Private School Music Lakeview Academy, Gainesville, GA

Because of Lakeview’s commitment to academic and personal growth of our students music is a priority in our program. Studies show that music education yields students with improved skills in other academic areas. Our music program teaches cultural history and appreciation while students learn vocal and instrumental music in a studio setting. Through all divisions, the music program develops our students’ abilities as well as their appreciation of music and gives them performance opportunities. Each year, music students of all divisions participate in various school-wide performances including Grandparents Day, Candlelight, and May Day.

Chorus

Choral Music at Lakeview offers many opportunities for students who love to sing and for those who are interested in improving their own singing abilities. Students in grades 6 – 8 may participate in the Lakeview MS Choir – no audition required! This group meets twice a week and works on music for Lakeview events such as Grandparents’ Day, Candlelight and more.

Students in grades 9 – 12 may be a part of the Lakeview Upper School Chorale. This group meets on a daily basis and works on music for Lakeview events such as Grandparents’ Day, Candlelight, May Day and more.

Choral students in grades 7 – 12 may audition for All State Chorus and have other opportunities for solo singing. Both choirs perform throughout the year.

Lakeview Band

This ensemble plays both traditional wind band repertoire and arrangements of music representing important historical periods from the Renaissance to the present. Students learn the inner workings of music while they develop and refine ensemble and performance skills. Lakeview Band is a cross-divisional group, and all band students are required to first sign up for private lessons on their instrument of choice. A beginning band will open in Fall 2022 for new members.

Lakeview Samba School

This unique program is the only one of its kind in Northeast Georgia. The core of a Brazilian Samba School is a large drumming group, called the Bateria, which plays engaging Afro-Brazilian musical genres. It creates energy and excitement akin to a marching band drum line which is effective for sporting and spirit events as well as parades. Lakeview Samba involves students from lower, middle, and upper schools (inside and outside of fine arts programs), parents, faculty, and staff, making it a unique community building activity. Participation in Lakeview Samba offers an accessible, hands-on introduction to world music for students at Lakeview Academy.

Lakeview Strings

The Lakeview Orchestra
The orchestra program at Lakeview Academy offers instruction in violin, viola, cello and contra bass with a focus on the skills necessary for long-term success and enjoyment. The orchestra program is a brain-friendly environment fostering solitude, creativity, and mastery. Instruction concentrates on technical and expressive skills in an ensemble-focused setting, encompassing a broad range of musical styles. Students’ enjoyment of music becomes strengthened while attaining musical achievement. All orchestra members are encouraged to enroll in private lessons on their instrument. The Lakeview Orchestra will perform several times throughout the year and meets twice a week during the school day.

Mozart String Club
Lower School students can play in the Mozart String Club. This club serves as an introduction to Lakeview’s orchestra program and meets after school weekly. Instruction is offered in violin and cello with an emphasis on fundamental skills, including proper posture and playing position, development and production of appropriate tone quality, technique, aural skills, and music literacy. The Mozart String Club provides an opportunity for entry-level placement, and instruments may be rented for a nominal fee through a local vendor.

Private Music Lessons

Private lessons in piano, strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion can be scheduled at Lakeview on a first come, first served basis. Scheduling is done through the cooperative efforts of parents, classroom teachers, and Fine Arts Coordinators.

Instruments offered:

Piano

Strings (violin and cello)

Woodwinds (flute and clarinet)
Brass (trumpet, trombone, and euphonium)
Percussion (concert percussion and drum set)

Contact for scheduling:

Piano: Cat Massey
Strings: Hyeseon Suen
Woodwinds, brass, and percussion: Justin Baker

For general Information on Lakeview Academy’s Music Program Contact Joe Harris, Fine Arts Director, via email at joe.harris@lakeviewacademy.org or call 770-531-2645.

Fine Arts Booster Club

List of 6 members.

Gretchen Plummer

Teacher, MS & US Choral Music

East Carolina University - MM
Shorter College - BME

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Mrs. Plummer earned her bachelor’s in music education from Shorter University and her Master of Music from East Carolina University. She was a part of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus and sang with Mr. Robert Shaw. Mrs. Plummer also enjoys attending the Georgia Music Educators Association In Service Conference each year as well as the American Choral Directors Association conference when she can. These events showcase choirs and other educators in the field and are a great source of continuing education.
Hyeseon Suen

Strings Coordinator

Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea - BM
Director of KCPC Youth Orchestra

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Hyeseon Suen has taught strings at Lakeview Academy for 13 years and established the Lakeview Chamber Ensemble. She has also taught strings (all ages) in a private studio in Atlanta for over 35 years. Several of her students have won national accolades at the National Federation of Music Club (NFMC) festivals and have been awarded opportunities to perform with the Georgia All-State Orchestra.

Mrs. Suen earned her Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance at Hanyang University in South Korea. She was a part of the United College Orchestra in Seoul and was frequently showcased as a soloist for various community and university functions.

Since arriving in Georgia in 1989, Mrs. Suen has been actively performing, directing, and teaching with the Korean Presbyterian Church of Atlanta in various capacities: choir director, member of the Women’s Choir, guest soloist, active member of various local Chamber Orchestras, and is currently a guest player with the UNG Orchestra. Ms. Suen is currently the KCPC Youth Orchestra Director as well as the Director of the Agape Mission Orchestra and is a member of both the GMEA and GMC.
Heather Beverly

Teacher, LS Drama and Music

Shorter College - BFA
Justin Baker

Band Coordinator

Middle Tennessee State University - MM
University of North Georgia - BA

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Justin Baker joined Lakeview Academy as the director of percussion and Lakeview Samba in January of 2022. In addition to his roles at Lakeview, Mr. Baker also serves as the director of percussion studies for East Hall High School. Ensembles under Baker’s instruction consistently receive superior ratings at state sanctioned events in both concert and marching settings. Mr. Baker also serves many of the surrounding middle and high school programs as a percussion clinician.

Mr. Baker has spent most of his performing and teaching career in the North Georgia area beginning his percussion teaching career in 2009. He received his undergraduate degree in percussion performance from The University of North Georgia (Dahlonega, Ga). From there, Baker attended Middle Tennessee State University (Murfreesboro, TN,) where he received his master’s in percussion performance. He maintains a strong relationship with both university and percussion programs.

Mr. Baker is an active clinician, adjudicator, and educator in the North Georgia area. His professional affiliations include the Georgia Music Educators Association, Percussive Arts Society, and the National Association for Music Education.
Michael Brown

Music Lessons, Brass
David Lawson

Music Lessons, Wood Winds

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Dave Lawson is a highly trained woodwind clinician that has been teaching woodwinds for over 15 years. He has taught clinics from elementary school beginners to high school seniors auditioning at the college level. He has learned from and taught award winning directors like: Mary Land, while she was the director at Pickens Middle School, and Daniel Gray, while he was at River Ridge High School, and Chris Shumick at Milton High School. Dave is a professional clarinet and alto sax player, having performed with Tara Winds at their GMEA Performance in January of 2014 and again at Midwest in December of 2015. Dave has performed with The Dalton-Whitfield Community band in Dalton, GA, the Alpharetta City Band in Alpharetta, GA, the Sounds of Sawnee community and in Cumming, GA, and the American Patriot Winds in Woodstock, GA. Dave has studied clarinet with Andrea Strauss, Mariano Pacetti, John Warren, and both clarinet and sax with Mitchel Henson. Dave maintains a busy private studio that ranges from beginners to retired beginners from 7-67. Dave's studio is fast paced, intense and filled to the brink with fun. Dave also runs a woodwind repair shop where he fixes instruments for schools and private students. Currently, we have three apprentice woodwind techs and nearly 150 instruments that our shop owns that we are fixing, renting, or selling. Dave has also taught numerous repair courses throughout the southeast. In 2017, Dave taught sessions at the Alabama Music Educators Convention (AMEA), the Georgia MEA, the Tennessee MEA, West Georgia, and Reinhardt University. In 2019, Dave taught a session at AMEA and GMEA and will be back at GMEA again in 2020 to teach a low reed repair session. Currently Dave is working with Milton High School's marching band where they won two grand championships and an 8th place finish at the McEachern BOA this year.

Music

Chorus

Lakeview Band

Lakeview Samba School

Lakeview Strings

Private Music Lessons

List of 6 members.

Gretchen Plummer

Hyeseon Suen

Heather Beverly

Justin Baker

Michael Brown

David Lawson