The relationship between Georgia State University (GSU) and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) continues to grow, offering students, faculty and alumni unparalleled opportunities to engage with one of the nation’s premier orchestras. Through performance collaborations, educational outreach and professional development, this partnership fosters artistic excellence and provides invaluable experiences for GSU musicians.
GSU Musicians on the ASO Stage
GSU faculty, students and alumni have long performed and continue to perform with the ASO, demonstrating the university’s deep connection to Atlanta’s classical music scene. Many GSU faculty members are frequent performers with the ASO, further reinforcing this relationship. Highlights include Grammy-nominated soprano Talise Trevigne, a GSU voice faculty member who has performed Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the ASO and recently sang alongside Music Director Natalie Stutzmann and the New York Philharmonic. Likewise, tenor Rick Clement has appeared as a soloist with the orchestra. The GSU Choir has also contributed to major productions, including Holst’s The Planets with the ASO in 2024 and collaborations with legendary artists Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman. Additionally, a string quartet featuring ASO musicians performed with the University Singers at the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA) conference in 2017.
Many ASO musicians have also collaborated with GSU ensembles and served as faculty members, providing students with direct mentorship and instruction from top-tier professionals. Faculty members such as Tania Maxwell Clements, Daniel Tancredi, Bill Mann, Jessica Petrasek, Jessica Stinson, Stuart Gerber and Emory Clements regularly perform with the ASO.
Panthers at the Symphony: A New Initiative
Spearheaded by GSU faculty member and flute professor Jessica Petrasek, the Panthers at the Symphony initiative formalizes an exclusive relationship between GSU and the ASO. Newly integrated into the performance syllabus for both undergraduate and graduate music degrees (with optional participation for other music majors), this program provides students with unique access to professional experiences. Components include:
- Masterclasses with ASO musicians on the GSU campus, with Todd Skitch (ASO’s second flute) leading the inaugural session on March 10 at 5 p.m.
- Attending ASO rehearsals and engaging in discussions with ASO musicians about the artistic and logistical aspects of performance.
- Chamber music performances in the ASO lobby, launching with The Beethoven Trio on March 27 featuring students Alex Kao, Fernanda Miranda and Garrett Clay. Another date is lined up for April 3, with performances by the GSU Woodwind Quartet (Emily Gabbitas, Emily Gunby, Rachel Odendahl and Kevin Roach) and the GSU Reed Quintet (Sophia Monteagudo, Richelle Nunez, Quentin Foster, Jackelin Guevera-Blanco and Ashling Clark).
- More programming to come in the fall.
This initiative, made possible by GSU’s proximity to the ASO, is an incredible recruitment tool and highlights the university’s direct access to world-class symphonic music. Notably, clarinet student Jadyn Green conceived the name Panthers at the Symphony, adding a student-driven touch to this exciting new program.
Conducting and Educational Opportunities
The collaboration extends beyond performance to include conducting observations and instructional engagements. Dr. Marie Sumner Lott has enriched audiences with pre-concert talks for the ASO’s Beethoven Project. GSU students Jackson Allred and Garrett Clay have worked behind the scenes, creating supertitles for ASO performances. Graduate orchestral conducting student Stephanie Morera is actively involved with the ASO’s Music for the Very Young program within the education and community department. Graduate conducting students have had the unique opportunity to observe rehearsals led by Stutzmann and former ASO Music Director Robert Spano, with the graduate orchestral conducting studio sitting down with Spano to discuss Rite of Spring.
In 2024, faculty members Tamara Dworetz and Robert Ambrose led a conducting workshop for the ASO’s Talent Development Program, mentoring young musicians. Additionally, GSU alum Jackson Allred holds a position with the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra (ASYO) for the 2023-2025 seasons, further integrating GSU’s presence into ASO’s educational initiatives.
ASO’s Presence at GSU
The ASO has enriched Georgia State's campus through various educational outreach initiatives. For three consecutive years, the orchestra performed at the Rialto Center for the Arts, offering concerts for fifth-grade students from Atlanta Public Schools. In 2023, Dworetz guest-conducted one of these performances, while ASO Associate Conductor Jerry Ho led a masterclass for GSU conducting students as part of the Coffee with a Conductor series. Additionally, ASO Artistic Administrator Ebner Sobolvarro visited GSU to give a masterclass for orchestral conducting students, sharing insights from his work with Gustavo Dudamel and discussing off-the-podium aspects of conducting.Renowned guest artists performing with the ASO, including cellist Johannes Moser, have also engaged with GSU students.
GSU alumnus and Grammy-nominated composer Carlos Simon frequently collaborates with the ASO. Recent highlights include the orchestra’s performances of his works Fate Now Conquers and brea(d)th, the latter of which was commissioned and premiered by the ASO. Simon, whose music explores social justice and historical narratives, continues to gain national acclaim, with the ASO playing a key role in bringing his compositions to the concert stage.
Looking Ahead
With the continued involvement of GSU faculty, students and alumni in ASO programs, performances and outreach efforts, this collaboration is poised for even greater impact. As new initiatives like Panthers at the Symphony take shape and more students gain access to professional-level experiences, the relationship between Georgia State University and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will continue to serve as a model for artistic and educational excellence. The future is bright for this thriving partnership and we look forward to the incredible opportunities still to come.