About Us
Our History
The Georgia Academy of Music is a non profit community music school offering premiere musical instruction to metropolitan Atlanta. Founded in 1973 by Peggy Neuen and Martha Gershefski, The Georgia Academy of Music began as the Atlanta String Academy. It quickly expanded one year later to include all orchestral instruments and thus became The Georgia Academy of Music. From the outset the founders had a vision of a grass roots movement for music education that would leave a profound impact on Greater Atlanta. The Academy is committed to having the finest mentors available to nurture musicians of all levels and ages. Today the legacy and the traditions laid down by the founders are being realized all over the world. From performing artists to music educators to enthusiastic patrons, the Academy has and continues to celebrate its vision. Numerous Academy alumni now occupy major orchestras, universities, and public schools throughout the United States.
The Academy currently offers private music lesson instruction by our 34 member international faculty. Included in this offering are lessons on cello, clarinet, flute, guitar, horn, trombone, tuba, piano, saxophone, trumpet, viola, violin, and voice. We also offer Suzuki Method instruction on violin and cello including a Suzuki group experience on violin.
Our Musical Beginnings program for ages 6 months to 5 years has for over thirty years given children an introduction to music and has been a benchmark for all other early music programs in the region. It is a unique and dynamic program that offers children the opportunity to experience a range of musical activities. This content rich curriculum includes presenting classics to contemporary genre, musical notation, song and movement, and orchestral instrument introduction.
Management
John Morrison, Executive Director
John has served as the Executive Director of the Georgia Academy of Music since 1997. He is strongly committed to music making a difference in children’s life. For the past 35 years John has been actively involved in music education at all educational levels. He firmly believes in the necessity of strong music mentors in children’s lives in today’s culture.
John studied at Boston University under three principal trumpets of the Boston Symphony: Roger Voisin, Armando Ghitalla, and Rolf Smedvig. While there he received his bachelor of music in music performance. At Tanglewood John played principal trumpet under Leonard Bernstein, Andre Previn and Seiiji Ozawa in the Berkshire Music Center Orchestra. While at Tanglewood he also performed with the Boston Symphony. John continued his music education at Sandpoint as an active conductor with Gunther Schuller and the Spokane Symphony for two summers. Since coming to Atlanta he has maintained an active performing schedule performing and recording with the Atlanta Symphony, Atlanta Ballet where he is currently co-principal trumpet, and Atlanta Opera Orchestras.
John served as the conductor and artistic director of the Atlanta Community Orchestra for several seasons, founded the Paramount Music Festival-a brass festival for high school students, and conducted the Atlanta Ballet at the Ferst theater. John is currently the Artistic Director of the Georgia Philharmonic.
Lisa Morrison, Assistant Director
Lisa Morrison has been with the Georgia Academy as a teacher, department head, ensemble coach and administrator for over twenty years. She graduated magna cum laude from Boston University with a Bachelor of Music degree in violin. Further studies included training at The Aspen Music Festival, Tanglewood, The Chautauqua Festival, and the American Institute for Musical Studies in Graz, Austria.As a teacher, Lisa has had a broad range of teaching students ranging form age 6 months to senior citizens. She is currently the head of The Georgia Academy Musical Beginnings Program for infants through 5 year olds. While on the Academy string faculty, she led a Petite String Ensemble and co-directed The Academy Chamber Orchestra. Lisa received the Founders Award for teaching excellence during her tenure on the violin faculty. She has been the Assistant Director of the school since 1999.During her Atlanta residency, Lisa has also been professor of violin at Dekalb College, Kennesaw State University, and is currently the violin professor at Reinhardt University in Waleska, Georgia.As a performer, Lisa has been the concertmaster of The Atlanta Ballet Orchestra since 1989. Solo violin appearances with the Atlanta Ballet include the Philip Glass Concerto for violin, Chausson’s Poeme, The Vivaldi Four Seasons and performances with the Indigo Girls. She has been a member of The Atlanta Opera Orchestra for over twenty years. Lisa is currently a member of The Amati Chamber Players. She has also performed with Atlanta Chamber Players and The Georgia Lyric Theater. Committed to versatile music genres, Lisa has also performed with The Theater of the Stars Broadway productions and has played for a wide variety of popular artists from Ella Fitzgerald to Rod Stewart.A vital part of her job as an administrator is to place students with teachers and instruments through the registration process. The philosophy that each individual must be helped in a unique way based on age, level of proficiency, and ambition is important to her in giving the best counsel possible to Academy students. As a mother of three and a teacher of many, Lisa has a breath of experience to guide students and parents to find the instrument and musical genre that speaks to them. Her goal is to facilitate each student and parent to find the best teacher to nurture their musical gifts.“With the philosophy that music is a gift for everyone to experience, I strive to be a menthor and a vessel. My goal is to ignite the passion and love for music from the very young to the young at heart.”
Mission and Core Values
Mission
The Georgia Academy of Music educates and trains musicians of all ages from around metropolitan Atlanta, drawing on the considerable experience of our distinguished faculty. We are dedicated to cultivating high standards of excellence and nurturing individual expression and creative growth. Understanding that music is one of the transcendent expressions of the human spirit, the Georgia Academy of Music aspires to ensure it a central place in the lives of our students.
Core Values
We believe our students must have a supportive and healthy learning environment that maximizes the individual attention they receive from their teachers, and allows them to explore and develop their unique artistic personalities.
We believe that we have a responsibility to reinforce and expand the position of music in society by educating the next generation of musicians, encouraging growth, and sharing our art with the widest possible audience.
We believe that the study of music builds human capacity, elevates the soul, and prepares our students for musical lives that enhance the public good.