Timothy Alford
"Music has always been my first love!" A music teacher since the age of fourteen, Mr. Alford is thrilled to be joining the Strings in Schools Program. Since 1981, he has taught music, French, Spanish, English, social studies, drama, and English as a second language in Guatemala, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.
He began playing musical instruments at a young age starting with harmonica and moving on to ukulele, guitar, piano, banjo, violin, mandolin, string bass and voice. He decided on the classical guitar after hearing Charles Higgins play at a wedding in Albertville in 1973.
Mr. Alford graduated from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in1980 with a double major in Music Performance and Music Education. While at university he performed with the Huntsville Village Singers, sang with the Concert Choir, and appeared in the University Players production of Fiddler on the Roof .
He has been active in musical theatre since he was a teenager, appearing in Brigadoon, 1776, Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris , and Camelot with The Whole Backstage in Guntersville, Hello, Dolly! and Kiss Me, Kate with the Huntsville Community Chorus, and A Christmas Carol with the Gingerbread Players in Florence, Alabama.
Some of Mr. Alford's richest musical experiences have come from singing and touring with choral organizations such as the Indian Springs Glee Club, the Village Singers, the "Coro Ricardo del Carmen", the Second Baha'i World Congress Choir, the Sylacauga Community Chorus, and the Riviera Symphonic Chorus. He also directed the Bay of the Holy Spirit Choir, and the Baton Rouge Cluster Baha'i Choir.
Mr. Alford sings with his wife, Aggie, and when their three daughters were young they all performed together as the Von Alford Family Singers.
Allison Lavender
Allison Lavender began teaching in the string program
in August, 2007. Although new to the City Schools, Mrs. Lavender is no
stranger to strings or Tuscaloosa.
She has played the violin since the age of five. Mrs. Lavender credits her
early exposure to symphony orchestra performances as fostering her love of
music. During high school she studied violin privately with University of Alabama
faculty at the Moody
Music Building.
Mrs. Lavender earned her undergraduate degree from the
University of
Mississippi in 2007.
She was a finalist in the University
of Mississippi Concerto Competition
in 2003 and 2005. For the last 5 years while pursuing her college studies
Mrs. Lavender taught private violin lessons to children ages 4 and up. She
was also concert mistress of the Lafayette Oxford University Symphony in Mississippi for
three years. Mrs. Lavender has played in the Pine Bluff,
Arkansas Symphony and the Corinth, Mississippi
Symphony as well. She is a regular performer on violin and viola for
weddings and church events all over the Southeast.
Her hobbies include spending time with her husband,
Paul and their lab Lucy. She enjoys traveling, listening to music, and
going out with family and friends.
Mrs. Lavender is very excited about the opportunity to
teach strings in the Tuscaloosa City Schools. She says "Strings class
teaches students self esteem, confidence, and leadership. It is here that
students develop meaningful artistic experiences that will last a
lifetime." To parents and students Mrs. Lavender says "Welcome to
Strings! I look forward to sharing my love of music with you!"
Thomas Furlough
Mr. Furlough began his educational career as a student
at Troy State University
where he received a BA in Music Education. During his time at Troy
Mr. Furlough performed not only with school groups but also professional
organizations such as The Montgomery Symphony Orchestra, Southeastern
Orchestra, The Night Flight Big Band, The Guy Lombardo Band, and pop groups
such as The Temptations Review, Brian McNight, and Lee Greenwood.
In 2007 Mr. Furlough received a Masters in Music in
Arranging from the University
of Alabama.
About the Coordinator
Dr. Anne Witt
Dr. Anne Cleino Witt grew up in Tuscaloosa,
and graduated from the University
of Alabama in 1967
with a degree in Music Education. She earned Master's and Ph.D. degrees
from the University of Texas at Austin.
For fourteen years, she taught middle school and high
school orchestra and strings in Austin, and
was Director of the University
of Texas String Project
for two years. She teaches strings and music education at the University of
Alabama School of Music.
She has been a frequent presenter at state and
national music education conferences, and guest conductor of festival and All State orchestras. Dr. Witt is an
author of materials for teachers and students.
Past leadership roles include being President of the
Texas Orchestra Directors Association and President of the American String
Teachers Association. She was a professional cellist in the Austin Symphony
for twenty years. She currently serves as President of the Alabama chapter of
the American String Teachers Association.
Dr. Witt plays
cello with the students and helps organize activities. She led the
community initiative that raised the funds for Strings in Schools, and
organized the structure of the program.
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