South All-Region Information
VIRTUAL AUDITIONS: South All-Region Auditions will be held virtually this Fall, by submission of a link to a YouTube video recording. Please review audition details carefully (updated by August 15, 2024). The same audition will qualify students for the 2025 All-State Orchestra festival.
The 2025 South Alabama All-Region Orchestra festival consists of the two following ensembles:
- South Region Symphony Orchestra for woodwind, brass, percussion and string students who seek an opportunity to perform full-orchestra music.
- South Region String Orchestra for string students who seek an opportunity to play in an honor ensemble with other string players.
2025 South-Region Orchestra Festival Details
When: January 11 – 12, 2025
Where: Auburn University, Goodwin Music Building, 320 W. Sanford Ave. Auburn, AL 36849
Deadline to Register for the South-Region Orchestra Festival is Friday December 27, 2024
Music for the South-Region Festival will be available through a drop box link emailed to students as they register for this event.
Please remember that string players who have placed in both South-Region and All-State Orchestras are expected to participate in both South-Region and All-State events. Please contact the Executive Director and President for approval if there are extenuating circumstances.
Festival Schedule:
Saturday, January 11
9:00 a.m. | Student’s arrive and find their seats
9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. | Rehearsal Block No. 1
11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. | Lunch (off-campus with chaperones/parents)
1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. | Rehearsal Block No. 2 (including 20-minute break)
**conductors coordinate so that breaks do not overlap**
4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. | Dinner (off-campus with chaperones/parents)
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. | Rehearsal Block No. 3
Sunday, January 12
11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. | Rehearsal Block No. 4
1:30 p.m. | Reset for Concert
2:00 p.m. | Concert for both groups
3:30 p.m. | Drive Home Safely!
Final Concert: Sunday 2:00 pm; this concert is free to the public; all family and friends are invited to
attend.
Concert Dress Options:
Option 1: tux with black tie (bowtie or necktie), white shirt, black pants, black dress shoes, black socks.
Option 2: black suit with black tie (bowtie or necktie), white shirt, black pants, black dress shoes, black
socks.
Option 3: long black dress that comes below knee and below elbow. Black shoes and black
stockings/hose.
Option 4: all black dress clothes with black shoes and black socks.
Option 5: black pants or skirt with white long sleeve shirt or blouse, black dress shoes, black socks.
The 2025 South-Region Symphony Orchestra will be conducted by Joseph Lee. Mr. Lee is the Resident Conductor of the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra, Music Director of the Huntsville Youth Orchestra, Music Director of the University Orchestra at the University of Alabama Huntsville, Music Director of the Tennessee Valley Music Festival, Music Director of the Festival Internacional de Música
Cobano (Costa Rica), and the Director of Music Ministries at East End United Methodist Church in Nashville, TN. He is the AOA’s current Past-President.
This year’s South-Region Symphony Orchestra will perform: (Order TBD)
Russian Christmas Music, Alfred Reed/trans. McAllister
Concerto Da Vinci, Alexis Aranda
The 2025 South-Region String Orchestra will be conducted by Keith LaBenne. Mr. LaBenne is an adjunct faculty member at Jacksonville State University College of Arts, Humanities, and Sciences and the orchestra director at Gadsden City High School. He is AOA’s current Vice-President/President-Elect.
This year’s South-Region String Orchestra will perform: (Order TBD)
Afterburn, Brian Balmages
Amadeus! Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart/Arr. Jamin Hoffman
Jupiter, from the Planets, Gustav Holst/Arr. Deborah Baker Monday
Kalimba, Bob Lipton
The Journey Forward, Am’re Ford
