Executive Director Gerami Groover-Flores discusses the importance of supporting organizations like Hamilton-Garrett as part of our partnership with the Boston chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS).

A conversation between Mrs. Elta Garrett (founding director of Hamilton-Garrett Music and Arts Academy) and Melanie DeMore (our Visiting Artist for 2020), recorded for our Make Them Hear You virtual celebration, Thursday, June 18th, 2020.

Donate now at https://www.hamiltongarrett.org/donate Join the Hamilton-Garrett Music & Arts students and faculty, with special guest harpist Charles Overton, for a heartwarming holiday concert to raise support for Roxbury’s budding young musicians and justice activists! HGMAA is the Spotlighted Community Partner of NATS Boston, whose aim is to encourage Black musicians studying the vocal arts on their career paths. Faculty performances by: Fred Woodard, Jr. (guitar) Julia McKenzie (violin) Tyson Jackson (percussion) Witness Matlou (piano) Zakiyyah Sutton (voice) Special thanks to Wendy Blom (video producer), Joshua Sutherland (audio producer), Anyelo Flores (videographer & photographer), and Daryl Brown (music producer) Many thanks to our generous donors, all our volunteers, our students and their families, our amazing faculty, our tireless staff, our Board of Directors, The Historic Charles Street AME Church, The Boston Foundation, and the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Boston HGMAA Staff: Gerami Groover-Flores, Executive Director Louis Hawkins, Custodian Tyson Jackson, Percussion Instructor Andrew Kimble, Humanities Instructor Witness Matlou, Piano Instructor Julia McKenzie, Violin Instructor Eva Montgomery-Morrison, Communications Assistant Joshua Sutherland, Program Coordinator Zakiyyah Sutton, Voice Instructor Fred Woodard, Jr., Guitar Instructor HGMAA Board of Directors: Yvonne Desmond Gwendolyn Clark Timothy Fraser Elta Garrett Reverend Gregory Groover (Chair) Vivian Montgomery Ralph Smith Jr. Paula Stephens Tyrone Sutton Singers on Betelehemu: Carrie Cheron Jessica Cooper Liz Eschen Molly McGuire Eva Montgomery-Morrison Vivian Montgomery Danny Rivera Emily Siar Singer on Give Love on Christmas Day: Ajahnée Drayton The Hamilton-Garrett Music and Arts Academy (HGMAA) is dedicated to passing on the rich legacy of Black cultural music to the next generation. As part of its commitment to community building through youth development and cultural pride, HGMAA seeks to challenge inner-city youth to see themselves as positive producers of culture, music, and the arts as a whole, rather than merely consumers of it. HGMAA provides the community with cultural products and performances of which they can be proud. It is the desire of HGMAA to equip our young artists with the necessary tools to make this vision a reality.

Hamilton-Garrett's end-of-year virtual gala! Thursday, June 18th, 2020. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Welcome Message from Gerami Groover-Flores, Executive Director 00:02:25 “Come By Here” (Tribute to Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd) by HG Youth Choir, Melanie DeMore & HGMAA 00:05:50 Greetings - Rev. Dr. Gregory G. Groover Sr., Board Chair 00:08:05 Welcome- Melanie DeMore, Emcee and HGMAA Visiting Artist’20 00:10:47 History of HGMAA 00:14:50 Words from HGMAA Alumni & Staff 00:18:43 “Waiting on the World to Change” - George Russell III, HGMAA Teacher & Alum 00:22:20 Honorable Kim C. Janey, Boston City Council President & City Councilor for District 7 00:25:25 A Conversation with Elta Garrett & Melanie DeMore (Part I) 00:29:00 Vivian Montgomery, Professor at Longy School of Music & HGMAA Board Member 00:32:00 David Howse, Senior Vice President & Executive Director of ArtsEmerson 00:35:28 “Words of Love” - HGMAA Students 00:38:52 Tribute to Ruth Esther Hamilton, Visionary of the HGMAA 00:40:00 Hamilton-Garrett Youth Choir Performance: 1. “Rise, Shine” (Ajahnee Drayton, soloist) 2. “My Lord What a Morning” 00:45:15 Tour of HGMAA New Building- Gerami Groover-Flores (Executive Director), Joshua Sutherland (Piano Instructor, Assistant Program Coordinator of Technology) 00:49:05 Tyrone Sutton, Dean of Arts at Boston Arts Academy & HGMAA Board Member 00:50:42 “Bring Him Home” - Jermaine Tulloch, HGMAA Visiting Artist’18 00:54:10 Fundraising Update- Timothy Fraser, HGMAA Board Member 00:56:49 Roger Brown, President of Berklee College of Music 00:59:46 Gregory Groover Jr, HGMAA Alum & Visiting Artist’ 19 01:01:54 “Soon ah Will Be Done” - Greg Groover Jr & The Negro Spiritual Songbook Band (scene from HGMA’s production Remembering 1619, release date 2021) 01:08:18 A Conversation with Elta Garrett & Melanie DeMore (Part II) 01:10:14 “Make Them Hear You”- HGMAA School Song. Performed by Jermaine Tulloch (Visiting Artist’18), Hamilton-Garrett Youth Choir and Gerami Groover-Flores (Executive Director) 01:12:40 Closing- Melanie DeMore