Northview High School Orchestra with members of Southern Crescent Symphony Orchestra will perform under the baton of Clayton State University’s Dr. Richard Bell

Spivey Hall to host event; radio personality John Lemley to emcee

The Atlanta Area Suzuki Piano Association (AASPA), Atlanta’s leading piano organization following the principles of Dr. Shinichi Suzuki, will hold its 39th Bi-annual Graduation Concert on Sunday, 5 June 2016. Clayton State University’s Spivey Hall will host the two concert programs, one at 1.00 p.m. and the second at 4.00 p.m. The Northview High School Orchestra, including members of the Southern Crescent Symphony Orchestra, will perform in the 4.00 p.m. concert, accompanying the two AASPA Level Ten graduates on a Mozart piano concerto. Atlanta radio personality John Lemley, AM 1690 WMLB, The Voice of the Arts, will emcee both recital programs.

“The talent of this year’s graduating class is a testament to the success of the Suzuki method of music instruction,” said Brooke Chumachenko, president of AASPA. “Each year, I am amazed at the levels of maturity and skill shown in these young students’ performances, and their comfort in performing on stage in a top-level venue like Spivey Hall in front of a large audience.”

The recital will take place in two parts, each with a separate program and performers. Students performing in the concerts range in age from 6 to 18 years of age, and represent a wide array of schools and areas across metro Atlanta. All AASPA students are required to submit a video audition for the concert; this year, there were 38 auditions, from which 35 were chosen to perform.

Each of the two graduation concerts features a special performance. The 1.00 p.m. concert program includes Tema: Pria ch’io l’impegno. Allegretto [variations] from Beethoven’s Trio in B-flat major, Op. 11, Gassenhauer, played by AASPA’s Tara Chavda (piano), accompanied by Agni Kumar (violin) and Rae Baker (cello). Chavda, 18, graduated from Milton High School, with plans to attend Mercer University in the fall. She is one of three AASPA students receiving a Senior Award, which recognizes students who participate in the Graduation Program through their Senior Year in High School. Sophia Tarrego, 18, Dunwoody High School and Alex Tuck, 18, a homeschooler from Acworth, will also receive Senior Awards.

The 4.00 p.m. concert ends with a performance of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, played by AASPA students Joshua Grindley and Sabrina Huang, both graduating Level 10, the highest Graduation level in Suzuki. The students will perform with The Northview High School Orchestra, including members of the Southern Crescent Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Clayton State University Assistant Professor of Music Dr. Richard Bell. Grindley is a homeschooled sophomore; Huang recently graduated Northview High School and will attend Georgia Tech this fall.

Atlanta radio host and news anchor John Lemley will serve as emcee for both programs. Lemley has become a fixture in the Atlanta arts community, serving as a narrator and emcee for performances and fundraisers. He is the host and producer of John Lemley’s City Café on AM 1690 WMLB, The Voice of the Arts. Lemley also serves as an anchor on News Radio 106.7 (WYAY-FM Atlanta).

Tickets for each program of the recital are priced at $15 for adults and $7.50 for children, and are available for purchase now at www.spiveyhall.org. Receptions in the Music Education Building Atrium adjacent to Spivey Hall will follow both the 1:00 and 4:00 concerts and are included in the ticket price; all attendees are welcome to attend.

The Annual Graduation Recital celebrates the accomplishments of AASPA’s graduating students; ticket sales will benefit AASPA’s mission to provide Suzuki Piano Basics education to as many teachers and students as possible through its scholarship program. AASPA provides financial support to worthy students and teachers through fee waivers to AASPA workshops and graduations; tuition assistance or travel stipends to Piano Basics workshops and ten-piano concerts; and $500 awards to Level X graduates.