Lassiter's Concert to Remember

Cobb school board member David Banks' recollections of Tuesday's choral event with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

From The Grapevine, Cobb Board of Education member David Banks' e-mail newsletter. He was in attendance at Tuesday's concert at Lassiter featuring the Lassiter and Walton choruses and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra musicians: What a fantastic night! You could not have asked for a better night of musical performance then listening and watching the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra along with the Lassiter and Walton choirs at their best. Conducting was Walton's Chorus Director Dr. Jana Williams, Lassiter's Chorus Director Mr. Brian Williams, and the ASO Staff Conductor Mr. Jere Flint. If you are wondering, the Williams are a married couple. Notables in attendance were Post 1 Board member Mr. Randy Scamihorn and his wife Debbie, I and my wife Kay, Chief…

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Showtime for Lassiter, Walton Choruses

Tuesday night's joint concert with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra musicians is a "once in a lifetime" event.

Several months after a flap that ended their holiday concerts with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, two East Cobb high school choruses will get their chance to share the stage with the pros after all. At the new Lassiter High School Concert Hall tonight, the Lassiter and Walton choruses will appear with ASO musicians in a long-promised concert. The event, which begins at 7 p.m., features a total of nearly 200 students, plus more than 60 ASO musicians, and will benefit the booster clubs of both school choruses. "My kids are so excited, they're about to pop," Lassiter chorus director Brian Williams said. "It's been a wonderful thing to see them prepare for this. It's been a real learning experience. We want it to be something that falls into …

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ASO Musicians to Visit Lassiter

The long-promised joint performance has been scheduled for Feb. 19 and will include students from Walton High School.

ASO Performers Offer to Perform With Choruses

The musicians at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra are offering to come to all three high schools involved in the chorus "diversity" controversy for free and perform with each choral group.

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Players’ Association (ASOPA) is offering to travel to three high schools caught up in an alleged snubbing by ASO mangement on the grounds of "diversity" to perform with their choral groups for free, the association has said in a press release. "[The Association] has sat by in dismay for the past several days observing the ASO management’s disintegrating relations with Lassiter, Walton, and Grady High Schools, and the whole community," ASOPA said. "As musicians who love to play with the talented choruses at these schools, we want to help resolve these ongoing issues." ASOPA's offer is as follows: the musicians will travel to all three schools for free to put on a concert with each choral group. The schools may…

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"Chorus Should Reflect Diversity of ATL:" ASO

The President of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra has clarified the orchestra's position on the partial exclusion of Lassiter and Walton High School's choruses in favor of the chorus at Grady High School.

Update, 6:40 p.m.: In an interview with WSB-TV, ASO President Stanley Romanstein said, "We want the stages of the Atlanta Symphony, whether here, Verizon (Wireless Amphitheatre), or Chastain Park to reflect the diversity of Atlanta." Romanstein went on to express his surprise at the reaction from what he called this "interesting misunderstanding."  "There are at least 12 very talented high school choirs in Atlanta," Romanstein said to WSB-TV. "We gave Lassiter and Walton choirs an opportunity to perform for four consecutive years, and they were marvelous. We think it's time to give other Atlanta high school choirs, who are very skilled and deserving, their chance to perform with the ASO as well." Update, 3:50 p.m.: Jay Dillon, Cobb County …

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