Atlanta Music Project Achieves Acclaimed Status as Steinway Select School

Status Brings AMP’s Largest Year of Service To Monumental Crescendo

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Atlanta, GA – December 14, 2023 – The Atlanta Music Project (AMP) welcomes the arrival of five new pianos to its headquarters, the Atlanta Music Project Center for Performance & Education. With the AMP Center now outfitted exclusively with Steinway and Boston pianos, AMP has achieved the acclaimed status of “Steinway Select School.” AMP is one of eight Steinway Select Schools in the United States, and one of two in the state of Georgia. Previously all the pianos inside the AMP Center were either generous donations or long-term loans to the organization from the Pianos For Education program. AMP’s new pianos consist of one Steinway and four Bostons, which are designed by Steinway. The specifications are as follows: 

• 1 Steinway Model B Classic Grand Piano 
• 2 Boston Grand Pianos GP156 Performance Edition
• 2 Boston Uprights UP-132 EP Performance

The Steinway Model B was selected by the AMP team at the Steinway & Sons factory in Queens, New York earlier this fall. The purchase and ongoing maintenance of these pianos is made possible thanks to gifts from an anonymous donor and the Chestnut Family Foundation. 

The new pianos will be played by AMP’s collaborative pianists in their work with the AMP choral and orchestral programs, as well as with the AMP Academy, which provides private lessons and solo recital opportunities.The pianos will also be available for performance by AMP’s faculty, artists-in-residence and guest artists.

“I have been very impressed with the students and faculty at AMP and their commitment to excellence, said Alice Tillman, Institutional Director at Steinway Piano Galleries Alpharetta. “AMP kids deserve the absolute best and we count it a privilege to be partnering with them here at Steinway.” 

“Achieving the status of a Steinway Select School is a testament to the unwavering dedication of AMP students, faculty, staff, and supporters who have relentlessly championed the cause of high quality music education,” said Dantes Rameau, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Atlanta Music Project. “It reaffirms our commitment to fostering an environment in which the next generation of young musicians is nurtured and empowered. We are grateful to the anonymous donor and the Chestnut Family Foundation, who made this special milestone possible.”

Steinway Select School: A Symphony of Excellence

The Steinway Select School title is an accolade bestowed upon institutions around the world that demonstrate an unparalleled dedication to musical education, fostering an environment that inspires and cultivates musical excellence. 

In a landscape full of music institutions, AMP has emerged as a guiding light for aspiring youth musicians – especially those from south of I-20 in Atlanta – fostering a culture that cherishes artistic brilliance and cultivates raw talent. 

AMP’s affiliation with Steinway & Sons, a name synonymous with musical excellence, further elevates the caliber of education and opportunities available to the students at AMP. With access to Steinway’s legendary pianos and resources, AMP continues to shape young musicians into future musicians and music aficionados.

The 2023-2024 school year is AMP’s largest year of service to date, during which over 700 students will be served by the organization’s music programs. The year has been punctuated by the receipt of two transformational gifts earlier this fall totaling $4.6MM. The transformational funding will also be used to support international travel for concerts and competitions by AMP’s most elite youth music ensembles and the purchase of orchestral instruments. 

About Steinway & Sons

Steinway & Sons was founded in 1853 by German immigrant Henry Engelhard Steinway in a Manhattan loft on Varick Street. Over the next thirty years, Henry and his sons developed the modern piano. They built their instruments one at a time, applying skills that have been handed down from master to apprentice, generation after generation, ever since. The Steinway became the choice for approximately ninety-seven percent of concertizing artists, none of whom are compensated to endorse the instrument. The Steinway earned a reputation as an investment for the owner in the legacy of future generations.

For more information visit https://www.steinway.com

About the Atlanta Music Project

Founded in 2010, the Atlanta Music Project (AMP) provides world-class music training and performance opportunities supporting youth growth and development. Operating in under-resourced communities, AMP’s mission is to empower youth to realize their possibilities through music. AMP serves 700 young musicians annually. Programs include: beginner-level choir, band and orchestra through the AMP Preparatory School; the intermediate and advanced AMP Youth Orchestras & Choirs; private instrumental and vocal lessons through the AMP Academy; and the annual month-long  AMP Summer Series. Additionally, AMP runs a college and career program, supporting AMP high school students and AMP alumni. Since 2021, AMP has awarded 50 college scholarships to its alumni, totaling $231,374.

AMP music ensembles perform more than 60 concerts annually, performing in venues all across Atlanta, from community centers to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. AMP music ensembles have performed alongside international stars such as cellist Sterling Elliott, rapper Lecrae, operatic baritone Edward Parks, R&B singer Monica, The Piano Guys, the Harlem Quartet, electric violinist Lindsey Stirling, pianist Terrence Wilson, and the Imani Winds. AMP musicians can be seen performing with rapper T.I. on NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series. AMP’s young musicians have successfully auditioned for Georgia All-State ensembles, performed with the Atlanta Opera and the Atlanta Ballet, and have concertized as far away as Los Angeles, Aspen, Mexico City, and Scotland. 

AMP is the recipient of several prestigious awards: 2015 Local Community Service Award (Spelman College), 2016 Neighborhood Builder (Bank of America), 2016 & 2017 Top 50 Youth Arts Program (USA President’s Committee on the Arts & Humanities), 2018 MLK Jr. Community Service Award (Emory University), 2019 Luminary Award for Arts Education (ArtsATL), and 2021 Infusion Award (Lewis Prize for Music).

AMP’s existence is a direct result of the 2009 TED Prize, which was awarded to Dr. Jose Antonio Abreu, founder of Venezuela’s El Sistema. AMP’s co-founders were members of the Sistema Fellows Program at the New England Conservatory in Boston. AMP is a member of “El Sistema USA,” the National Alliance of El Sistema Inspired Programs.

The Atlanta Music Project believes the pursuit of musical excellence leads to  the development of confidence, creativity and ambition, bringing together youth, family and community for the greater good. 

For more information visit http://www.atlantamusicproject.org

Media Inquiries:

Jose Morales, Marketing & Development Associate 

 912-655-3920 | jose@atlantamusicproject.org

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