Two members of the McIntosh High School band program, Sarah Manley and Drew Naber, have been invited to join this year’s Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony (AYWS), the premier honor wind ensemble for high school students in the Atlanta metropolitan area.

 Drew, a sophomore Saxophone player, joins the group for the first time this year. Drew has also participated in the Georgia State University Honor Band as a freshman and has performed for the last two seasons with the Youth Concert Band of Atlanta. Drew received recognition as the most improved player of the year as a freshman from McIntosh High School Band Director, Barbara Baker. Drew also performs in the McIntosh Jazz ensemble and performs in the orchestra at the Peachtree City United Methodist Church

Sarah, a sophomore, plays trombone and is first chair in the McIntosh Wind Ensemble, a group she has been in since a freshman. She also plays tuba in the Spirit of McIntosh marching band. Sarah has been a member of the Metro Atlanta Youth Wind Ensemble (2007), the Youth Concert Band of Atlanta (2006), the District 6 Honor Band and the Georgia All-State Band. She was named to the Georgia State University Honor Band and received the McIntosh Band Rising Star award as a freshman. Sarah is a member of the Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church Brass Ensemble. She is also a member of the McIntosh varsity swim team.

The Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony is comprised of approximately 80 select high school wind and percussion instrumentalists.  They are chosen through competitive audition and play traditional and contemporary wind band literature.  The students will practice two hours each week at Emory University and will perform in four concerts annually.  AYWS was established in 1988 and is under the direction of Dr. Scott A. Stewart, Director of Wind Studies at Emory University.