Benny the Cat Is First to Arrive for the Fiddling Camp Concert.

Setting up for the Fiddle Camp Hoedown Picnic.

Members of the Gulf Coast Music Teachers Association enjoy a tour of the Salvation Army Kroc Center’s Performing and Visual Arts facility.  The tour, which followed the September 8, 2016 Business Meeting, was led by member Aaron Windham, who is the Director of the PVA Center.  Pictured are Elsie Barnes (front), Aaron Windham, Carol Mahler, Dawn Nelson, Jane Cockrell, and Marilyn Leone (back row, l-r).  

​"Allie's first piano competition!!!"

Joseph Agler was selected to represent Mississippi on the Junior Level in the 2014-15 Music Teachers National Association’s National Composition Competition.  He also received an Honorable Mention on the state level in the 2015-2016 competition.  In addition to composition, Joseph also studies piano with Mrs. Mahler at Hidden Acres Music School.

Gabriella Loiacano and Christopher Cunningham are pictured with Mrs. Carol Mahler at University of Southern Mississippi after the state level round of the Music Teachers National Association’s Senior Performance Competition, which was held during Mississippi Music Teachers Association’s annual Fall Conference.  Gabriella was named State Alternate, and Christopher received Honorable Mention.

Congratulations to Jade Agler, who represented Mississippi and the MMTA Southern Division at the 2016 National Competition of the Music Teachers National Association Composition Competition, Elementary Level.  In addition to composition, Jade also studies piano and violin with Mrs. Mahler at HAMS.

Competing against six other undergraduate and graduate students, Gabriella Loiacano won first place in the Alabama Sonata Competition which was held on January 30, 2016, at University of Alabama.  She performed the first movement of the Beethoven Opus 26, No. 13.  The event was sponsored by the Mobile Music Teachers Association. Gabriella is a freshman at the University of Mobile, where she studies with Dr. Sharon Hudson.

Gabriella Loiacano won the Steinway Competition, which was held in September, 2015, at the University of Mobile, which is an all-Steinway school. On her right is her teacher at U of M, Dr. Sharon Hudson. On her left is Dr. Kadisha Onalbayeva, a Steinway artist and teacher-in-residence at U of M. Gabriella competed against college freshmen and sophomores from four states, and won the Gold Medal and $500 in scholarship money. She played the Glinka-Balakirev “The Lark.”

Seniors Gabriella Loiacano and Christopher Cunningham take top honors at the 2015 Gulf Coast Music Teachers Senior Award Recital, winning, respectively, $500 and $300 in scholarship money. Congratulations, Gabriella and Christopher!

Friends Kate Ackerman (l) and Erin Eastlack (r) pose at the Boesendorfer concert grand piano on which they performed during one of the Honors Recitals at the Music Teachers Festival on Saturday, February 28. Kate, who had taken only two months, was inspired to enter the Festival after Erin told her how much fun these events can be. Both girls scored a High Superior, which qualified them to play in the Honors Recital. With them is proud teacher, Carol Mahler.

Jess Davis was the recipient of a $250 scholarship award for her performance at the 2014 Young Artist Vocal Competition of two alto recitatives and arias – by memory!

Christopher Cunningham takes a bow after his performance of Chopin’s Etude Op. 10, No. 1 during the judges’ break at the 2014 Young Artist Vocal Competition.

Gabriella Loiacano takes a bow after her performance of movement 3 of Mozart’s Sonata in F Major, K. 332, during the judges’ break at the 2014 Young Artist Vocal Competition.

2014 State Finals Winners – Pictured are HAMS students who were winners in the Mississippi Music Teachers Association Pre-college State Finals (counterclockwise from top): Christopher Cunningham – 2nd Place, Level 11 Piano Performance Gabriella Loiacano – Gold Medal, Division E Sonata/Sonatina Joseph Agler – Honorable Mention, Level 4 Piano Performance Jade Agler – Gold Medal, Violin Performance, Division A Gold Medal, Sonata/Sonatina, Division A Piano Performance, Level 3 Piano Performance Hayley Webster – 2nd Place, Division E Violin Performance Not pictured are: Ella Lansford – 3rd Place, Division B Violin Performance Kate Lansford – 2nd Place, Division A Violin Performance

Gabriella Loiacano captured First Place, and Christopher Cunningham garnered Third Place at the 2013 Bach Festival in Jackson.

“Gold Is Gabriella’s” – Mississippi Music Teachers Association President Barbara Tracy bestows the Gold Medal upon Gabriella Loiacano while MMTA President-Elect Dr. Ellen Elder looks on. Gabriella competed in the 2013 MMTA Pre-College State Finals in Piano Performance Level 10.

“3 MMTA 2013 Gold Medalists” – Three friends from HAMS celebrate with Carol Mahler, HAMS director, over their winning performances at MMTA’s State Finals in 2013. Taking the gold were (l-r): Gabriella Loiacano, Piano Performance Level 10 (Teacher - Carol Mahler); Gabbie Bowden, Violin Performance Division E (Teacher - Emily McClung); and Hayley Webster, Violin Performance Division D (Teacher – Emily McClung).

One of the joint Christmas recitals of the Gulf Coast Music Teachers Association in 2012. HAMS students pictured are: Zaithian Weinbrandt (far left), Kate Lansford and Ella Lansford, Eugenie Saunders (in white dress), and Carter Hudson (far right).

GCMTA 2012 Joint Christmas Recital” – HAMS students who performed were Hayley Webster (back row, far left), as well as Zane Saucier and Christopher Cunningham (back row, far right). The recital was held at First United Methodist Church in Biloxi.