The Academy for the Arts at First Baptist Church of Asheville seeks to empower students

Their Mission

The Academy for the Arts at First Baptist Church of Asheville seeks to empower students of all ages and backgrounds in reaching their greatest potential both as artists and as human beings. Our highly-skilled teachers create an atmosphere of nurture and expectation in which students pursue excellence in their artistic crafts, developing mature and disciplined character.

Believing that artistic inspiration and talents are gifts which need to be shared in order to be fully realized; we offer regular and exciting opportunities for individual and group performance.

Opportunities

Private and group music lessons are available for a variety of instruments, including those of the classical cannon-voice, piano, organ, percussion, violin, viola, cello, bass, harp, flute, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, baritone, and tuba-as well as Old Time Bluegrass and Early Swing instruments such as fiddle, banjo, mandolin, dulcimer, guitar, and bass. AFTA celebrates a high standard of excellence within our teaching staff. All our instructors hold at least one degree, and most of them multiple degrees, in music from an accredited university/conservatory, or have equitable expertise in their genre.

AFTA offers several choral ensembles. Asheville Youth Choirs are community choirs open to grades K – 12. The Asheville Youth Choirs include a High School Choir, a Middle School Choir, and a Children’s Choir, and sing in area churches, civic functions, seasonal concerts, and summer tours. The choirs offer the opportunity for children and teenagers to come together to enjoy the challenge and friendship found in creating beautiful music, thereby making a positive impact in our community and beyond. In addition to the Asheville Youth Choirs, AFTA is now a proud sponsor of the Asheville Symphony Youth Orchestra. Their new home for rehearsals and concerts is the sanctuary at the First Baptist Church of Asheville.

Faculty recitals are presented every semester. Bach’s Lunch is a series of monthly mini-organ concerts presented at First Baptist Asheville. Concerts are free and open to the public. Following the Bach’s Lunch concerts, there is a $5 box lunch available for purchase.

There are three extraordinary performance spaces available to music students at AFTA for individual recitals and group presentations. Varying in seating capacity for audiences from 120 to 1200, all offer performers roomy stages, state-of-the-art sound and recording capabilities, and are equipped with grand pianos, as well as a 42-rank pipe organ in the largest auditorium. The spaces all offer comfortable seating, are accessible from ample parking, are supported by lovely reception halls, and are frequently in demand by professional music groups throughout the region.

With all of these opportunities and more, the Academy is thrilled to announce its third year! The fall term begins August 15th.

For more information visit afta-fbca.net.