Alleghany High School junior Kenny Sprouse will play alongside the Richmond Pops in a Veterans Day tribute in November. Kenny is a leader at AHS and he is highly involved in choral and band programs. He plans to double major in music and electrical engineering in college. As a bonus, he will take private euphonium lessons at Virginia Commonwealth University. VCU is one of the colleges he is considering. (AHPS Photo)
AHS’ Kenny Sprouse to Join Richmond Pops In Veterans Tribute
LOW MOOR — Alleghany High School’s Kenny Sprouse will be playing music with the Richmond Pops at an upcoming Veterans Day performance.
Sprouse, a junior at AHS, will be one of 24 students serving as “side-by-side” players in the performance set for Thursday, Nov. 12, at the Altria Theatre in Richmond. A side-by-side player is a young musician who performs alongside a professional musician.
He will play alongside the Pops when it performs the “Star-Spangled Banner,” and “God Bless America.”
“I was very surprised to learn this,” Sprouse said. “I was told one day, ‘Hey, you’re playing for the Richmond Symphony in a couple of weeks.’”
As an all-district band selection, he was chosen for his proficiency in playing the euphonium, a horned instrument similar to a small tuba with a baritone range. Sprouse has played the instrument for seven years.
“The district band director knew that I was able to play the euphonium well,” said Sprouse, whose mother, Amanda, is the choir director at AHS and serves as assistant band director.
A friend and former colleague of Amanda Sprouse, Joy McDonald, helped facilitate the opportunity for Kenny to perform with the Richmond Pops. McDonald also assisted Kenny in connecting with a low brass specialist at Virginia Commonwealth University so he could take private euphonium lessons to prepare for college.
He plans to double major in music and electrical engineering. He may attend VCU or George Mason University after he graduates. At AHS, he is the drum major of the marching band, a member of the choir, a participant in the chess club, and president of the Tri-M Music Honor Society.
During his time in Richmond next month, Sprouse will rehearse with the ensemble and tour the VCU campus, where he will meet faculty and shadow a student. He will also participate in his first private euphonium lessons.
AHS is part of the Alleghany Highlands Public Schools. AHPS was formed in July 2022 when Alleghany Highlands Public Schools, Covington City Public Schools, and Jackson River Technical Center merged. AHPS is funded by Alleghany County and the City of Covington. The consolidated school division has allowed two localities to pool their resources and provide students with greater educational opportunities.
“Kenny has absolutely blossomed in his love for music since the consolidation. We have an amazing team of music and art teachers from elementary all the way up, and we work hard to collaborate to give our students the best arts education possible. Whether it is sculpture, painting, poetry, acting, singing, or playing instruments, students in our division get a wide range of opportunities to explore their creative and expressive talents. Many of our students have gone into fine arts careers after graduation, but it is particularly special to see my own child pursue what I love and have dedicated so much of my life to.” Amanda Sprouse said.
As an added connection to the Alleghany Highlands, the director of the Richmond Pops is Earl Shaffer Jr., who was the band director at Covington High School from 1980-1989. Shaffer was involved in the music program at Chesterfield County Public Schools outside of Richmond. Since retiring from public education, he has served as a professor in the music department at Longwood University in Farmville. He joined the Richmond Pops in 2015 and was appointed conductor in 2022.
Shaffer was inducted into the Virginia Band and Orchestra Association Hall of Fame in November 2022 as one of the leading high school band directors in the state’s history.
“We are so excited to learn of this amazing opportunity for Kenny,” said Kim Halterman and Melinda Snead-Johnson, leaders of AHPS. “Kenny is a talented musician and a leader who is both confident and humble. It is a joy to see him both leading our high school band and interacting with others.”
AHPS serves approximately 2,700 students. IAHPS news and events are regularly updated on Facebook at AHPublicSchools and Instagram at ahpublicschools. Information is also available at www.ahps.k12.va.us.