Newspaper Page Text
The Savannah Tribune • Wednesday, January 7, 2009 - 9
, SAVANNAH
Thompson, Jr. was Guest Conductor of Lassiter High Symphony Orchestra
James E. Thompson, Jr. (center) is pictured with his father and mother James E.
Thompson and Thomasina Jenkins Thompson.
O n December 16,
2008 James E.
Thompson, Jr. was
one of the guest conductors
of the Lassiter High School
Symphony Orchestra at the
62 nd International Mid-West
Clinic in Chicago II. The
Midwest Clinic, held each
year in Chicago, is the
nation's largest band and
orchestra meeting. It is
attended annually by more
than 15,000 music educators,
students and professionals
from all fifty states and more
than thirty nations. Some of
the finest instrumental
organizations in the United
States and world submit
applications to perform at
what is considered to be the
largest and finest instrumen
tal clinic in the world. Mr.
Thompson was the first
The Poetry Society of
Georgia 2008-2009 reading
series continues with
Armstrong Atlantic State
University’s own Bonnie
Emerick at 7:30 p.m.,
Tuesday, January 20 at
Books on Bay Bookstore,
224 Bay Street. The event is
free and open to the public.
Emerick is a graduate
of Colorado State
director from the Savannah
area to be afforded this
University’s Master of Fine
Arts program and currently is
an instructor of English and
poetry at Armstrong Atlantic.
Her poetry and prose have
been published in many jour
nals including Caketrain,
Diner, Interim, So to Speak,
Quarter After Eight and the
tiny.
Emerick’s new work is
forthcoming in Cannibal,
opportunity. He is married to
Verlynda Slaughter
Little Red Leaves, and
Womb.
The Southern Poetry
Review and Armstrong
Atlantic State University’s
department of language, lit
erature, and philosophy
sponsor this series.
For further information,
contact Tony Morris at
344.3123 or at
Tony.Morris@armstrong.edu.
Thompson. They have one
son, James E. Thompson III.
James E. Thompson, Jr.
is the assistant director of
orchestra and bands at
Lassiter High School in
Marietta, GA. Mr.
Thompson is a native of
Savannah, Georgia and a
1993 graduate of Hershel V.
Jenkins High School where
he performed under the
direction of Mr. Gary
Lackey. He is the son of
retired band director James
E. Thompson and Thomasina
Jenkins Thompson. He is a
1999 graduate of Florida
State University where he
studied applied trombone
with Dr. John Drew. He is
currently completing his
Master's degree in music at
the University of Georgia.
While attending Florida
State University, he was a
member of numerous per
forming ensembles including
the Florida State University
Marching Chiefs, the
Symphonic Band, the Jazz
Band I, Trombone choir, and
the Wind Orchestra, where
he performed under the
direction of Dr. James Croft.
As a high school stu
dent, Thompson was consid
ered one of the finest trom
bone players in the country.
He was selected to the
Georgia All-State Band or
Orchestra five times and was
first chair three times. He
attended the Georgia
Governor's Honors Program
and was first chair at the
University of Georgia
Summer Band Camp as a 9th
grader. He was a 1992 win
ner of the Savannah
Symphony Orchestra
Concerto Competition and
was guest soloist with the
Savannah Symphony
Orchestra. In addition, in
the summer of 1992, he
attended the world famous
Interlochen Arts Camp, was
a member of the World Youth
Symphony Orchestra and
first chair in the Symphonic I
Band. He has performed
under some of the finest con
ductors in the United States,
which include Col. Arnold D.
Gabriel, Neeme Jarve, John
Paynter, Col. Lowell
Graham, and Fredrick
Fennel. In 1993 he received
the most outstanding high
school musician citation
from the Georgia State Board
of Education and Department
of Education and was invited
to the Georgia state capital to
receive the award from the
state superintendent. Mr.
Thompson has performed
professionally with the
Savannah Symphony
Orchestra, and has been a
member of the Hilton Head
and Beaufort Symphony
Orchestras before relocating
to the metropolitan Atlanta
area. He is currently playing
in the Cobb Wind Symphony
under the direction of Alfred
Watkins.
Thompson began his
teaching career in 1999 at
Mercer Middle School and
Port Wentworth Elementary
School in Savannah,
Georgia. In 2001 he became
director of bands at Sol C.
Johnson High School while
serving as director of bands
at both schools. There were
only 12 students in the band
at Johnson High upon his
arrival. In just five years, he
developed the band from 12
to 140 students, performed a
grade VI program at district
Large Group Performance
Evaluation and received all
superior ratings. In 2002 in
just his third year of teach
ing, he was selected teacher
of the year at Johnson High
School by his peers.
Afforded the opportunity for
impeccable musical growth,
in 2007 Thompson accepted
his present position at
Lassiter High School. He
works in a situation that he
relishes each day. He is elat
ed to have the opportunity to
work in a band and orchestra
program that is considered to
be one of the absolute finest
in the United States.
Black in
America...
Continued from page 1
invigorated me to make
every second of 2009 full of
the best energy I can muster.
Mary McLeod Bethune's
Last Will and Testament rep
resents timeless documenta
tion of one of our responsi
bilities as a people, especial
ly in this new year. She said,
I leave you finally a respon
sibility to our young people.
Our children must
never lose their zeal for
building a better world. They
must not be discouraged
from aspiring to greatness.
Nor must they forget
that the masses of our people
are still underprivileged, ill-
housed, impoverished, and
victimized by discrimina
tion.
The Freedom Gates are
half ajar. We must pry them
fully open.
Let us charge ahead in
2009.
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Poetry Society of Georgia Reading