Fine Arts
2026-27
Overview
Band
About Our Director:
Liz Savage is the Director of Bands at East Forsyth High School, Gainesville, Ga. Following being awarded the William D. Revelli Award through Bands of America in 1998, Mrs. Savage earned her Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Jacksonville State University in 2002. Since 2002, She has also served as Director of Bands, Colquitt County High School, Moultrie, Ga; Director of Bands at Eighth Street Middle School, Tifton, GA as well as Director of Bands at Handley Middle and High School in Roanoke, Al. In 2007, Mrs. Savage was recognized as Teacher of the Year at Eighth Street Middle School. She was also recognized as the STAR in 2016 at Colquitt County High School.
Mrs. Savage has been a guest lecturer across the Southeast. In 2022 and 2023, Mrs. Savage Presented a Clinic Entitled "Pumps on the Podium" Advocating for the Female in the Band Room at the National Association for Music Education National Convention and The Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic alongside three other powerful women in music education. She is a sought out adjudicator and clinician in the Southeast. Mrs. Savage is a member of GMEA, PAGE, and NAfME. Liz is married to Aaron Savage, and they have two sons; Jaxon and Cooper.
Color Guard Staff:
Mrs. Bearden is the color guard director and teaches world history and AP World History at East Forsyth High School. She began her color guard career in 2012 at North Forsyth High School and continued on to march with the color guard at the University of North Georgia and Reverie Independent Winterguard. She began teaching color guard at Dawson County High School in 2017 and has additionally worked as a color guard staff member at Johnson High School, West Forsyth High School, and East Hall High School in varying capacities. Mrs. Bearden joined the East Forsyth team as color guard director for its inaugural marching band season in 2021 and has since led the color guard through their first winterguard season in 2022. Mrs. Bearden is so proud to call herself a Bronco and to be a part of the Thundering Herd!
Class Offerings
Color Guard
Color Guard (Ethic Music Studies): The COLOR GUARD CLASS is required for students who audition and earn a spot on the Thundering Herd Color Guard team. The class meets each school day (for credit). Students will learn fundamentals in dance, flag, rifle, and sabre. During the fall semester, students utilize class time to learn and write routines, clean marching band choreography, and maintain equipment. During spring semester students will continue learning basic and more advanced dance techniques and work on group/team projects.
Concert Band
Concert Band (Intermediate Band): The CONCERT BAND is a performing ensemble for all wind students. The group will perform several concerts during the year and will emphasize the study of basic musicianship skills and improvement of fundamentals. The CONCERT BAND class meets every school day (for credit). Opportunities for playing in small groups and solos will also be available. After school rehearsals are sometimes one day every week in the Winter/Spring semester. Students in this ensemble are REQUIRED to attend all major events, such as (but not limited to): LGPE and Concerts.
Percussion
Percussion (Intermediate/Advanced Instrumental Ensemble): The PERCUSSION CLASS is open to students who wish to study percussion instruments in the band department. The class meets every school day (for credit). Students will learn fundamentals to advance playing skills on a variety of percussion instruments. During the Fall semester students sometimes work on the marching portion of the band. In the Spring semester students will focus on percussion ensemble literature and music for the ensemble that they play with. There are required after school rehearsals each semester with the ensemble they perform with. Students in this ensemble are REQUIRED to attend all major events, such as (but not limited to): concerts, LGPE, percussion ensemble events, drumline Performances, Invitation Performances.
Symphonic Band
Symphonic Band (Advanced Band): The SYMPHONIC BAND is open to winds who have achieved a specific level of playing ability. Admittance to this class is based on auditions and demands the highest commitment to a performing ensemble. In addition to the performance of modern wind literature and transcriptions, the fundamentals of wind performance such as breathing skills, embouchure strength and flexibility, finger strength and speed, and articulation ability will be emphasized. The SYMPHONIC BAND is a class that meets (for credit) every school day and performs several concerts and festivals each year. After-school rehearsals are required one day every week in the spring semester. Students in this ensemble are REQUIRED to attend all major events, such as (but not limited to) concerts, LGPE, Invitation Performances.
Thundering Heard
Thundering Herd: The “Thundering Herd” is the combined forces of the Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Percussion Class and Color Guard. The purpose of this organization is to provide entertainment for football games, pep rallies, band festivals, parades, and concerts. It is an integral part of the instrumental music education curriculum at East Forsyth High School. All members are expected to devote TOTAL DEDICATION and MAXIMUM EFFORT and INVOLVEMENT in all aspects of marching, playing, and performance.
Chorus
Theatre
Visual Arts
Visual arts classes are creative spaces where students explore, learn and develop their artistic voices. Here at EFHS, our classes are designed to help students learn foundational skills in drawing, painting, sculpture and more. Students start with the basics, like contour line drawing, color theory, composition and build up to more complex techniques using a scaffolded approach. Students work on a series of projects throughout the year, with each project exploring a different medium or technique. These projects often encourage personal expression, giving students a chance to apply what they have learned in their own unique ways. Art classes at East foster a sense of community where students work both independently and collaboratively. They often share ideas and inspire each other. Visual arts classes are about more than just making art. They are about building confidence, improving problem-solving skills and learning to see the world in new ways.
Students currently enrolled in art classes will be recommended for courses for next year. New students will need to select Visual Arts 1 (our pre-requisite art course) or see their counselor to join higher level art classes if they have already taken and passed VA 1. Questions? Email Mrs. Seaney or Ms. Larbus