AOA Updates

Feb 22 2024

I am so proud to inform you that the 2024 North and South Region Orchestra and All-State Orchestra Festivals were an enormous success. The North and South Region Festivals were held in Huntsville and Greenville, respectively, January 6-7, and the All-State Orchestra Festival was held on the campus of the University of Alabama, February 8-11. Our conductors for the North Region Festival were William Waag (Santa Fe Youth Orchestra) and Andrea Dawson (Middle TN State University), and our conductors for the South Region Festival were Dan Allcott (TN Tech University) and Susan Mullen (Murfreesboro Symphony and the Webb School).

At the 2024 AOA All-State Orchestra Festival, the Festival Orchestra was led by Mr. Robin Fountain. Originally from the United Kingdom, Mr. Fountain joined us from the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Mr. Fountain is the Emeritus Professor of Orchestral Studies and Conducting at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music. He has also served as the Music Director of the Southwest Michigan Symphony and the Williamsport Symphony in Pennsylvania. Mr. Fountain was also my primary conducting teacher and remains a close friend and mentor today. It was incredibly special for me to witness my students, and students from across Alabama, studying with, and learning from, my mentor.

The Sinfonia was led by Dr. César Leal. Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, Dr. Leal joined us from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where he is the Director of Orchestral Activities at the Sunderman Conservatory at Gettysburg College. There, Dr. Leal also serves as a professor of musicology. 

The Consort String Orchestra was led by Mrs. Jennifer Drake. Mrs. Drake joined us from Boise, Idaho, where she serves as the Music Director of the Serenata Orchestra and the Boise Philharmonic Youth Orchestras. She is also the founder of the Idaho Viola Camp and the Co-Artistic Director of the Idaho Orchestra Institute.

Both of the Regional Orchestra Festivals and the All-State Orchestra Festival hosted nearly 200 young musicians from all corners of Alabama. These students are the cream of the crop, not only among young musicians in our state, but among young people in our state. They are among Alabama’s finest young musicians, scholars, seekers, dreamers, and future leaders. Undoubtedly, they will shape their present and future communities with their work ethic and their dedication to their artform.

I am grateful to have the opportunity to announce to you that orchestral music education is vibrant and so alive in many areas of Alabama, but I must also tell you that, at this moment, approximately one-third of Alabama schools do not have a music teacher. We have much work left to do, my friends. It is the sincere hope of the Alabama Orchestra Association and Alabama Music Educators Association that, someday, every public-school student in Alabama will have access to this art form if they desire to participate. You can help us by spreading the word about the work we are doing to your community, colleagues, friends, family, and government officials. Let your legislators know that you, too, dream of a day where all Alabama children will have the opportunity to have their lives enriched through the arts. While we celebrate the incredible work of the students that were able to participate, I would be remiss if I did not also acknowledge the children that were not present due to lack of resources and opportunity.

Members of the AOA and beyond, thank you for all that you do to ensure that orchestral music thrives in the State of Alabama. May we strive to build musical communities where our students find safe spaces to express themselves, their experiences, their hopes, and their dreams for a kinder world where all are loved, nurtured, and supported.  May this be our mission and may music be our vehicle.

Musically yours, Joseph Lee, President

AOA Updates

Oct 13 2023

Members of the Alabama Orchestra Association,

The other members of the Executive Committee, Anna Marie, and I look forward to welcoming you to Huntsville, January 18-20, 2024, for the Alabama Music Educators Association Professional Development Conference. It is not too early to start making plans to attend the AMEA Conference, and I remind you that you must be a current member of NAfME to register.

The “headliner” clinician for the Alabama Orchestra Association will be Brenda Brenner, the Professor of Music Education and Director of the Jacobs Academy at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. She specializes in string music education, teaching applied violin, as well as courses in violin and string pedagogy. Dr. Brenner holds degrees from Wichita State University and the Eastman School of Music. In addition to her appointment to the Music Education Department, she serves as co-director of the IU String Academy, which has been featured in concerts throughout the U.S., Europe, Asia, and South America. As director of the Fairview Project, a program in which every first and second grader in a Title I school learns violin as part of the curriculum, Dr. Brenner researches the cognitive, academic, and social outcomes of early instrumental music instruction. Dr. Brenner is an active performer of chamber music, an active international clinician, a Past President of the American String Teachers Association, and is on the Board of the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic. Dr. Brenner will present four sessions at the 2024 AMEA Conference:

Setting Up for Success – Some of the most important factors that determine success in playing a stringed instrument involve the beginning “set up” stage, which includes establishing a proper playing position and developing free and open muscular motions. Teachers can ensure success for their students by establishing a series of procedures that break down the setup tasks into a sequence of exercises that allow their students to look and sound great!

From Poof to Portato: A sequence of bow strokes – Bowing technique is a crucial foundational skill in string playing that creates good tone quality and forms the basis for musical style. In this session, methods of teaching fundamental bow strokes and bow choreography in group settings from beginning through intermediate levels will be explored.  Literature utilizing the various strokes will be presented.

Winning with Warm-Ups – An effective warm-up routine that integrates technical and musical elements as a preparation for playing repertoire is a key to successful teaching. Separation of both left- and right-hand difficulties before attempting them within the repertoire is essential. This clinic will examine how to design an effective routine and will present examples of warm-ups using standard repertoire from the string orchestra literature.

Theory is Awesome – Learning music theory concepts deepens students’ understanding of music. Knowledge of intervals, solfege, chord structure, and musical form strengthens the comprehension of musical style, allows students to contribute intelligently to the musical decision-making process, and perform with more understanding and awareness.  Strategies for building practical theoretical skills in the beginning through advanced string classroom through games, musical activities, and improvisation will be presented in this clinic.

In addition to the sessions presented by Dr. Brenner, we will also host sessions rooted in the art of listening from the podium, score study, behavior strategies that work, practicing with purpose, and empowering perspectives from women in music. Members of the Alabama Orchestra Association are also invited to participate in our third-annual AOA Lobby Performance which includes leadership, membership, and collegiate students. We will also hold our annual Saturday morning J.W. Pepper reading session, so be sure to bring your instrument! I know the Conference sounds extremely busy, and it is, but there is also plenty of time for sharing meals, exchanging ideas, networking, and building relationships.

I am also excited about the 2024 North and South Region Orchestra and All-State Orchestra Festivals. Please see the AOA website, found below, for information regarding the North and South Region Orchestra Festivals, occurring January 6-7, 2024. The 2024 All-State Orchestra Festival will take place on the campus of the University of Alabama, February 8-11, 2024.

At the 2024 AOA All-State Orchestra Festival, the Festival Orchestra will be led by Robin Fountain, the Emeritus Professor of Conducting at Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music. Mr. Fountain is a sought-after guest conductor throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, and has recorded for Parma/Naxos, Novona, and Blue Griffin records, most recently Michael Kurek’s Symphony No. 2 with the European Recording Orchestra, Sofia, Bulgaria. In 2020, Mr. Fountain concluded a fourteen-season tenure as Music Director of the Southwest Michigan Symphony and had previously enjoyed an equally long and productive tenure with the Williamsport Symphony in Pennsylvania. Mr. Fountain holds degrees from Oxford University, the Royal College of Music in London, and Carnegie Mellon University.

The Sinfonia will be led by César Leal. He currently serves as Director of Orchestral Activities at the Sunderman Conservatory in Gettysburg College, where he is also a professor of musicology. A Colombian-born artist and researcher, his scholarly and creative activities often intersect a diverse array of interests, including music and culture during fin-de-siècle Paris, Franco-American artistic interactions, soundscapes, Jewish patronage and modernism, Latin American cultural identities in the U.S., and race, class, gender relations in music. Dr. Leal has led professional ensembles across the U.S., Panama, Colombia, France, Bulgaria, and Ukraine. He holds degrees from the University of Kentucky, Florida International University, and Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá.

The Consort String Orchestra will be led by Jennifer Drake. Inspired by the power of music to connect people, ideas, and communities, Ms. Drake is a conductor, violist, teacher, clinician, and camp director. She is known for her versatility, humor, and energy, and has been a transformative force for the arts in Boise, Idaho, since 1999. Ms. Drake is the Music Director of the Serenata Orchestra, the Boise Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, and the assistant conductor and principal violist for the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival. Additionally, she is the principal violist for the Boise Baroque Chamber Orchestra, as we as a violist for the Boise Philharmonic. Ms. Drake is the founder of the Idaho Viola Camp and the co-artistic director for the Idaho Orchestra Institute.

Please encourage your students to participate in the North/South Region Orchestra and All-State Orchestra Festivals. More information regarding auditions can be found here: https://alabamaorchestraassociation.org

All-Region/All-State Orchestra

Deadlines for Audition
Submission/Registration

  • October 13, 2023:  String and Harp Audition Materials Due
  • November 10, 2023:  Woodwind, Brass, and Percussion Audition Materials Due

Thank you for all that you do to ensure that orchestral music thrives in the State of Alabama. May we strive to build musical communities where our students find safe spaces to express themselves, their experiences, their hopes, and their dreams for a kinder world where all are loved, nurtured, and supported.  May this be our mission and may music be our vehicle.

Musically yours,

Joseph Lee, President

Important Dates

2023-2024 Academic Year

  • North All-Region Orchestra: January 6-7, 2024 (Huntsville)
  • South All-Region Orchestra: January 6-7, 2024 (Greenville)
  • All-State Orchestra Festival: February 8-11, 2024 (Tuscaloosa)
  • Orchestra Music Performance Assessment: April 5, 2024 (Alabaster)

AOA UPDATES

Aug 8 2023

Dear Members of the Alabama Orchestra Association,

I hope that these weeks of summer have offered opportunities for rest and renewal. Whether you lead one of Alabama’s youth orchestra programs, a public or private school string/orchestra program, a university orchestra, teach private or group classes, or are involved in string music education in other ways, the members of the Executive Committee are grateful for your membership and participation in the Alabama Orchestra Association. We appreciate your commitment to the music education of Alabamians of all ages and seek to be a resource for you as you work to continually inspire and nurture the student-artists in your care.

Please encourage your string students to audition for the North or South All-Region Orchestra, depending on their geographic location within Alabama. As in recent years, the string students selected for the 2024 All-State Orchestra Festival will be chosen based on their score for this audition. String students must plan to attend for the 2024 All-Region Orchestra Festival in order to attend the 2024 All-State Orchestra Festival.

To provide more woodwind, brass, and percussion students the opportunity to play in an orchestral setting, students of these instruments will be assigned to either All-Region or All-State Orchestra. This placement is based upon the audition results.

More information regarding auditions can be found here: https://alabamaorchestraassociation.org

All-Region/All-State Orchestra Audition Information

  • October 13, 2023 – String and Harp Audition Materials Due
  • November 10, 2023 – Woodwind, Brass, and Percussion Audition Materials Due

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all that you do to ensure that orchestral music not only exists in the State of Alabama, but thrives in the State of Alabama. As we embark on this new academic year, may we strive to build musical communities where our students find safe spaces to express themselves, their experiences, their hopes, and their dreams for a kinder world where all are loved, nurtured, and supported.  May this be our goal and may music be our vehicle.

Musically yours,

Joseph Lee, president

The members of the AOA Executive Committee are:

  • Joseph Lee, President
    Huntsville Youth Orchestra, Huntsville Symphony Orchestra
  • Jordan Kirchner Ford, Vice-President/President-elect
    Alabaster City Schools
  • Rachel Christmas Secretary and Orchestra Music Performance Assessment Chair,
    Gadsden City Schools
  • Tricia Marotz, Treasurer
    Private Instructor – Dothan, Alabama
  • Daniel Stevens, Past President
    Mississippi State University
  • Leroy Hughes, All-State Orchestra Chair
    Baldwin County High School, Baldwin County Youth Orchestra
  • Anna Marie Tysinger, Executive Director
    Retired Music Educator, Tri-State Community Orchestra, Dothan, Alabama

Important Dates for the Alabama Orchestra Association, 2023-2024 Academic Year

  • North All-Region Orchestra: January 6-7, 2024, Huntsville, Alabama
  • South All-Region Orchestra: January 6-7, 2024, Greenville, Alabama
  • AMEA Professional Development Conference: January 18-20, 2024, Huntsville, Alabama
  • All-State Orchestra Festival: February 8-11, 2024, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
  • Orchestra Music Performance Assessment: April 5, 2024, Alabaster, Alabama

AOA Updates

Feb 12 2023


Members of the Alabama Orchestra Association,

I am so pleased to report that, thanks to you and your incredible students, 2023 has gotten off to an incredible start! On the first weekend of the new year, January 7-8, 2023, a total of 235 Alabama orchestra students converged upon Huntsville and Prattville for the North and South Region Orchestra Festivals. Suren Petrosyan (University of North Alabama) and Alex Fokkens (Alabama School of Fine Arts) led the students in the North, and Michael Gagliardo (Etowah County Youth Orchestra) and Anne Witt (University of Alabama) led the students in the South. I am grateful for the volunteers that made both festivals run smoothly. I am also grateful to all the folks at the Randolph Upper School (Huntsville) and Prattville High School for their generous hospitality.

Thank you to everyone that was able to attend the 2023 AMEA Professional Development Conference in Birmingham, January 19-21! We had a ball and learned so much! In case you were not able to attend, Dr. Sidney King, Professor of Double Bass at the University of Louisville, was our headliner. He is an accomplished pedagogue, clinician, soloist, and composer. He is also an incredibly kind and generous person and had so much to offer string and orchestra teachers across our great state. In addition to Sidney’s sessions entitled “Bass-ic Issues in the String Classroom,” “Teaching Double Bass Technique Through Orchestral Excerpts for the Beginning and Intermediate Bassist,” “Bow Strokes and Right Arm Pedagogy,” and “Shifting for Low Strings: A Classroom Approach,” we also learned how to manage minor confrontations with confidence, how to reimagine our rehearsal dialogue, how to write grants for our programs, and how to lead with confidence from the podium. The AOA Chamber Orchestra lobby performance and the J.W. Pepper string orchestra reading session were icing on the proverbial cake!

In October and November of 2022, 411 students from across the state auditioned for the 2023 Alabama All-State Orchestra Festival, which took place February 9-12, 2023, on the campus of the University of Alabama. Steven Gooden, the Assistant Conductor of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra, led the Festival Orchestra. Bruce Walker, the Associate Professor of Music at Columbia Basin College in Pasco, WA, and Music Director for the Walla Walla Symphony Youth Orchestra, led the Sinfonia. Katarzyna Bugaj, Associate Professor of String Music Education in the College of Music at Florida State University, led our Consort String Orchestra.

At the 2023 All-State Orchestra Festival, our programs consisted of traditional works, modern works, works by female composers and composers of color, and works that highlighted mental health and social justice issues. Thank you to all of our volunteers that made All-State Orchestra 2023 a success!

String and orchestra educators, thank you for all that you do to ensure that orchestral music thrives in the State of Alabama. May we strive to build musical communities where our students find safe spaces to express themselves, their experiences, their hopes, and their dreams for a kinder world where all are loved, nurtured, and supported. May this be our mission and may music be our vehicle.

Musically yours,

Joseph Lee, President, Alabama Orchestra Association


Important Dates
2023
Orchestra Music Performance Assessment: April 14-15, 2023

AOA Updates

Oct 9 2022

I am so excited about the 2023 North and South Region Orchestra and All-State Orchestra Festivals. Please see the AOA website, found below, for information regarding the North and South Region Orchestra Festivals, occurring January 7-8, 2023. The 2023 All-State Orchestra Festival will take place on the campus of the University of Alabama, February 9-12, 2023.

At the 2023 AOA All-State Orchestra Festival, the Festival Orchestra will be led by Steven Gooden, the Assistant Conductor of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Gooden also conducts with Merit School of Music’s Tuition-Free Conservatory, Instrumental and Vocal Music, and Merit Music in Communities programs where he serves as band director at Proviso Math and Science Academy in Forest Park, IL. As a Black musician and motivational educator, Mr. Gooden is passionate about equity and inclusion in classical music. He is committed to never letting the perceptions of others influence the growth within himself or his students. Mr. Gooden finds exceptional joy in empowering young people to push towards being their best selves inside and outside the ensemble. Mr. Gooden holds degrees from Georgia State University and Northwestern University.

Festival Orchestra
Steven Gooden, conductor
Poet and Peasant Overture – Franz von Suppé
2023 AOA Composition Contest Winning Submission – TBA
My Name is Amanda Todd – Jocelyn Morelock


The Sinfonia will be led by Bruce Walker. He is currently Associate Professor of Music at Columbia Basin College in Pasco, WA, Music Director for the Walla Walla Symphony Youth Orchestra, Past President of the Washington chapter of the American String Teachers Association, and on the Board of Directors for the Suzuki Association of the Americas.  He is College/University representative for the Washington Music Educators Association, and the

2021 Music Educator of the Year by the Washington Music Educators Association. Internationally, Mr. Walker has worked with the Youth Excellence on Stage Academy in collaboration with American Voices, a non-profit, cultural exchange organization. Through this organization, he has conducted orchestras and taught cello in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. Mr. Walker holds degrees from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Central Washington University.

Sinfonia
Bruce Walker, conductor
Danse Nègre – Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
Variations on a Theme by Handel – Maurice Whitney
Five Movements in Color, II. The Soul of Remembrance – Mary Watkins
Dream Machine – Brian Balmages


The Consort String Orchestra will be led by Katarzyna (Kasia) Bugaj, Associate Professor of String Music Education in the College of Music at Florida State University. At FSU, she teaches string techniques and methods courses and teaches at the FSU Summer Music Camps. Her research interests include string pedagogy, working with underserved populations, and music teacher education. Dr. Bugaj holds degrees from Western Michigan University, The Peabody Conservatory, and Indiana University, and is a graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy.

Consort String Orchestra
Katarzyna (Kasia) Bugaj, conductor
 Three Pieces in Baroque Style – Krzysztof Penderecki
Breathless – Stephen Chin
The Old Boatman – Florence Price
Libertango – Astor Piazzolla


Please encourage your students to participate in the North/South Region Orchestra and All-State Orchestra Festivals. More information regarding auditions can be found here: https://alabamaorchestraassociation.org

All-Region/All-State Orchestra
Deadlines for Audition Submission/Registration
October 28, 2022 – String and Harp Audition Materials Due
November 11, 2022 – Woodwind, Brass, and Percussion Audition Materials Due

Thank you for all that you do to ensure that orchestral music thrives in the State of Alabama. May we strive to build musical communities where our students find safe spaces to express themselves, their experiences, their hopes, and their dreams for a kinder world where all are loved, nurtured, and supported.  May this be our mission and may music be our vehicle.

Musically yours,

Joseph Lee, president


Important Dates
2022-2023 Academic Year
North All-Region Orchestra: January 7-8, 2023
South All-Region Orchestra: January 7-8, 2023
All-State Orchestra Festival: February 9-12, 2023
Orchestra Music Performance Assessment: April 14-15, 2023

A note from the AOA

Aug 3 2022

I hope that these weeks of summer have offered opportunities for rest and renewal. Whether you lead one of Alabama’s youth orchestra programs, a public or private school string/orchestra program, a university orchestra, teach private or group classes, or are involved in string music education in other ways, the members of the Executive Committee are grateful for your membership and participation in the Alabama Orchestra Association. We appreciate your commitment to the music education of Alabamians of all ages and seek to be a resource for you as you work to continually inspire and nurture the student artists in your care.

 


AOA Executive Committee

Joseph Lee, president: Huntsville Youth Orchestra; Huntsville Symphony Orchestra; University of Alabama, Huxford Symphony

Jordan Kirchner Ford, vice-president/president-elect: Alabaster City Schools

Rachel Christmas, secretary: Gadsden City Schools

Tricia Marotz, treasurer: Private Instructor – Dothan, Alabama

Leroy Hughes, All-State chair: Baldwin County High School, Baldwin County Youth Orchestra

Daniel Stevens, past president: Mississippi State University


At the February 2022 membership meeting, held on the University of Alabama campus, the Alabama Orchestra Association members voted to enact a rather significant change to the structure of All-Region and All-State Orchestras. Beginning this season, students from across Alabama will audition for either the North All-Region Orchestra or the South All-Region Orchestra, dependent upon their geographic location. Students will be selected for the All-State Orchestra Festival will be chosen based on their score for this audition. Students must plan to attend the All-Region Orchestra Festival to attend the All-State Orchestra Festival. More information regarding auditions can be found on our website: https://alabamaorchestraassociation.org/


All-Region/All-State Orchestra Audition Information

October 28, 2022 – String and Harp Audition Materials Due

November 11, 2022 – Woodwind, Brass, and Percussion Audition Materials Due


From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all that you do to ensure that orchestral music not only exists in the State of Alabama but thrives in the State of Alabama. As we embark on this new academic year, may we strive to build musical communities where our students find safe spaces to express themselves, their experiences, their hopes, and their dreams for a kinder world where all are loved, nurtured and supported. May this be our goal, and may music be our vehicle.

Musically yours,

Joseph Lee, President


Important Dates -> 2022-2023 Academic Year

North All-Region Orchestra: January 7-8, 2023 South All-Region Orchestra: January 7-8, 2023

All-State Orchestra Festival: February 9-12, 2023 Orchestra Music Performance Assessment: April 14-15, 2023


Growth through Adversity

May 9 2022

Reflecting back on the past two years of a challenging AOA presidency, I am honored to have served the dedicated, professional educators of our state. I have discovered that strength comes through diverse ideas, a wealth of varying pedagogy, and a creative grit that is determined to find success through cloudy times.

AOA has grown to complement the excellent achievements of each division of AMEA, by adding multiple District leadership roles, All-State and All-Region Chairs, and active participation from a growing membership of the Alabama Orchestra community. We have managed to shift All-State auditions to a virtual platform, ensuring that the ability to travel is not a requirement for participation. January 2022 provided opportunities for all student-musicians, through two new All-Region Festival events – it is through All-Region Orchestras that many woodwind, brass, and percussion students experienced orchestral music for the first time! The AMEA in-service conference allowed AOA to host several new events, including two masterclasses, an AOA featured chamber orchestra, and a president’s reception filled with collegiality and laughter.

I must take the opportunity to thank retiring Executive Director Julie Hornstein. She has propelled and motivated the organization for a dozen years or more and should be given credit for the bulk of the organization’s success. Her wealth of knowledge and organization will be hard to match from the leadership team of AOA in the years to come. AOA was pleased to name an annual, endowed scholarship for All-State Orchestra in her honor in February 2022.

As I say farewell to the AOA presidency, I give one more plea to the influencers in each of our Alabama communities. It is time to invest in music education – a well-rounded music education program – that explores multiple modes of expression through varied instruments and the voice.

If you are a school administrator, our AOA Executive Team wants to work with you on developing a new string orchestra program in your local school. As a complement to excellent band and choral programs around the state, a string program appeals to the diverse student willing to find their unique voice, and will place your school district on the map for prospective families. Your school will flourish for years to come, in part to the investments you make today.

Thank you for your never-ending commitment to your student musicians. I am inspired by your commitment to engaging your community with the value of music. Please know that my door is always open at dstevens1@una.edu.

Sincerely,

Daniel Stevens

https://alabamaorchestraassociation.org/

DEADLINES for 2023 ALL-STATE and ALL-REGION AUDITIONS

October 14, 2022 – String, Piano, and Harp Auditions November 11, 2022 – Woodwind, Brass, and Percussion Auditions

Expanding Access and Exploring Growth Through Orchestral Performance

Nov 1 2021

Nothing catches your attention as fast as the powerful opening themes to many of John Williams’ timeless film scores such as Star Wars, Home Alone, Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, or Schindler’s List. The sweeping power of this style of orchestral music is firmly rooted in a neo-romantic tradition closely associated with the 19th-century techniques of Tchaikovsky or Wagner. Orchestral music now impacts every aspect of life, to each video gamer’s delight, to the rock-crossover stage with Elton John and Pink Floyd, to the Copland Rodeo melody that encourages you to buy the latest SUV, and back to the concert hall to be captivated by a Puccini opera, Broadway staple, or classical masterwork.

We look to Gustavo Dudamel and Youth Orchestra L.A.’s Super Bowl halftime appearance in January 2016, to motivate us to provide opportunities for all music students regardless of race, class, or gender. It logically becomes a personal charge of the Alabama Orchestra Association to ensure that all instrumental students in Alabama have access to experience participation in a full orchestra of 80-100 woodwind, brass, percussion, and string students. I am thankful to a number of band directors and studio woodwind, brass, and percussion teachers that have encouraged the organization to open more seats to students that have not yet had a chance to play in a full orchestra. To that end, AOA is excited to announce the addition of the North All-Region Orchestra Festival (Huntsville HS) and South All-Region Orchestra Festival (Prattville HS) concurrently on January 8-9, 2022.

Please encourage your students to participate! Details and audition materials can be found here:

https://alabamaorchestraassociation.org/

DEADLINES for AUDITION SUBMISSION/REGISTRATION

October 15, 2021 – String and Harp Auditions
November 12, 2021 – Woodwind, Brass, and Percussion Auditions

● New School Orchestra Programs – If you are a school administrator, our AOA Executive Team wants to work with you on developing a new string program in your local school. As a complement to excellent band and choral programs around the state, a string program appeals to the diverse student willing to find their unique voice and will place your school district on the map for prospective families (will help propel district population and revenue growth)

All-Region Orchestras –

● North All-Region Orchestra – January 8-9, 2022 ● South All-Region Orchestra – January 8-9, 2022

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All-State Orchestras –

● February 10-13, 2022

Orchestra Music Performance Assessment

● April 22-23, 2022

Thank you for your never-ending commitment to your student artists. As we return to the live concert stage, I am inspired by your commitment to engaging your community with the value of music. Please know that my door is always open at dstevens1@una.edu.
Sincerely,

Daniel Stevens

Engaging Students, Collaborative Community

Aug 29 2021

As a collegiate educator to 80+ instrumentalists (and parent of two teenagers), I quickly recognized the pandemic’s harmful effects on everyone’s loss of community. Zoom graduation ceremonies delayed concerts, canceled school trips, hybrid instruction, and masked school hallways led to most finding a social circle behind the veil of a gaming avatar, TikTok video, or funny meme. As we re-emerge from our personal refuge, it is time to engage students through the power of music in new, enlightening ways.

I am thankful for an incredible, forward-thinking Alabama Orchestra Association Leadership Team (21 in all) that tirelessly works to provide all student instrumentalists with appealing, educationally-rich experiences that propel them to compete on a national level. Here are a few new opportunities to engage and inspire with us, and we enter the 2021-2022 year:

● All-Region Orchestras – Woodwind, brass, and percussion colleagues around the state have asked for AOA to open more seats for their students to participate in a full orchestra. In response, Fall 2021 virtual auditions will qualify woodwind, brass, and percussion students to perform in the Alabama All-State Orchestra OR one of the North/South Alabama All-Region Orchestras. With six full orchestras (instead of two), we hope students will be encouraged to compete through audition. (Note – string students will be required to participate at the region AND state levels)

● Engaging AOA Leadership Team – With the addition of new regional events, AOA asks you to consider leadership with us. Whether serving as an event volunteer or host school, co-district chair, or rising to the state leadership team, we openly welcome new ideas to the organization. We want to be collaborative, inclusive, and a strong advocate for you and your students.

● New School Orchestra Programs – If you are a school administrator, our AOA Executive Team wants to work with you on developing a new string program in your local school. As a complement to excellent band and choral programs around the state, a string program appeals to the diverse student willing to find their unique voice and will place your school district on the map for prospective families (will help propel district population and revenue growth)

● Master Calendar – Thanks to a masterful AMEA, ABA, and AVA leadership, we have worked tirelessly over the past year to open communication across divisions, craft coordinated schedules, and support the great work of all AMEA divisions around the state. Updated details can be found at alabamaorchestraassociation.org on August 1, 2021

I continue to be impressed by the resilience of our orchestra programs, and their never-ending commitment to their musicians. I am inspired by your commitment to engaging communities with the value of music. Please know that my door is always open at dstevens1@una.edu.

 

AOA: Capacity to Recover

Jun 10 2021

Capacity to Recover

When the life we once knew begins to settle back to us on the other side of the pandemic, it is obvious that we will never again take live music for granted. The passion that was instilled in us at a young age, mentored by great educators, transformed each of us into model performers, teachers, and clinicians. Dark performance stages and personal isolation will slowly fade as we are driven toward safely vaccinated events: the arena-filled rock concert, the local school ensemble performance, the professional orchestra, or the captivating film score screened at a local movie theatre.

I am impressed by the resilience of our state orchestra programs, and their never-ending commitment to their musicians. Professional orchestras have slowly migrated from virtual events to socially distant openings, featuring restructured repertoire that features a subsection of the entire ensemble. Seven Alabama youth orchestras never adopted an attitude of defeat, setting up virtual instruction, score study, and masterclasses to keep talented students engaged. Public school orchestra programs are slowly reintroducing instruments into classrooms. And the Alabama Orchestra Association remains committed to our talented orchestra students, as a challenging year forced us to be decisive in adapting to virtual All-State Auditions and the virtual Orchestra Music Performance Assessment. Socially-distant, vaccinated crowds can now return to the concert hall to be swept away from their daily struggles to be uplifted and fulfilled.

Please help me thank the countless orchestra educators, administrators, professors, grant writers, music librarians, stage managers, music directors, and philanthropists that ensure that orchestral music will brighten our lives again very soon.

New Orchestra Music Performance Assessment Video Deadline……May 15, 2021 Details can be found at alabamaorchestraassociation.org

Thank you for your tireless and relentless work on behalf of our students. I am inspired by your commitment to engaging communities with the value of music.

Please know that my door is always open. Please feel free to contact me at dstevens1@una.edu.

Blessings,

Daniel Stevens

AOA: Strength in Numbers

Feb 5 2021

Strength in Numbers

When I research the greatest K-12 institutions in our nation, they are firmly grounded in arts education. Complementary disciplines ensures that every child, each with unique character-traits, is able to explore and strengthen core academic proficiency, transferring arts experiences in human behavior, critical- thinking, creative problem-solving, and human empathy and compassion. In addition, the arts provides an emotional outlet for a discerning number of mental health issues in education, partially driven by a pandemic that is isolating for many students.

Unfortunately, the pandemic has shown that music educators in Alabama may also feel isolated, serving as the only voice for arts education in their school district. The music education field often faces tight annual budgets and course scheduling that effects personnel in otherwise incredible school districts.
It only takes a quick look to our neighbors near Memphis, Nashville, Atlanta, or Pensacola, to see that the bright spots in these communities are seen through complementary music disciplines, with thriving choral, band, orchestra, and general music classes in many of their K-12 schools.

I agree that it is difficult to imagine a budget that is stretched thin, allows for the employment of multiple educators, class periods, and instruments. However, the momentum and result of rising student grades, engaged parent boosters, pride of school superintendents, and a K-12 arts program that places your community on the map, causes a cyclical effect that promotes growth and a ROI (return-on- investment) for families moving to your area.
Although the pandemic has caused us all to step back, maybe now is the time to look at our strength in numbers, to promote growth in our music programs, and to explore complementary disciplines that will make everyone advocate for growth for your program.

I am by no means an expert, and every school district has its unique challenges, but I am humbled that in my prior state we kicked off multiple new string programs that led to full-time jobs for graduating music educators (as a beginning string instructor and assistant band director). Don’t let money alone discourage you – grant programs, string educators shared amongst school districts, and self-funded programs are all possible. With hundreds of string students participating in seven youth orchestras in Alabama, there is the desire of parents and students to see their disciplines represented and valued in our schools.

Please know that my door is always open, if you would like to dive into an exploration of a string program in your district. Please feel free to contact me at dstevens1@una.edu.

Thank you for your tireless and relentless work on behalf of our students. We all entered the profession to make a difference in the lives of these beautiful souls, and I am inspired by your commitment to engaging communities with the value of music.

Blessings, Daniel Stevens

Important AOA Updates for 2020-2021

NOTE: The AOA Orchestra Music Performance Assessment will be a virtual-only event, accepting video recordings of all full-orchestra, string-orchestra, guitar, and harp ensembles. Details can be found at alabamaorchestraassociation.org after March 1, 2021.

Orchestra Music Performance Assessment Video Deadline…………………………May 1, 2021

AOA: Report

Nov 10 2020

It is at this time every year that trees turn magnificent shades of color, days grow shorter, cooler weather begins to set in, and education

switches from hybrid to face-to-face, to virtual, to in-person, and back to hybrid instruction again. Thankfully, the last example does not happen annually, but neither does a pandemic that has challenged

the core of every music educator in Alabama. I am awed that each of you wake up each day to inspire the students in front of you (with a smile on your face), regardless of the method of delivery. These trials have caused us to face ‘change’ head on – yuck – I shudder at the thought of a ‘change’ to lesson Plan F, the rescheduled upcoming performance, creative instrument tuning through Zoom, or the inevitable principal musician placed in quarantine.

These ‘changes’ have tested our patience and helped us simplify to what is deemed the most notable joy we can discover from an appreciation for music. Instead of fighting the ‘change,’ it is best to embrace what is not in our control, and find new ways to inspire, connect, and communicate. The Alabama Orchestra Association has been in the midst of plenty of ‘change’ lately. While challenging to implement, we are pleased to share a few highlights of ‘change’

VIRTUAL AUDITIONS: In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 All-State Orchestra Auditions are being held virtually this Fall.

AOA WELCOMES 9 NEW DISTRICT CHAIRS: We are excited that our leadership team is growing and evolving!

ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Barbara Harrington begins an integral supporting role to Executive Director Julie Hornstein

ADDITION of an ALL-STATE CHAIR: Leroy Hughes graciously steps into a new defining role

In addition to the exciting announcements above, I want to personally invite you to visit the AOA website at www.alabamaorchestra association.org to preview all of the sweeping changes taking place, and to engage with an incredible leadership team here to serve you. Let us help you find resources for your ensembles, classrooms, and virtual educational space.

Please take a moment to reach out to our AOA District Chairs, as they continue to encourage your woodwind, brass, percussion, and string students to submit a virtual 2021 All-State Audition.

The Alabama Orchestra Association is excited to bring world-renowned educators to Alabama:

AMEA CONFERENCE – January 2021

Dr. Christopher Selby, Featured AOA Clinician – author of Habits of a Successful Orchestra Director, Music The- ory for the Successful String Musician, and co-author of the Habits of a Successful String Musician series, published by GIA. He is an active clinician and has presented sessions at two Midwest Clinics, the 2016 NAfME National Con- ference, five American String Teacher Association (ASTA) National Conferences, and he currently directs the high school orchestras at the School of the Arts in Charleston, SC.

ALL-STATE ORCHESTRA COMPOSITION CONTEST WINNER – February 2021

Dr. Christopher Schmitz – Congratulations to Christopher Alan Schmitz for being named Alabama Orchestra Asso- ciation’s Composition Contest 2021 winner. His piece will be premiered by the All-State Festival Orchestra on Febru- ary 14, 2021 at Moody Music Building in Tuscaloosa. He currently serves as Professor of Music Theory and Composition at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in composition from the University of Texas at Austin.

Important AOA Dates for 2020-2021

All-State String Audition Submission Deadline: October 18, 2020

All-State Woodwind, Brass, and Percussion Audition Deadline: November 15, 2020

AMEA Conference: January 21-23, 2021

All-State Orchestra Festival: February 11-14, 2021

Orchestra Music Performance Assessment: April 16-17, 2021

Thank you for inspiring the next generation of professional musicians, educators, and arts philanthropists. Help your students embrace ‘change,’ remind them that our future is bright, and provide hope that our ensembles will soon be filling auditoriums with beautiful music once again.

Blessings,

Daniel Stevens

AOA: Report

Sep 21 2020

Is it possible to feel exhausted before a new academic year has started? For many classrooms, the prospect of a Plan A, B, C, and D can become reality at any moment. Virtual or hybrid instruction poses hundreds of technical logistics to overcome, as music education incorporates so much tactile and experiential learning. Fortunately, Alabama has some of the nation’s finest music teachers who are constantly innovating unique ways to connect students with the music curriculum.

“Music has the power of producing a certain effect on the moral character of the soul, and if it has the power to do this, it is clear that the young must be directed to music and must be educated in it.” – Aristotle, Politics

However, it is important to keep in mind that poor mental health in ourselves and our students during the pandemic may stop the ability to learn at the front door. Early in the semester, celebrate small victories along the way, and motivate students through discovery and wonder.

I am reminded of a 2-minute spot on a morning news show that begins, “We leave you this Sunday morning with a moment of nature…” It’s interesting to see my family go about a busy day, multi-tasking multiple electronic devices, work around the house, and calls from the office, but when a 2-minute moment like this reminds us to breathe, we pause and find stillness.

Take a moment yourself right now, and search for one of the following five pieces to find a few moments of peace:

+ Samuel Barber – Adagio for Strings (9’)
+ Amy Beach – Romance for Violin (6’)
+ Edward Elgar – “Nimrod” from Enigma Variations (4’)
+ Ennio Morricone – Gabriel’s Oboe (4’)
+ Sergei Rachmaninov – Symphony No. 2 – III. Adagio (15’)

To take a minute to find the center, we are reminded why we boldly owned music as a career. We all desperately yearn for harmonious moments in front of our students and know that when our world improves, we will never take live music for granted again.

I am honored to serve AMEA and AOA as President for the next two years. I work with 22 talented colleagues that uplift the AOA mission to “develop a comprehensive program that will be of musical and educational benefit to string/orchestra teachers and their students.” AOA hopes to provide a common meeting ground and clearinghouse for an exchange of ideas and methods that will stimulate professional growth among teachers that will, in general, advance the standards of musical and educational achievement for the students of Alabama.

Please refer to the AOA website at www.alabamaorchestraassociation.org to engage with us. Let us help you find resources for your ensembles, classrooms, and virtual educational space.

This year, we are excited to bring world-renowned clinicians to Alabama: AMEA CONFERENCE – January 2021:

Dr. Christopher Selby – author of Habits of a Successful Orchestra Director, Music Theory for the Successful String Musician, and co-author of the Habits of a Successful String Musician series, published by GIA. He is an active clinician and has presented sessions at two Midwest Clinics, the 2016 NAfME National Conference, five American String Teacher Association (ASTA) National Conferences, and he currently directs the high school orchestras at the School of the Arts in Charleston, South Carolina.

ALL-STATE ORCHESTRA – February 2021:

Ms. Helen Cha-Pyo – is the Artistic Director of the Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts and Principal Conductor of the New Jersey Youth Symphony. For 16 years as Music Director and Conductor of the Empire State Youth Orchestra, Ms. Cha-Pyo has inspired hundreds of young musicians to perform at the highest levels, resulting in 3 prestigious ASCAP awards. Born in Seoul, Ms. Cha-Pyo immigrated to the US when she was 12 and has studied music at The Juilliard School, Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, and the Eastman School of Music.

Mr. Russell E. Berlin, Jr. – is inducted into the Missouri Music Educators Association Hall-of-Fame, for a nationally-recognized 30-year career in the Lee’s Summit School District, in addition to a 20-year career as conductor with the Youth Symphony of Kansas City. Under his direction, Mr. Berlin’s ensembles have appeared at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, Carnegie Hall, the International Youth, and Music Festival in Vienna.

Ms. Fariga Drayton – is an experienced educator in her tenth year in the Kirkwood, Missouri School District, teaching beginning strings, and is the director for the Nipher Middle School and Kirkwood High School Symphonic Orchestra. Out of 18 years as an educator, Ms. Drayton’s ensembles have been featured at the Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conference and she has featured the youngest ensemble ever invited to perform at the Nation Youth Orchestra Festival (Director’s Choice) at Carnegie Hall. Known as a 30-year professional cellist specializing in alternative music, she has been featured at multiple music educator conventions, and has performed with the Transiberian Orchestra, the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players Mid-West Tour, and the Southern Illinois Music Festival.

Welcome back to what I hope will be another great year! We recognize each of you for your tremendous accomplishments and know we have a dynamic year ahead. The Alabama Orchestra Association is looking forward to serving you and your students throughout the upcoming seasons.

Blessings,

Regards,

Daniel Stevens, President

Alabama Orchestra Association

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