2023 All-State Middle Level String Orchestra

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Conductor Info
Information
Repertoire
Selected Participants
Director Information
Parent/Guardian Information

 

ALL-STATE MIDDLE LEVEL STRING ORCHESTRA CONDUCTOR

Conductor and violinist Alejandro Gómez Guillén is passionate about sharing music in a way that is compelling, uplifting, and educational. Recently named assistant conductor with the Omaha Symphony, he is an artistic leader of the orchestra’s prestigious and multifaceted community and education programs. Having finished a seven seasons as artistic director and conductor of Bloomington Symphony Orchestra, he also completed a successful tenure as associate conductor of Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, he is also music director of Denver's Sphere Ensemble which explores the intersection of masterpieces of string ensemble music of the past and present with multi-part custom arrangements from piano pieces, pop, rock and world music masters.

Dr. Gómez Guillén has served as assistant professor of music at Colorado Mesa University where he taught violin, viola, courses in symphonic literature, string pedagogy and chamber music, as well as conducting the chamber and symphony orchestras. He served as music director of the Colorado Youth Philharmonia, and led performances with the Spokane Youth Symphony, Greater Boulder Youth Orchestras, University of Colorado Symphony and Chamber Orchestras. He has also taught middle school and high school camps at at the University of Texas Permian Basin and at Colorado Mesa University as well as a residency in his native Colombia with Batuta, an El Sistema style program that benefits youth across the country.

He pursued a BM in violin performance from Texas Christian University and MM degrees in conducting and violin performance from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He holds a DMA in orchestral conducting from the same institution, and his doctoral research includes a critical edition of Colombian composer Jorge Pinzón’s violin concerto, and a guide using selected dances from Bach’s orchestral suites in their original form for developing orchestras through a historically informed approach to playing on modern instruments.

INFORMATION ABOUT THE ALL-STATE MIDDLE LEVEL STRING ORCHESTRA

What is the All-State Middle Level String Orchestra?
Strings students in seventh and eighth grades (whose teachers are NMEA members) are offered a chance to work with acclaimed conductors during the Nebraska Music Education Association Conference/Clinic. The 2023 All-State Middle Level String Orchestra will take place on Thursday, November 16. This is a one-day event with the final performance at the Graduate Hotel in downtown Lincoln. Auditions will be held in the fall.

This event is in partnership with the Nebraska Chapter of the American String Teacher's Association.

Who can attend?

  • Students attending must be registered and attending the school or home school listed on the registration
  • Students must be under the direction of an NMEA member
  • Students must be in the seventh or eighth grades during the 2023-2024 school year
  • The director MUST be registered and attend the Conference with their student(s).
  • If you wish to become a member of this organization visit: www.nafme.org

2023 ALL-STATE MIDDLE LEVEL STRING ORCHESTRA REPERTOIRE

TITLE COMPOSER
Fire Dance Soon Hee Newbold
Adoration Florence Price
Serenade Piotr Tchaikovsky
7th Street Beat Lauren Bernofsky

 

2023 ALL-STATE MIDDLE LEVEL STRING ORCHESTRA AUDITION DATES

August 1 - September 11: Audition application for students is open on NMEA website ($10 fee). Teachers can begin uploading audition files using the Google Form link provided in the registration confirmation email.

*DEADLINE EXTENDED* September 11 @ 11:59 p.m. CST: Audition application closed.

September 16 @ 11:59 p.m. CST: Google Form closes for audition uploads.

Early October: All-State Middle Level String Orchestra Selections are announced.

October 16: Registration payment ($50 per student) is due for selected participants.

2023 All-State Middle Level String Orchestra Results

The 2023 All-State Middle Level String Orchestra has been selected, and the participant list is available for directors to view. Click the link below to download the list.

View the Middle Level Orchestra Participants

We look forward to the 2023 All-State performances and the opportunity to work with such dedicated youth from all across our great state!

DIRECTOR INFORMATION

IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS

DAY-OF SCHEDULE

The Middle Level String Orchestra schedule can also be found on page 2 of the NMEA Conference Schedule. All schedule times are in Central Time. The schedule is subject to change. NE-ASTA has put together some teacher sessions on the day of the Middle Level String Orchestra. Those are now included in the schedule.

TIME STUDENT SCHEDULE TEACHER SESSIONS
7:15am-8:00am Middle Level Orchestra Teacher Registration and Student Check-In
GRAD		 Middle Level Orchestra Teacher Registration and Student Check-In
GRAD
8:00am-9:30am Rehearsal
GRAD Ardis Ballroom

Middle Level Directors Observe Rehearsal
GRAD Ardis Ballroom
9:30am-10:00am Break + Snack
GRAD Perkins		 Break + Snack
GRAD Perkins
10:00am-10:45am Sectionals: Violin 1 - Perkins; Violin 2 - Crouch; Viola - Rozier; Cello - Ardis; Bass - Merlin

Session: Discussion with Conductor Alejandro Gómez Guillén
GRAD Lobby/Cafe
10:45am-11:00am Transition/Break Transition/Break
11:00am-12:00pm Rehearsal
GRAD Ardis Ballroom

Session: NE-ASTA ASTACAPS Program, Justin Zeleski GRAD Perkins
12:00pm-12:45pm Lunch
GRAD Perkins

Supervise Lunch
GRAD Perkins
12:45pm-2:00pm Rehearsal
GRAD Ardis Ballroom		 Teacher Lunch / Roundtable Discussion GRAD Perkins
2:00pm-2:15pm Break Break
2:15pm-3:34pm Dress Rehearsal GRAD Ardis Ballroom Session: NE-ASTA Reading Session, Tom Miller, Presiding GRAD Perkins 
**Bring your own instrument!**
3:45pm-4:15pm Break + Restrooms
GRAD Merlin Room		 Break + Restrooms
GRAD Merlin Room
4:15pm-4:25pm Line up for performance entry
GRAD Merlin		 Sit in audience
GRAD Ardis Ballroom
4:30pm-5:30pm Middle Level String Orchestra Concert Middle Level String Orchestra Concert
5:30pm-5:45pm Dismissal, teacher pickup Dismissal, teacher pickup

 

PARENT/GUARDIAN INFORMATION

ORDER FORMS