Willis
I love SAAVA! There’s a great atmosphere of friendship and safety, great learning opportunities, and awesome music! Mr. Stephens is one of the best teachers I’ve ever had. He is easy to understand and fun to listen to, but he also really knows what he’s talking about. I’ve learned so much during my time at SAAVA. Not only has he taught me how to sing notes on a page, but he’s taught me how to tell a story with them, put meaning and emotion in them, and sing them with a group of other people. What impresses me the most about Mr. Stephens though is his deep passion for music. You can see it and feel it when he teaches, and it’s contagious! I’ve always loved music, but he’s encouraged me in that love and multiplied it several times over. He’s made me a way better singer. I love being taught by Mr. Stephens and I love singing and just being with SAAVA! (2020-2021)
Ryan
I love SAAVA! It is a great learning environment, somewhere where I can learn, help others, and sing my heart out! I love to sing, and with the help of our amazing directors Mr. Stephens and Miss Ivy I have really come to not just sing, but portray the message, by not just singing a song but by telling the story. Something I have learned in SAAVA is that it’s all up to us to make the choir better! I have been in choirs before but, something I love more in this choir is that there is a guy director. I like this because he understands how male voices are, and helps us to sing to our best abilities. This choir is awesome because we bond as a choir every time we see each other. SAAVA is the best choir I have ever been in. I love singing, learning, and making friends! I look forward to it every single week! (2020-2021)
Abigail
I have been singing in various choirs for eight years now and, in all that time, I have never been part of a group like the Academy Singers Choir. Everyone in the room wants to be there, and the excitement and energy with which the students and director alike approach learning has allowed us to develop our skills, our confidence, and our community faster than I ever could have imagined. I have seen my own skills, and those of my fellow students, advance in leaps and bounds, and we have been able to create beautiful music because of that. I know that these skills, and the memories of this experience, are something that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. (2019-2020)
Sol
What I love about SAAVA is that we are a fun and light-hearted family. Singing is of the utmost importance when we come together but just knowing each other and being comfortable is equally important. To sing in a comfortable and relaxing environment ultimately helps us as individual singers to grow and be more confident in ourselves and as a group. Something that I’ve learned that in SAAVA is that to be a good singer requires individual work and practice. Mr. Stephens encourages us to be individual musicians, practice, and better ourselves which makes all of us much better singers for when we come together and make music. What I’m most thankful for is the encouragement and love I’ve received from SAAVA. I wouldn’t be the singer and musician I am today if I hadn’t joined SAAVA and I’m so grateful for Mr. Stephens and Ms. Ivy. (2019-2020)
Kyra
I love SAAVA! I have been able to learn so much in such a short amount of time, all while having so much fun I didn’t even realize I was learning! Before I joined I had little knowledge of music theory when applied to the vocal arts, and couldn’t even recite solfege backwards! Now I can read music and sing it confidently. I’m so thankful for the instruction that Mr. Stephens has given to me. He is the best teacher I’ve ever had, and his love for teaching has equally kindled a love for learning from me. He teaches complex concepts in a way that is easy to understand, and somehow makes it extremely enjoyable in the process! I look forward to practice every week. (2019-2020)
Maeve
SAAVA is such a loving and welcoming environment to learn in. Since day one, Mr. Stephens has always told us that it was okay to mess up, no one is going to judge you. And he was right. Whenever I messed up, I wouldn’t be mad at myself or think, “Oh, everyone heard that, and they’re going to be upset with me!” If I messed up, I’d just smile and keep going. If I ever needed help, I knew that I could just ask Mr. Stephens or Miss Ivy and they would give me the perfect instructions to fix my problem. I have learned so much from SAAVA in just one year! I went from not knowing anything about reading music, and now I can sight read, write solfege, find rhythm in the music, and so much more! What I’m most thankful for is that SAAVA provided a safe, fun,and loving space to learn music in. (2019-2020)
Rebecca
SAAVA has provided me with an enthusiastic community of singers and friends. In just one year Mr. Stephens has taken my group, The Academy Singers, from various different levels of vocal experience and taught us how to unite our voices to form one, beautiful melody. I have learned how to find middle c without listening to a piano, how to sight read music, how to sing in my head voice, and how and why we add emotion to music. Being in a choir where I can make the music I so enjoy listening to has been the highlight of my year. (2019-2020)
Sarah
Something I absolutely love about SAAVA is how everyone is growing in their own experiences so you’re never scared to make a mistake. I’ve learned so much from participating in SAAVA. One thing specifically is music theory. When I joined, I knew almost nothing, now I can sight read with just a little time! Joining SAAVA was the best decision I’ve ever made in looking for ways to grow in voice and performance. (2019-2020)
Joseph
“I can’t explain the impact Mr. Stephens had on my life without tearing up. At a sensitive time in my life where I felt unworthy and no good, Mr. Stephens believed in me, gave me confidence, and pushed me to succeed. He showed me the beauty of singing and how one can honor the subjects of a song by correctly expressing, not just mechanical notes, but the heart and soul of music. When I sang about love, I felt love. When I sang about God, I felt God. Mr. Stephens showed us music and taught us to see that music can show us so much more.”
Siera
My most wonderful memories of middle school are of all the times I was in choir. Our choir wasn’t just any regular choir, we learned more than just how to sing the words that were in front of us, how to follow along, and have rhythm. We learned life lessons, different languages, and we learned how to truly feel the music. We took the notes and the music off of a sheet and our teacher Mr.Stephens showed us how to not just sing the songs but how to express the right emotion and the stories behind them which made us understand. It explained our minds, hearts and souls. He showed a true passion for his students and for teaching choir and I’ll never forget the impact it has left on my life.