Savannah Arts Academy Choral Program
Savannah Arts Academy became the first dedicated performing and visual arts school in Savannah, Georgia in 1998.  In the 12 years since the school opened, the choral department has grown from three to five choirs:  SAA Chorale (mixed choir of 60), Women’s Cantabile (59 sophomores-seniors), Nova Singers (freshmen-sophomores 49), Skylarks (auditioned 11th and 12th grade girls), and Men’s Ensemble (31)—including a boys’ quartet “Downtown Sound”.  The choral department now has four choirs (Chorale, Women’s Cantabile, Nova Singers and Men’s Ensemble) singing annually in the GMEA District I Large Group Performance Evaluation; they have consistently scored Superior ratings in the A level, with Nova Singers at B level.  The choral department performed the Faure Requiem with the SAA Orchestra at the historic Lucas Theatre in Savannah, and later traveled to New York’s Carnegie Hall to perform the work with choirs from around the U.S.  in June 2005.  They returned again to Carnegie Hall to perform under the direction of Simon Carrington in April, 2008.  In May, 2009 the choir was invited to sing with choirs from around the country at the Kennedy Center, conducted by Dr. Z. Randall Stroope.  The Memorial Day performance on Sunday was a highlight of the Memorial Day weekend, and concluded with the choirs performing “I’m Proud to Be an American” with Lee Greenwood at the beginning of the Memorial Day Parade.  In 2003 and 2007, they sent a choir of students from all groups to the Music USA Festival and won first place in their division both times. Spring 2010 we had members of all choirs returning to the Music USA Festival in Orlando, singing for adjudication, and the “Downtown Sound” (boys’ quartet) and the “Skylarks” girls’ select ensemble singing on stage at the City Walk in the Universal Park. We won trophies for Women’s Choir, Mixed Choir, soloist, accompanist and the “Grand Champion” overall—trophies are on display in the choir room.

Choral students have also distinguished themselves by winning all four categories of vocal music (Girls and Boys solo, Boys’ quartet and girls’ trio) at the District Literary competition in 2006 and 2007, with the girls’ trio winning first place at the state competition both years. This year our men’s quartet “Downtown Sound” won first place at district and 3rd place at the State Literary 5A competition, while Rob Wilhelm placed first in both district and State Boys’ Solo Literary Competition.  SAA tenor Saad Qureshi was one of 5 Georgia students selected to sing in a Multi-Cultural National Honor’s Choir at the American Choral Director’s National Conference in Miami, March 2007.  SAA students are consistently selected for All State choir, and students were selected this year and last (2009 & 2010)to participate in the All State Sight-Reading Choir.  Additional individual honors include three students selected to attend the prestigious Governors’ Honors Choir program, Erin Love 08, Rob Wilhelm 09, and David Hopkins 2010.