13 Year Old Black Cellist Earns Top Honors At Georgia Music Educators Association All State Orchestra

Online, March 4, 2012 (Newswire.com) - Rae Baker, 13 Year Old 8th Grader at Sandy Springs Charter Middle School, is the recipient of the 3rd chair position at the 2012 GMEA (Georgia Music Educators Association) All State Bands and Orchestra Conference held in Savannah, GA- March 1-3rd. The process and journey to All State requires enormous focus, perseverance and determination. Rae was selected from 73 Middle School cellos auditioning of which 16 were selected. Rae scored an impressive third out of sixteen earning the 3rd chair in the All State Orchestra. Rae Baker is the sole black female in the State of Georgia who was selected to attend the Georgia Music Educators Association concert. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, African Americans account for over 1 million in population in the state of Georgia. Of the 80+ middle school students representing the best of the best in classical strings for the state of Georgia, two of the students are African American.

Rae Baker is also the 2011-2012 winner of the PTA Reflections Competition for Music composition at Sandy Springs Middle School. Her composition also earned recognition and placement at the North Fulton County level. Rae is the principle cello chair for the Fulton County Honors Orchestra, member of BYSO (Buckhead Youth Orchestra, lead guitarist for Agape Love Gospel Jazz Trio and former member of MYSO (Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of Atlanta).
GMEA is an organization of approximately 4000 Georgia music educators dedicated to promoting music excellence. Each Fall a series of auditions are held to qualify students for the All State Orchestra conference hosted each year in Savannah, GA.

Sandy Springs Middle School submitted 30 students for the first round audition held in September, 2011. Seven SSCMS students qualified for the second round auditions. After the second round and general auditions, Rae Baker qualified and passed the final auditions held on January 14, 2012 and was selected as the sole representative from SSCMS in Savannah, GA. for the All State Middle School Concert Saturday March 3rd.