Orchestra
Dr. Kevin Pearce, Director of Orchestras
kevin.pearce@sccpss.com
Savannah Arts Academy is the first dedicated performing and visual arts high school in Savannah, Georgia. The Academy, part of the Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools, was granted charter school status and opened in August 1998. Emily Calhoun, the current director of orchestras, helped build the strings program in Savannah during the early 1990’s. She was the first certified orchestra director at the school as she moved to the high school with the first full class of freshmen from Shuman MS Fine and Performing Arts Magnet. The following year, Ms. Calhoun and her family transferred to Athens, GA, and the orchestra continued to grow under the direction of many talented teachers, including Mr. and Mrs. Fred Devyatkin and Mr. Carl Polk. In 2014, Ms. Calhoun became Director of Orchestras, and thus the orchestra program came full circle. The Savannah Arts Academy Orchestra has consistently earned superior ratings at performance evaluations. On average, twenty percent of its members participate in GMEA All-State Orchestra each year. Students perform in solo recitals, chamber recitals and full orchestra concerts throughout the academic year. Orchestra students also participate in the school’s band, jazz band, chorus, theater productions and art department classes.
Dave Wish, Founder of LKR, leading teacher training in Savannah
The Savannah Arts Academy Orchestra performing at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC on Feb 18, 2019
Kennedy Center Feb 18, 2019
Kennedy Center Feb 18, 2019
Recording the soundtrack for SCAD Collaboration short film "The Pages of Destiny"
March 4 - 5, 2019
Composer Nico Rinciari advising the orchestra during recording session
March 4 - 5, 2019
Between takes - recording session
March 4 - 5, 2019
The Savannah Arts Academy Mastery Orchestra, Live Event for Pages of Destiny, Trustee's Theater Mar 6, 2019 with Principal Gif Lockley, Director Emily Calhoun, and Producer Emily Dillard
Title Screen for Live Event at Trustee's Theater
Backstage!
Left-Right:
William Page, Georgia Southern University Student Teacher
Nico Rinciari, Author, Composer and Film Director, The Pages of Destiny
Emily Dilliard, Producer, The Pages of Destiny
Emily Calhoun, Director of Orchestras, Savannah Arts Academy
Leopold's Ice Cream created a specialty sundae for The Pages of Destiny!
PRESS RELEASE CONTACT
Emily Dillard, Producer ecrdillard@gmail.com
571-762-7529
Website: Pagesofdestinyfilm.co
Facebook/Instagram @PagesofDestinyFilm
The Pages of Destiny Live Concert Event
Wednesday, March 6 at 8pm, Trustees Theatre
The Pages of Destiny is teaming up with The Savannah Arts Academy Orchestra and The
Savannah College of Art and Design for a live concert event. This is the first event held at a University in the United States in which an orchestra performs an original score live, in synch with parts of a short film.
At this event, talented young musicians from the Savannah Arts Academy will play the original score of the student produced film, “The Pages of Destiny” directed by Nico Rinciari, and produced by Emily Dillard, two current SCAD Students. “The Pages of Destiny” is a
collaborative film involving the work of over 400 student artists from around the world, which had its origin at SCAD Savannah.
The event starts on Wednesday, March 6th, at 8pm at Trustees Theatre. Before the event, from 5-7pm, a pre-event dinner is at Zunzi’s Takeout and Catering, a local restaurant featured on the national travel network, to meet and greet some of the artist’s who worked on “The Pages of
Destiny.” The legendary, Leopold’s Ice Cream, owned by the former Hollywood producer
Stratton Leopold, is also creating a special sundae in honor of the short film and the event.
Tickets are free and open to all SCAD Cardholders, $5 for student/military, and $8 for general admission. Savannahboxoffice.com
The creators of this film are available for interviews and to share more personal insights about the short film and the concert event. The short film has been featured in Italian national newspapers highlighting the work of these students. Contact pagesofdestiny@gmail.com for more information.
