About Us
- The mission of the Fulton County Youth Orchestra program is to provide a performing ensemble for the most talented middle and elementary school string orchestra musicians enrolled in the Fulton County Public Schools. This orchestra supplements the school orchestra programs and challenges its members to greater musical excellence via weekly rehearsals and regularly scheduled performances.
Our Conductors
- Dr. James Barket is the Orchestra Director at Webb Bridge Middle School in Alpharetta, GA. WBMS Orchestras under Dr. Barket’s direction are active participants in Georgia Music Educators Association events. WBMS was invited to perform for the GMEA In-Service Conference in 2008 and for the ASTA National Orchestra Competition in 2006.
Before coming to WBMS, Dr. Barket was on the faculty at Valdosta State University and worked with the South Georgia String Project. From 2000-2004, Dr. Barket was Co-Director of the GAASTA Summer Camp. Dr. Barket served as GMEA State Orchestra Chairperson from 2005-2007 and was the organizer for the GMEA Middle School All-State Orchestra from 2008-2014. In his spare time he teaches string bass at Kennesaw State University, the Encore Summer Music Camp, the Florida State Summer Music Camp, and the Walton High School Orchestra Summer Camp.
- Sheldon Fisher received his BME in 1976, his MEd (music) in 1978 from Southwestern Oklahoma State University. He completed course work for the Doctorate of Musical Arts Degree at Boston University in October of 2009. He has been a member of ASTA, Phi Beta Mu, MENC and OMEA holding state offices in OMEA and ASTA. Since moving to Fulton County Georgia in 1996 he has hosted numerous GMEA Performance Evaluation events and has served on numerous local, state and national committees for ASTA and GMEA. Active as a clinician and adjudicator, he has judged GMEA events throughout Georgia and has presented for District and Regional workshops, State Conventions in Oklahoma and Georgia as well as Orchestra Workshops at “The Ohio State University” and at USC in Columbia, SC. In January of 2008 Sheldon was named the Georgia ASTA Chapter’s “Educator of the Year” for 2007. He served as Fulton County’s Fine Arts Support Teacher for Orchestras for 5 years. Sheldon taught full time for 40 years and retired as Director of Orchestras at Alpharetta High School in May 2016. He is currently the part-time Orchestra instructor at Haynes Bridge Middle School.