by esteemed conductors Bruce Hangen, Timothy Russell, and James DePreist. He studied in masterclasses with David Effron, Markand Thakar, and Neil Varon. At the renowned Monteux School and Music Festival, he was selected as an orchestral assistant while studying with Michael Jinbo. Verville earned degrees in music from the Boston Conservatory, the University of Oklahoma, and Arizona State University.
He resides in Georgia with his wife and children.
Nathaniel F. Parker
GYSO Flute Choir Director
A talented and versatile musician, Nathaniel F. Parker has conducted orchestras in the United States, Peru, Russia, Poland, England, and the Czech Republic. Equally at home working with professionals and training future generations of musicians, Dr. Parker is Director of Orchestral Studies at the Kennesaw State University School of Music—serving as Music Director and Conductor of the Kennesaw State University Symphony Orchestra and Conductor of the Kennesaw State University Opera Program—and Associate Conductor of the Georgia Symphony Orchestra. His recent guest conducting engagements include appearances with the Jackson Symphony Orchestra (Michigan), the Connecticut Music Educators Association (CMEA) All-State Orchestra, the Fulton County High School Honor Orchestra (Georgia), and the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA) District 9 High School Honor Orchestra.
Dr. Parker is the recipient of numerous honors, awards, and scholarships. He was named a finalist for a Conducting Fellowship with the New World Symphony, a semi-finalist for a Conducting Fellowship at Tanglewood, and a Candidate for the Respighi Prize in Conducting; he also received a Citation of Excellence in Teaching from the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association. An active scholar, Dr. Parker’s writings have been published by the Conductors Guild and the College Orchestra Directors Association (CODA). He has presented research at the College Orchestra Directors Association’s national and international conferences and is Editor of the Journal of the Conductors Guild.
Dr. Parker has served as Music Director and Conductor of the Concert Orchestra and faculty at New England Music Camp (Maine), and Interim Music Director and Conductor of the Georgia Youth Symphony Orchestra’s (GYSO) Symphony and Camerata orchestras. Before relocating to Georgia, he was Director of Orchestral Activities and Assistant Professor of Music at Marywood University (Pennsylvania) where he was Music Director and Conductor of the Marywood University Orchestra and taught courses in conducting, instrumental methods, musicology, and analytical techniques. Other previous positions include Associate Conductor and Production Manager of the Jackson Symphony Orchestra (Michigan), Music Director and Conductor of the Jackson Youth Symphony Orchestra, Director of the Jackson Symphony Orchestra Community Music School, Graduate Conducting Intern at Michigan State University, Music Director and Conductor of the Mason Orchestral Society’s Community Orchestra and Youth Symphony (Michigan), Assistant Director of Music at Xaverian High School (New York), Conductor of the New Music Festival of Sandusky Orchestra (Ohio), and Graduate Assistant Conductor and Teaching Assistant at Bowling Green State University (Ohio).
Parker earned a Doctor of Musical Arts in Orchestral Conducting from Michigan State University, where his primary instructors were Leon Gregorian and Raphael Jiménez. During his time at MSU he regularly appeared with all the university orchestras and focused his doctoral research on Leonard Bernstein, specifically the composer’s Symphony No. 2, “The Age of Anxiety.” He earned a Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from Bowling Green State University, where he studied with Emily Freeman Brown. His other conducting mentors include Stephen Osmond, Gary W. Hill, and Timothy Russell. In addition to his training in academia, Dr. Parker participated in numerous conducting master classes and workshops, conducting orchestras under the tutelage of nationally and internationally renowned conductors and conducting pedagogues including Christoph Eschenbach, George Hurst, Arthur Fagen, Markand Thakar, Mark Gibson, David Itkin, and Paul Vermel. Parker began his collegiate education at Arizona State University, where he studied bassoon with Jeffrey G. Lyman and graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Music in Bassoon Performance.
Nat resides in Kennesaw with his wife, Melody, their son, Jacob, and their dog, Sammy.
For more information, please visit www.nathanielfparker.com
Bryan Black
JG Morgan GSO Chorus Director
Bryan Black is the founding conductor of the Georgia Symphony Orchestra Chorus which he established in 2007. Over sixteen seasons the ninety-voice Chorus has performed masterworks such as Orff’s Carmina Burana, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Poulenc’s Gloria, Bach’s Magnificat, Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast, Vaughan-William’s Sea Symphony, and the Georgia premier of William Grant Still’s And They Lynched Him On A Tree. Other concerts have featured notable choral repertoire including Corigliano’s Fern Hill, Handel’s Let God Arise, and Robert Ray’s Gospel Mass. The chorus made its first international tour to Spain in 2012 under his direction and anticipates a tour of the United Kingdom in 2025.
Black has been active in the broader music community for three decades and was recognized as a “Lexus Leader in the Arts” by Atlanta Public Broadcasting in 2003. After a collaborative performance of Hugo Distler’s Totentanz in 2004, Bryan was awarded a cultural ambassadorship from the Atlanta Goethe-Institut and attended an advanced language symposium in Weimar, Germany. He sang for several years with the ASO Chorus and Chamber Chorus, including Robert Shaw’s final performance of Bach’s B-minor Mass in Carnegie Hall. He also taught on the adjunct faculty of Georgia State University and was visiting conductor for the Candler School of Theology Choraliers at Emory University. Choirs led by Black have performed at the Vatican, Christ Church Cathedral (Oxford), the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, and on tours to Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Norway.
Bryan is past-president of Georgia ACDA (American Choral Director’s Association) and served six terms at the divisional and national levels as Resource and Repertoire coordinator for reading sessions and conference performances. While serving ACDA, he assisted John Rutter as organizer for a conductor’s honor chorus in 2013 and planned the national 2019 “Music in Worship” event featuring Jason Max Ferdinand and the Aeolians. He has contributed articles to the Choral Journal, the Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology, and Tim Sharp’s Sacred Choral Music Repertoire (pub. GIA) reflecting his work as a practicing church musician since the age of seventeen. Black currently serves as organist / choirmaster at St. James Episcopal Church on the historic square in Marietta, Georgia.
Bryan holds a certificate in German as a foreign language (Goethe-Institut Berlin), a BM degree in organ (Samford University), and an MM degree in choral conducting from The Florida State University where he studied with Rodney Eichenberger and André Thomas. His doctoral thesis (DPM, Southern Methodist University) considered the impact of choral music in a maximum-security women’s prison and how the inmates’ lived experience of musicking models resilient community in an age of technological acceleration and relational isolation.
Brittny Woods
Dr. Brittny H. Woods joined the faculty at Marietta High School in July 2023 and currently serves as the Director of Choral Activities. She previously taught in the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System for 12 years. Dr. Woods served as the Director of Choral Activities and Musical Theatre at New Hampstead High School where she was voted 2024 Teacher of the Year. Additionally, she was selected for the “Punk Rock Unity” Project for “her dedication to creating engaging and enriching learning experiences for her students, as well as her commitment to supporting her students’ social and emotional well-being.” Dr. Woods served as Choral Director at Oglethorpe Charter School and Music Specialist at Godley Station K-8 School where she began her teaching career. She has held adjunct teaching positions at Savannah State University and Ogeechee Technical College where she was honored as the 2019 Adjunct Professor of the Year.
Dr. Woods earned her Doctor of Music Education degree from Liberty University. Her research examined culturally responsive pedagogy and repertoire selection in secondary choral music classrooms. Dr. Woods earned her Master of Music Education degree from the South Carolina School of the Arts at Anderson University and her Bachelor of Music Education degree from Georgia Southern University. Dr. Woods is an active conductor, clinician, and guest speaker. Her professional affiliations include the National Association of Music Educators (NAfME), Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA), and the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA).
Dr. Woods and her husband, Dr. Gabriel Woods have a daughter, Gabrielle, and teacup yorkie, Maestro.
Georgia Symphony Orchestra Personnel
Violin 1
Edward Eanes,* Concertmaster
The Teresa Eubanks Ireland Chair
Robert Givens, Associate Principal
The Marnie R. Gresh Chair
Melody Bearden
Kerren Berz
Mary Burndrett
James Cobb
Talia Coopersmith
Amber Dobbs
Heather Hart
Gilyoung Kang
Aeden O’Shields
Kelly Thomas
Hae Jin Yoo
Violin 2
Yi-Wen Yeh*
Colin Cassell
Evelyn Champion
Beth Collier
David Edwards
Amanda Esposito
Grace Kawamura
Ryan Lavender
Lauren Miller
Monika Ramnarayan
Patrick Ryan
Jennifer Sersaw
Ehsan Sheikholharam
Jill Stokes
Tina Yu
Viola
Meghan Yost*
Christina Esposito
Eric Johnson
Mary Koves
Kyle Mayes
Dave Miller
Greg Selig
Heather Vincenty
Blake Wright
Cello
David Lloyd*
Jennifer Davenport
Megan Deason
Rachel Halverson
Wesley Holmes
John Howell
Natallia Isabel
Julienne Kung
Nirav Patel
Stephanie Peterson
Michael Roberts
Dwayne Wasson
Double Bass
Robert Goin *
The Mary Kay Howard Chair
Chris Bussert
Leonardo Lopes
Rob Lysse
Maximilian Simmons
Moe Winograd
* denotes section principal
Flute
Jeanne Carere*
Frankie Cavanah
Piccolo
Dana Meyer
Oboe
Christina Gavin*
Alexander Zhang
Clarinet
Justin Stanley*
Theresa Stephens
Bass Clarinet
Daniel Barker*
John Warren
Bassoon
Marissa Takaki*
Nib McKenney
French Horn
Jason Eklund*
Eric Hawkins
Patrick Hydo
Cole McDonald
Scott Sappington
Trumpet
Yvonne Toll Schneider*
Michael Brown
Rachel Ragan
Stephen Wadsack
Trombone
Tavish Daly*
Jennifer Mitchell
Phil Truex
Bass Trombone
Steve Jessup
Tuba
Don Strand*
Greg Rowell
* denotes section principal
Piano
Jakari Rush
Harp
Julie Koenig*
Timpani
John Lawless *
The John and Linda Cooke Chair
Chair Percussion
Jeff Kershner*
Noah Burgess
Dakota Reeves
Greg Roman
Katie Ude
* denotes section principal
Musicians performing in orchestral productions are represented by the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada.
Georgia Symphony Orchestra Chorus
Encompassing a wide range of vocal versatility, the Georgia Symphony Orchestra Chorus performs choral/orchestral works, pops, and produces independent choral concerts. Highlights from recent seasons include choral masterworks with the Georgia Symphony, being featured on a GSO Jazz! performance at the Strand Theatre, singing in a sold-out concert of music from the video game “Zelda,” and presenting a historic regional premiere of American music.
Comprised of accomplished vocalists from the greater metropolitan area, performances have included Mahler’s Second Symphony, Vaughan Williams’ Sea Symphony, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Haydn’s Creation, and Verdi’s Te Deum. The ensemble has also presented state, regional, and world premieres.
Founded in 2007, and directed by Bryan Black, the chorus recently performed with the Morehouse College Glee Club, the Spelman College Glee Club, the Uzee Brown Society of Choraliers, and the Georgia Spiritual Ensemble.
Shana Adams
Wisdom Anderson
Lanie Baxter
Julia Bellezza
Heather Blalock
Cindy Bohn
Linda Bonstein
Crae Borsom
Ann Burkly
Atheleen Burley
Cailin Che
Gabrielle Clark
Beth Collier
Amber Connor
Leah Crumley
Gwen Ehrhardt
Camille Fairbanks Michaelyn Findley
Karen Gonzalez
Ann C Hixson
Nancy Hodges
Marianne Holdzkom
Marian Hull
Judy Feasel
Jones Amy LaPlume
Kathleen Laurendeau
Ashley Laverock
Stephanie Loomis
Katie Mattice
Margaret Menz
Mary Nimsgern
Virginia Osborne
Karen Partyka
Bliss Peterson
Amy Potter
Bwashena Qadhafi
Brenda Rhodes
Luci Roberts
Kim Sherk
Patty Smitherman
Tammy Teal
Leslie Thompson
Maria Velasquez
Ann Vines
Janet Adams
Morgan Baker
Laura Blakeshee
Sara Branch
Glendel Browder
Ramona Burkett
Kamela Carlson
Karen Chin
Jennie Coar
Dr. Kecia Coar-Overall Andrea Davis
Tiffany Fannin
Kelly Francis
Lisa Greenwood
Judy Harvey
Rebecca Higgins
Deborah Holyfield
Peggy Hurst
Mary Hyde
Beth Johnson
Jennifer Kunz
Cynthia Landis
Erin Layton
Berna Levine
Suzanne Loo
Beverly Martin
Debra McCracken
Sharon Menear
Suzanne Milligan
Allison Nance
Linda Nordahl
Jacquelyn O’Bryan
Laura Searcy
Marian Sebel
Christine Shoemaker
Joan Shorr
Susan Traendly
Christine Vick
Laurie Washington Meredtih Weber
Rose Whittingham
Martha Willis
James Banks
Steve Bennett
William Dyer
Johnny Gravley
Chris Greenwood
Dean Hawkinson
Scott Lamphere
John Love
Jimmie Nettles
Kevin Valery
Pyram Robert Shull
Josh Teal
Robert J Argent
Robert Bonstein
Charlie Champion
Dave Erstfeld
Gaylen Ferry
Joe Ferst
Aidan Fortenberry
Frank Harris
Ken Johnson
Wates Keller
Brian Loomis
Dave Lozada
Robert Mayfield
John Morgan
Oral Moses
Carter Ransom
Michael Reeves
Alberto Sapoznik
Al Searcy
Benjamin Wadsworth
Peter – Goose Weston
Harris Wheeler
Wally Ziprik
Gospel Mass
March 17, 2024 | 5:00 PM
Morgan Concert Hall | Bailey Performance Center
Bryan Black, JG Morgan Chorus Director
J. Jakari Rush, Accompanist
Cedric Dent
Examine Me
GSOC Chamber Singers
J. Jakari Rush
A Hymn (World Premiere)
Adolphus Hailstork
I Am Only One
Marietta High School Chorus, Dr. Brittny Woods, Director
Rollo Dilworth
United in Purpose
with the Marietta High School Chorus, Dr. Brittny Woods, Director
~Intermission~
Robert Ray
Gospel Mass
Glendol Browder / James banks, soloists
Beth Johnson/Michaelyn Findley, soloists
Mary Hyde, soloist
Ken Johnson, soloist
Program Text
Examine Me Cedrick Dent (b. 1962)
Examine me and prove me and try my heart. Be merciful my Father I pray.
With thee Lord I am blest, my joy and my rest. My life and my salvation!
(Cederic Dent, adapted from scripture)
A Hymn J. Jakari Rush (b. 1990)
Today’s performance is dedicated to the memory of Jason Chukuwa Ogbomoh (1998–2023).
Lead gently, Lord, and slow for oh, my steps are weak and ever as I go some soothing sentence speak.
That I may turn my face through doubt’s obscurity toward thine abiding place, e’en though I cannot see.
For lo the way is dark through mist and cloud I grope, save for that fitful spark: the little flame of hope.
Lead gently, Lord, and slow for fear that I may fall; I know not where to go unless I hear thy call.
My fainting soul doth yearn for thy green hills afar, so let thy mercy burn: my greater guiding star!
Lead gently, Lord, and slow.
(Paul Lawrence Dunbar, 1872–1906)
I Am Only One Adolphus Hailstork (b. 1941)
I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something.
And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.
I am only one, but still I am one. I am one.
(Edward Everett Hale, 1822–1909)
United In Purpose Rolo Dilworth (b. 1970)
The onus is upon us all to work to improve the human condition.
Perform good deeds, for that is truly the way to battle the forces of entropy that are at work in this world.
The composite of all our efforts can have an effect.
Good done anywhere is good done everywhere.
When we unite in purpose, we are greater than the sum of our parts.
(Maya Angelou, 1928–2014)
Gospel Mass (1979) Robert Ray (1946–2022)
I. Kyrie – Lord Have Mercy
In the name of the Father.
In the name of the Son.
In the name of the Holy Spirit, the blessed Three in One.
O Lord have mercy, kyrie eleison. O Lord, have mercy on me.
Send us a Savior, set my soul free. Give us your word and teach us to pray.
I want to praise and serve you always.
Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob look down, have mercy upon us.
O Christ have mercy. Christe eleison. O Christ have mercy on me.
Send us your comfort, grant us your peace. You are the way, the truth, and the light.
I love you more each day and each night.
Jesus the Rock of salvation the Light of the world, have mercy upon us.
II. Gloria – Glory to God in the Highest Beth Johnson, soloist
Glory to God in the highest, peace to all men of goodwill.
We praise thee, we bless thee, we adore thee, we glorify thee.
We give thanks to thee for thy great glory.
Lord God, King of heaven, Father Almighty one.
Glory be to Jesus Christ, Lamb of God, the Father’s only Son.
Thou who takes away all the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Thou who takes away all the sins of the world, receive our prayers.
Thou who sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty in heaven, have mercy on us.
For only thou art holy, only thou art the Lord.
Only thou art holy, only thou art most high.
We come to praise your name today, we want to serve you in every way.
Let the loud hosannas ring, shouting the praises to God our King.
In the name of the Father, the name of the Son, and the Holy Ghost: the blessed Three in One. Amen.
III. Credo – I Believe in God Mary Hyde, soloist
I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost.
Born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, crucified, died and was buried,
He descended into hell.
On the third day he arose. He ascended to heaven; from death he was set free.
Now he sits at the right hand and he’s waitin’ for you and me.
He will judge all the world. He will judge you and me.
I believe in the Holy Spirit and the Holy catholic church.
I believe Lord in one baptism for the remission of sin and rebirth.
I believe in the resurrection and the communion of saints in this world.
I believe when my life is over I’m going home just to live with my God.
I believe in God, and in the Holy Ghost. I believe in God.
IV. Acclamation – Praise the Lord
Hallelujah, praise the Lord. Let us praise the Lord. Praise him with stringed instruments.
Praise him with dance. Praise him on the psaltery and harp.
Everything that has breath ought to praise him.
V. Sanctus – Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts Ken Johnson, soloist
Holy, holy, Lord God of hosts. Hosanna be to thee who gave me victory.
There was a man sittin’ by the roadside; he was blind he could not see.
Then the Master of the earth and skies touched his eyes and he looked around saying:
Holy, holy, Lord God of hosts. Hosanna be to thee who gave me victory.
Another man lay by a poolside; thirty-eight years with his infirmity.
Then the Lord troubled the water the man arose and he jumped for joy saying:
Holy, holy, Lord God of hosts. Hosanna be to thee who gave me victory.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
We will always sing, always sing thy praise hosanna in the highest.
Like the blind man and the lame man, I was lost—living in sin.
Then I opened up my heart one day, I let the Savior in. Now I shout saying:
Holy, holy, Lord God of hosts. Hosanna be to thee in the highest who gave me victory.
Holy, holy Lord Jesus. Holy!
VI. Agnus Dei – Lamb of God Logan Burley, soloist
Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
For you came to die for me. Suffered, bled, and died, died on Calvary.
Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
In your word you showed us how. We are trying, Lord, hear our prayer right now.
Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, grant us thy peace. Amen.
