Rehearsal Time:  Tuesdays from 6:00-8:30 PM
Rehearsal Location: Waterside Complex – Norfolk, VA
Former Southern Star Restaurant
Instructors:  Sophia Subero (757) 282-2823
Dave Longfellow (757) 282-2815
Students Involved: High School students from throughout Hampton Roads
The Rhythm Project All Stars is the primary performing group of the program and represent a mixture of talents from Rhythm Project Rising Star ensembles in Norfolk, Hampton, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach. All Rhythm Project members become eligible for this ensemble after at least two years in a Rising Star ensemble. Each year, auditions are held to determine which students may participate in the All Star ensemble. The All Stars is now comprised of 19 members:

Andrew Baillargeon – Virginia Beach
Jacob Barritt – Virginia Beach
Dejah Carter - Portsmouth
Charles Cicero - Portsmouth
Malcolm Davis - Chesapeake
Megan Davis - Portsmouth
Austin Edwards - Portsmouth
Benjamin Hayes - Portsmouth
Russell Jones - Portsmouth
Kyle McCormick - Chesapeake
Victoria Mitchell – Portsmouth
Guy Mullis – Hampton
Christian Patterson - Portsmouth
Ryan Roberts – Virginia Beach
Terrance Sawyer - Portsmouth
Ja’Quan Starks - Portsmouth
Courtney Tucker – Virginia Beach
Rhea Tucker – Virginia Beach
Canden Walton - Portsmouth

Congratulations to our 2009 graduating Seniors! Good Luck! - You will be missed

Sara Nelson
Reginald Whichard

 

 Newport News
Portsmouth

 

 Norfolk State University
Shaw University


 

Hampton Rising Stars:

Rehearsal Time:  Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:40-6:30 PM
Rehearsal Location: Benjamin Syms Middle School Band Room
Instructor:  Sophia Subero (757) 282-2823
Schools Involved: Eaton, Syms, Jones Middle Schools
The Hampton Rising Stars is open to middle school students in any Hampton City School.  Rehearsals are held twice weekly at Benjamin Syms Middle School.  This ensemble consists of seven talented students:



Devin Simmons - Eaton
Kellen Scott - Eaton
Morgan Sutherland - Jones
Brad Lundgren - Jones
Trevor Motley - Jones
Seare Harhat - JonesJuwon Roe - Syms


Phoebus High School Steelband:

Rehearsal Time:  Last Block (1:35 – 3:09) every other day
Rehearsal Location: Phoebus High School Band Room
Instructor:  Sophia Subero (757) 282-2823
Schools Involved: Phoebus High School
This program was implemented in the fall of 2007 as an after school program and is now offered as an elective to all students.   Thirteen students are signed up for the Rhythm Project steelpan elective at Phoebus High School:

Caleb Brown
Ramond Deloatch
Bryan Fowler
Corey Green
Eric Hardin
Robert Hunt
Anthony Moussa
Sheldon Mullen
Gieguito Pritchett
Robert Sneed
Demarkis Vinson
Deante White
Kenyata Whitsey

 

Norfolk Rising Stars:

Rehearsal Time:  Mondays from 3:30 – 4:45
Rehearsal Location: Fairlawn Elementary School, Room M4
Teacher Liaison: Carole Curtis
Instructor:  Sophia Subero (757) 282-2823
Schools Involved: Fairlawn Elementary School
Typically, students are recruited from middle schools in the Tidewater area to participate in the Rhythm Project.  In Norfolk however, Rising Stars are recruited from Fairlawn Elementary School; eighteen 4th and 5th grade students now participate in this steelpan ensemble:



Ahriel Leavell
Christina Le
Destiny Heath
Jeremiah Moore
Kamryn Gilchrist
Maranda Forstrum
Marissa Forstrum
Michelle Pham


Monaé Bonner
Nathaniel Goodsen
Noah Reyes
Samaria Rountree
Sean Webster
Sha’Dasha Holmes
Sydnie Pennell
Thomas Reid

Norfolk is also the home to our only program that focuses solely on African Drumming and Dance. This program is offered to students at Governor’s School for the Arts and is comprised of 15 of the area’s most talented young musicians.
Megan Beaver
Jonathan Carr
Daniel Corbin
Tylen Hester
Tyler Leonard
Stephanie Marrero
Nate Morton


 Matt Nelms
Keith Perkins
Moriah Shumpert
Trey Sorrells
Brokke Stokes
Desiree Turner
Zach Wang
Seth Woodard

 

Hampton Roads Rising Stars:

Rehearsal Time:  Mondays from 6:00-8:00 PM
Rehearsal Location: Waterside Marketplace – Norfolk, VA
Former Southern Star Restaurant
Instructor:  Dave Longfellow (757) 282-2815
Schools Involved: Cradock, Waters, and Churchland Middle Schools, and Churchland Academy Elementary School (students in 6th-8th grade that are residents of other Hampton Roads cities may also be considered for this ensemble)
The Hampton Roads Rising Stars, formerly the Portsmouth Rising Stars is open to middle school students in the cities of Portsmouth and Norfolk; as well as other students in the Hampton Roads community that are not served by any of our other Rising Star ensembles. The Hampton Roads Rising Stars is comprised of 11 members:



Alansia Cicero
Kannae Gainey
Zachary Jones
Tyler Lockwood
Kara McCormick
Moesha Parsons
Josiah Ramsawh
Cameron Saylor
Ronee Velez
Austin Wyatt		 Churchland Middle
Churchland Middle
Churchland Middle
Northside Middle
Cradock Middle
Churchland Middle
Churchland Middle
Churchland Middle
Churchland Middle
Churchland Middle


Virginia Beach Rhythm Project Ensembles

Virginia Beach Rising Stars
Rehearsal Time:  Thursdays from 4:30-6:30 PM
Rehearsal Location: Kempsville Middle School Band Room
Teacher Liaison: Lisa Jackson (757) 648-4700 ext. 60631
Instructor:  Dave Longfellow (757) 282-2815
Schools Involved: Kempsville, Salem, Brandon, and Larkspur Middle Schools

The Virginia Beach Rising-Stars was added to the program in the fall of 2003. This ensemble is made up of 19 of the Virginia Beach area’s most talented young musicians. The members of this ensemble are selected from the music programs at Kempsville, Salem, Brandon, and Larkspur middle schools by audition. Congratulations to the new members:


Anthony Sethman
Asante Wilkas
Courtney Cole
Elisha Dion
Isaiah Dillon
Jamal Strayhorn
Jasmine Stringfield
Kahlil Murrow
Nick Best
 Salem
Salem
Brandon
Kempsville
Brandon
Larkspur
Salem
Salem
Larkspur


Continuing members of the Virginia Beach Rising Stars Include:

Emily Barritt
Samuel Breslin
Loren Butts
Stefan DeVaughn       
Robbie LeCompte
Matthew McMullin         
Rusty Nygaard         
McKayla Thompson
Andrew Watkins
Dirk Williams

 Kempsville
Larkspur
Larkspur
Kempsville                    Kempsville
Brandon
Kempsville
Salem
Kempsville                  
Salem

  


Salem High School Steelband
Rehearsal Time:  Tuesdays from 2:00-4:30 PM
Rehearsal Location: Salem Academy Band Room
Teacher Liaison: Frank Garcia (757) 648-5650 ext. 57032
Instructor:  Dave Longfellow (757) 282-2815
Schools Involved: Salem High School

The Salem High School Steelband is the most recent addition to the Rhythm Project. This ensemble was implemented in the fall semester of 2008. Students are recruited from Salem Visual and Performing Arts Academy, and from the mainstream high school. Currently, there are 22 students involved in this program.
Student Grade
Amelfa Castro
April McCoy
Christian VanDeven
Greg Meyers
Haley Berry
Heidi Hall
Hugh Vandervall
JanMichael Llanda
Jessica
Jonathan Frazier
Jordan Compton
Katlyn Wesner
Mikal Gilbert
Milton Lopez
Nyicia George
Sean Mierchuck
Stephanie Stephenson
Tanai English
Toni Sheffield
Torry McCoy

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