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History of AYSC
In
1975 the director of Callanwolde approached Stephen J. Ortlip, the
choir director of Decatur Presbyterian Church, and asked him to
start a co-educational singing group for children. With tremendous
community support, Mr. Ortlip and the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
created a new kind of choir – one that was dedicated to “Bringing
Music to Life.” Over the years the child-centered music program
took its place as a leader in the national children’s choir movement
– a movement that now provides a community-based choral experience
to thousands of children nationwide.
For
the children of ATLANTA YOUNG SINGERS of Callanwolde, there is pride
in performance, national and international acclaim and education
through travel. All of this is the result of each child’s dedication,
hours of training and the close working association with other children
who are enthralled with making music.
During
the last quarter century, ATLANTA YOUNG SINGERS of Callanwolde has
reflected the high artistic capabilities of the young singer through
performances with Robert Shaw and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
and Chorus, at the Closing Ceremonies at the 1996 Centennial Olympic
Games and numerous events sponsored by nationally recognized organizations
such as the American Cancer Society and the American Choral Directors
Association. The choir has traveled extensively, singing in all
the capitals of North America and Europe. They have won acclaim
at choral festivals such as the Llangollen International Eisteddfod
in Wales and Amsterdam’s Colorfast at The Hague. In June of 1999
they placed first in Contemporary and second in the Folk Music divisions
at the Golden Gate Children’s Choral Festival in San Francisco,
CA.
In
May of 1998 Paige Fumbanks Mathis
was named Music Director of ATLANTA YOUNG SINGERS of Callanwolde
and the first holder of the Stephen J. Ortlip chair. Ms. Mathis
received her undergraduate degree in Music Education from Jacksonville
State University and earned a Masters of Music degree in conducting
from the Conservatory of Music of the University of Missouri-Kansas
City after being an AYSC Singer herself. She founded the Callanwolde
youth Chorale in 1994 as an expansion of AYSC.
30 years later, the organization offers five
choirs and serves approximately 200 children age 8-18. AYSC
has consistently fulfilled the mission
to provide a coeducational choral opportunity for children based
upon sound musicianship and vocal training with equal emphasis on
personal development.
Accomplishments and Credits
- Placed 4th in Children's Competition at the Festival Internacional
de Musica de Cantonigros in Spain, 2005
- Placed
1st in the Golden Gate International Children's Choral Festival
1999
- Recorded
and performed "Power of the Dream" at the Closing Ceremony
of the Performed at the 1998 MLK Celebration with Maya Angelou
- Participants
in the prestigious International Eisteddfod in Llangollen, Wales,
in 1982 and again in 1998 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta
- Recorded
"Play in the Dirt" radio commercial for Pike Nurseries
- Participated
with President Carter in the lighting ceremonies for the National
Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C. in 1979
- First
prize winners in the 1979 International Koorfest Competition in
Amsterdam
- Toured
with President Carter's Friendship Force to Newcastle-upon-Tyne,
England, 1977
- Featured
since 1976 in Robert Shaw's annual Family Christmas Festival with
the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the ASO Chorus for performances
of major choral works
- Performed
in such places as St. Stephens in Vienna, Coventry and Westminster
Abbey in England, St. Giles Cathedral in Scotland, Notre Dame
in Paris, Church of the Black Madonna in Poland, St. Thomas church
in New York and the Washington National Cathedral
- Selected
to sing for national and regional meetings of professional organizations:
American Choral Directors Association, American Orff Schulwerk
Society, American Guild of Organists, American Academy of Pediatrics,
Georgia Music Educators Association
- Performed
for corporate events: Delta International Sales Meeting, BellSouth
"President's Award Dinner", Georgia Chamber of Commerce
"Red Carpet Tour", Harland Company and Nortel Holiday
Events
- Performed
for charity events for Egleston Hospital, Junior League of Atlanta
- Invited
to sing at the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC, several times
since 1979
- Invited
to sing the National Anthem at a nationally televised Atlanta
Braves game each season and for the National League Championship
Series
- Recorded
for and participated in the Disney film "A Simple Twist of
Fate" with Steve Martin
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