Arts

Roland Ventura is currently the Director of Bands at Pinckneyville Middle School in Peachtree Corners, Georgia. Since his appointment in 2007, the Pinckneyville Band program has grown to include over 340 students. The students participate in numerous different ensembles, including the Beginning Band, Jazz Band, Pep Band, Percussion Ensemble, Woodwind Ensemble, Brass Ensemble, Pinckneyville POPS!, PMS Concert Band, PMS Symphonic Band, and the PMS Symphonic Winds. Students in the PMS Band program participate in several GMEA band events, such as District Honor Band, All-State Band, Solo & Ensemble, and Large Group Performance Evaluation. Under the direction of Mr. Ventura, the Pinckneyville Symphonic Winds have performed at the Southeastern United State Band Clinic (SEUS) at Troy University, twice at the Middle School Band Festival (MidFest) on the campus of the University of Georgia and at the Georgia Music Educators Association In-Service Conference. The band has also been invited to perform at the Music for All Southeastern Regional Concert Band Festival at Georgia State University.

In addition to his duties as band director, Mr. Ventura has served as both department head for the PMS connections department and as a Gwinnett county lead teacher for middle school bands. In 2013, Mr. Ventura had the honor of being selected as the Teacher of the Year for Pinckneyville Middle School.

Mr. Ventura obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s of Music Education from Troy University in Troy, Alabama. Prior to attending college, Mr. Ventura proudly served his country as a member of the United States Army Band Program. Before his appointment to Pinckneyville, Mr. Ventura was the Director of Bands and Instrumental Studies at the Virginia Beach Visual and Performing Arts Academy at Salem High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Mr. Ventura has served as the Middle School Band Chair for District XIII and as the Multi-Cultural Chair for the Georgia Music Educators Association. His professional affiliations are Phi Beta Mu, NAfME, GMEA, Kappa Kappa Psi National Band Fraternity and the National Band Association(NBA). Mr. Ventura has been awarded 4 Citations of Excellence from the NBA and, in 2019, he became a proud recipient of the Kappa Kappa Psi Alumni Association Brent Cannon Alumni Achievement Award for Music Education.

Mr. Ventura is an active guest director, clinician and consultant for groups throughout the southeast. He is married to Angel Ventura and they have three grown children; Ryan, Brianna and Aurielle and two grandchildren: Rosalinda and Thiago.

• The 6th Grade Concert Band - This band consists of all beginning 6 grade band students. The classes are divided into a woodwind class and a brass/percussion class. The ensemble will perform two concerts per year.
• The Symphonic Band - This band consists of 7th and 8th grade intermediate band members who will participate in the Georgia Music Educators Association Large Group Performance Evaluations and perform at school concerts. Extra rehearsals will be scheduled prior to performances and all students will be expected to attend.
• Symphonic Winds- This band consists of 7th and 8th grade advanced band members who will participate in the Georgia Music Educators Association Large Group Performance Evaluations and perform at school concerts. These members are also required to audition for the GMEA District Band in the fall. Extra rehearsals will be scheduled prior to performances and all students will be expected to attend.

Ms. Avery Smith is the new choral director at Pinckneyville Middle School. She earned a Bachelor of Music in Music Education in May 2024 from the University of Georgia, graduating Summa Cum Laude with Highest Honors. Throughout her studies, Ms. Smith enjoyed experiences as a teacher, performer, and researcher. She was selected among others to represent the UGA Hodgson Singers in the International Chamber Choir Competition in Marktoberdorf, Germany in May 2023, where the group was awarded 2nd prize among 11 other choirs from around the world. During the summers, she works as a Resident Assistant for the Georgia Governor's Honors Program.

Ms. Smith is an active member of the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA), National Association for Music Education (NAfME), and American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). 

Pinckneyville splits chorus by grade level and welcomes anyone to join, regardless of past musical experience! Throughout the school year, we perform at various concerts and school events, some of which are: Hispanic Heritage Celebration Night, the Winter Concert, Large Group Performance Evaluation, the POPS Concert, and the Spring Concert. Additional extracurricular opportunities include: All-State Chorus, Honor Chorus, 6th Grade Statewide Honor Chorus, and the Southern Star Music Festival.

All singers will be assigned a voice part in August that may fluctuate throughout the year as their voice develops. Solo opportunities will arise, as well as the possibility to audition for the extracurricular Pinckneyville Singers. Ms. Smith is looking forward to learning and making music with you!

Mrs. Noelle Williams is the new director of the Pinckneyville Orchestras. Prior to her appointment at Pinckneyville, she was the orchestra director for 7 years at Sweetwater Middle School in Lawrenceville, GA where she received multiple Superior ratings at LGPE. Mrs. Williams was a finalist for Teacher of the Year at Sweetwater in both 2019-2020 and 2020-2021. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and a minor in Spanish, as well as Full University Honors. Her notable professors were Dr. Scott Rawls (viola) Dr. Rebecca MacLeod (Music Ed). She also served as chapter president of the American String Teachers Association (ASTA), was an active member of the National Association for Music Education, as well as a part of the Mu Phi Epsilon music fraternity. Mrs. Williams also holds a Master of Music Education degree from the University of South Carolina under the guidance of Dr. Gail Barnes, and taught middle school, high school, private studio, and after-school gifted programs in Sumter, SC for five years. 

Mrs. Williams is an active guest speaker, performer, clinician, mentor, and adjudicator. She has been a presenter at GMEA, ASTA, and the Midwest International Band and Orchestra In-Service Conferences. She has also served as head adjudicator for South Carolina’s Region 3 Music Performance Assessment. Mrs. Williams is the event chair for GCPS’s Violapalooza festival as well as a co-chair for the GMEA District 13 Middle School Honor Orchestra. She was also named lead mentor for Sweetwater MS in 2020-21 and has served as a mentor teacher for the National ASTA young professionals cohort. As a performer, Mrs. Williams plays viola in the Gwinnett Symphony Chamber Orchestra. 

A native of Gwinnett County, Mrs. Williams is an alumnus of Brookwood High School in Snellville, GA. She currently lives in Suwanee with her husband, Wes, and pitbulls, Bebe & Truly.Concert Orchestra- The concert orchestra is for 6th grade students. Students in orchestra can choose to play violin, viola, cello, or upright bass. There is no need for prior experience in music or performance to join. The ensembles will perform two concerts per year.

• Symphonic Orchestra- This group is for 7th grade students and perform at school concerts. Extra rehearsals may be scheduled prior to performances and all students will be expected to attend.

• Philharmonic Orchestra (formerly called “Varsity”)- The 8th Grade orchestra members participate in the Georgia Music Educators Association Large Group Performance Evaluation (LGPE)  and perform at school concerts. Extra rehearsals may be scheduled prior to performances and all students will be expected to attend.