UpTempo Teen Night + ASO Concert

UpTempo Featuring Dr. Christopher Alan Schmitz
Professor of Music Theory and Composition | Mercer University

Dr. Schmitz will lead a presentation on the evening’s ASO repertoire—works by Copland, Elgar, and Strauss—offering insights into the historical backdrop and the distinct musical language of each composer. The session will be hosted by Dr. Brittan Braddock, Director of Bands at Mercer University, and will feature a performance by Graydon Linard, a teen musician from the ASO Talent Development Program. The evening concludes with an interactive Q&A.

» More about Dr. Christopher Schmitz
» More about Graydon Linard

Stay tuned for program details.

UpTempo Featuring Choo Choo Hu
Pianist and Educator | ensemble vim

Pianist and educator Choo Choo Hu will lead students through the evening's ASO repertoire – Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1 and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 8 – sharing musical insights and performing select excerpts to spark curiosity and deepen the listening experience. The session will be hosted by Monique Osorio, Teaching Artist with the ASO Education Department, and will feature a special performance by Madison Christian, teen musician from the ASO Talent Development Program.

» More about Choo Choo Hu
» More about Madison Christian

UpTempo Featuring Michael Kobito
Conductor, Trumpeter, and Educator, Georgia Brass Band and Tara Winds

Conductor and educator Michael Kobito will break down the evening's ASO repertoire – Sibelius's Finlandia and Symphony No. 2, plus Khachaturian's Violin Concerto – pointing out what to listen for and how to stay curious from first note to final chord. The session will be hosted by Jeffrey Rowser, Director of Bands at Woodward Academy, and will feature a performance by Kalea Walker, teen musician from the ASO Talent Development Program.

» More about Michael Kobito
» More about Kalea Walker

UpTempo Featuring Dr. Marie Sumner Lott
Musicologist, Georgia State University

Musicologist Dr. Marie Sumner Lott will lead an exploration of Handel's Messiah, offering historical context, interpretive insights, and listening strategies to enrich students' understanding of this iconic work. The session will be hosted by Monique Osorio, Teaching Artist with the ASO Education Department, and will feature a performance by Brielle Brown, teen musician from the ASO Talent Development Program.

» More about Dr. Marie Sumner Lott
» More about Brielle Brown

UpTempo Featuring Jon Carmack
Orchestra Director, Dekalb School of the Arts

Conductor and educator Jon Carmack will guide students through the evening's ASO repertoire – Schubert's Ballet No. 2 from Rosamunde, Mass No. 2 in G major, and Symphony No. 9, "The Great" – drawing on his experience leading orchestral ensembles to help students listen more deeply to Schubert's musical storytelling. The session will be hosted by Jeffrey Rowser, Director of Bands at Woodward Academy, and will feature a performance by a teen musician from the ASO Talent Development Program.

» More about Jon Carmack

UpTempo Featuring Dr. Paula Grissom-Broughton
Musicologist and Pianist, Spelman College

Dr. Paula Grissom-Broughton, musicologist and pianist, will lead students in exploring the evening's ASO repertoire – Ellington's The Three Black Kings, Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 2, and Elgar's Enigma Variations. Drawing from both scholarly research and lived experience at the keyboard, she'll invite students to consider how composers use sound to express identity and emotion within their cultural moment. The session will be hosted by Monique Osorio, Teaching Artist with the ASO Education Department, and will feature a performance by a teen musician from the ASO Talent Development Program.

» More about Dr. Paula Grissom-Broughton

Stay tuned for program details.

UpTempo Featuring Michael Kobito
Conductor and Educator, Georgia Brass Band and Tara Winds

Conductor and educator Michael Kobito will lead students through a discussion about the evening's ASO repertoire – Shaw's Clarinet Concerto, Valerie Coleman's Renaissance, Copland's Clarinet Concerto, and Bernstein's Symphonic Dances from West Side Story – with a focus on the rhythmic energy and vivid color that wind instruments bring to each piece. The session will be hosted by Monique Osorio, Teaching Artist with the ASO Education Department, and will feature a performance by a teen musician from the ASO Talent Development Program.

» More about Michael Kobito

UpTempo Featuring Dr. Marie Sumner Lott
Musicologist and Educator, Georgia State University

Dr. Marie Sumner Lott, musicologist at Georgia State University, will guide students through the evening's ASO repertoire – Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 and Bruckner's Symphony No. 6 – with a focus on how each composer shaped musical form to reflect personal voice and cultural moment. The session will be hosted by Monique Osorio, Teaching Artist with the ASO Education Department, and will feature a performance by a teen musician from the ASO Talent Development Program.

» More about Dr. Marie Sumner Lott

UpTempo Featuring Dr. Gary Gerber
Dean, Townsend School of Music | Mercer University

Dr. Gary Gerber, Dean of the Townsend School of Music at Mercer University, will lead a conversation on J.S. Bach's Mass in B minor – offering insights drawn from his experience in choral music and sacred repertoire. The session will be hosted by Dr. Brittan Braddock, Teaching Artist with the ASO Education Department, and will feature a performance by a teen musician from the ASO Talent Development Program.

» More about Dr. Gary Gerber

Stay tuned for program details.

UpTempo Featuring Dr. Emily Koh
Associate Professor of Music Composition, University of Georgia

Dr. Emily Koh, Associate Professor of Music Composition at the University of Georgia, will guide students through the evening's ASO repertoire – Nicky Sohn's new work (world premiere), Philip Glass' Violin Concerto No. 1, and Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 1 – offering listening tips and historical context drawn from her experience in contemporary composition and orchestral writing. The session will be hosted by Monique Osorio, Teaching Artist with the ASO Education Department, and will feature a performance by a teen musician from the ASO Talent Development Program.

» More about Dr. Emily Koh

UpTempo Featuring Dr. Katie Rios
Associate Professor of Music History and Musicology, Mercer University

Dr. Katie Rios, Associate Professor of Music History at Mercer University, will lead a discussion on the evening's ASO repertoire – Berlioz's Roman Carnival Overture, Saint-Saëns's Piano Concerto No. 5 ("Egyptian"), and Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique – viewing each work through a historical lens. The session will be hosted by Dr. Brittan Braddock, Director of Bands at Mercer University, and will feature a performance by a teen musician from the ASO Talent Development Program.

» More about Dr. Katie Rios

UpTempo Featuring Dr. Andrea Pérez Mukdsi
Professor of Latin American Music, Georgia State University

Dr. Andrea Pérez Mukdsi, who teaches Latin American Music at Georgia State University, will invite students into an in-depth look at the music style of tango through Piazzolla’s Sinfonía Buenos Aires. The session will be hosted by Monique Osorio and will include a performance by a teen musician from the ASO Talent Development Program.

» More about Dr. Andrea Pérez Mukdsi

Stay tuned for program details.

UpTempo Featuring Dr. Richard Kosowski
Professor of Music and Vocal Studies, Mercer University

Dr. Richard Kosowski, Professor of Music and Director of Vocal Studies at Mercer University, will lead a conversation on Mahler's Symphony No. 2, "Resurrection." Students will explore how Mahler used voice, orchestra, and scale to express big ideas of grief and hope through music. The session will be hosted by Dr. Brittan Braddock, Director of Bands at Mercer University, and will include a performance by a teen musician from the ASO Talent Development Program.

» More about Dr. Richard Kosowski

View pics from our last UpTempo Teen Night.

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