About the AOA

The Alabama Orchestra Association was established to foster community and cooperation among music teachers, conductors, and practitioners in the State of Alabama. The mission is to provide a common meeting ground for an exchange of ideas that will stimulate professional growth among teachers, advancing the standards of musical and educational achievement for the students of Alabama.

The Alabama Orchestra Association is a division of the Alabama Music Educators Association, the state chapter of NAfME (National Association for Music Educators). Over 100 music educators from the state of Alabama form the AOA general membership. The organization is led by an Executive Board of Directors as voted upon by the general membership. The Alabama Orchestra Association organizes all aspects of the AOA portion of AMEA Teacher In‐Service Conference, facilitates the Alabama All‐Region and All‐State Orchestra Festivals each year, and encourages large ensemble performance through the Orchestra Music Performance Assessment (OMPA). In addition to educational performance opportunities, AOA fulfills its mission by encouraging new orchestral works through an annual composition contest.