All about Mr. Lenz ...
Mr. Lenz came to Buford Academy in January of 2002. Prior to that he taught for 7 1/2 years at Norman Smith Elementary in Clarksville, TN. He graduated in 1992 from Eastern Illinois University with degrees in Business Finance and Music Education. In 2004 he graduated from the University of Georgia with his Master's degree in Music Education. His professional associations include PAGE, MENC, GMEA, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. Mr. Lenz has been the recipient of the following teaching awards:
* Green Apple Award at Norman Smith Elementary (1995)
* Distinguished Classroom Teacher at Norman Smith Elementary (1999)
* Outstanding Teacher of the Humanities from the Tennessee Humanities Council (2000)
* Teacher of the Year at Buford Academy (2007)
* Man of the Year at Buford First UMC (2016)
Mr. Lenz has studied with well known choral directors Dr. Robert Snyder and Mr. Robert L. Hills while at EIU, and later worked with noted composer Anna Laura Page. He directed the Austin Peay State University Children's Chorus (later known as the Clarksville Children's Choir) in Clarksville, TN, and grew the choir from just 6 members to nearly 60 during his tenure there. Other important notes about his career include:
* He has been a guest conductor and clinician at various festivals and clinics in middle Tennessee, most recently as the guest
conductor for the Montgomery County Elementary Honors Choir for April of 2017.
* He was the TMEA Elementary Division Chair for 3 years.
* His BA Boys choir joined the BMS Male Chorus in concert at the 2007 GMEA Winter Conference.
* He was a member of the Georgia DOE Music GPS Review Committee in 2009.
* He was a clinician at the GMEA Winter Conference with his session "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle... your Lesson Plans!"
* He grew the Buford Academy Chorus from just 47 members in 2002 to as many as 314 in grades 2-5.
* He led his BA 4/5 Chorus to be the only elementary guest performance at the 2016 GMEA Winter Conference.
* He was the coordinator of the GMEA Statewide Elementary Honors Chorus, Allegro Choir, in 2018 & 2019
* He directed the BA Chorus until the restructuring of schools in the fall of 2019.
Mr. Lenz is also the Director of Music and Arts at Buford First UMC, where he leads 8 different vocal ensembles, 2 handbell choirs and a bluegrass band. Mr. Lenz is proud to be a veteran of the Illinois Army National Guard, and is married to Christi Skinner Lenz, an award winning music specialist at Buford Elementary School. They are the proud parents of two sons in college, Jonathan and Jacob.
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