GPS celebrates orchestra’s 30th anniversary

Girls Preparatory School will celebrate the 30th year of its orchestra program with a free anniversary concert on Friday, April 21, at 7: 30 p.m. in the school’s Frierson Theatre.

The anniversary program will include ensemble and orchestra performances by close to 100 current GPS students, the McCallie Band as well as 18 alumnae.

Two directors have overseen the growth of the GPS orchestra and ensembles, Floy Wang and Mary Baxter. Both will direct portions of Friday’s concert.

Wang was hired in 1986 to teach just one class of 15 students. In looking for ways to expand, she invited local Suzuki students to appear as guest artists. A collaboration with the McCallie School Music Department provided a broader range of instruments. As more girls j oined the orchestra, GPS added beginning and intermediate classes, eventually having an Honors Orchestra with McCallie.

Since Mary Baxter was named orchestra director and director of instrumental music in 2001, GPS has witnessed many milestones: a student- led “Band on the Run” that performed and introduced a variety of instruments at area schools; guest conductors including Richard Cormier, Kayoko Dan and Jooyong Ahn; an annual Music Week of Fun Summer Camp offered for all ages and abilities; Tango Strings, which plays for weddings and community events; and a commissioned four- movement piece, the “GPS Suite by Christopher Tew,” which celebrated GPS’s centennial.

GPS PHOTO From left: GPS freshman Allison Lockhart with Tango Strings; junior Margaret Lim, concertmaster; and AllState soloist senior Jennifer Brockman, who will play with Maithilee Kunda, GPS class of 2002, in the concert.