All Millard Orchestra Festival is an annual clinic and concert where we showcase our 5-12th grade orchestra students. Our orchestra program in Millard has become so successful that we had to move this event to the Baxter Arena. All Millard Orchestra provides a rare opportunity to see over 600 students from our three high schools, six middle schools, and 25 elementary schools join together to collaborate rather than compete. Students get to work with professional conductors from all over the United States. This festival has become a perennial fan favorite. It is a unique gem – something that makes Millard Millard. In fact, Millard is one of only three districts in our metro area that offers instruction in orchestra, and it is known to offer outstanding instruction and experiences for student string players. Being able to host a festival like All-Millard showcases our community in a way few other events can.

For a short video about the event, click here.

Our 2026 Guest Conductors: 

Del Whitman is in his fortieth year as a music educator in Lincoln Public Schools, teaching orchestras at Lincoln East High School and at Lux Middle School.  He conducts the Junior Youth Orchestra, the city-wide honor orchestra for middle level students and served as Department Chair at East High School for twenty-five years.  Having served two terms as Orchestra Affairs Chair for Nebraska Music Education Association, he is also a two-time recipient of String Teacher of the Year Award from Nebraska chapter of ASTA, was recognized as a 2019 Fretwell Outstanding Educator by the Boy Scouts of America, and received the 2020 Nebraska High School Music Teacher of the Year from the National Federation of High Schools.  Mentoring next generation teachers has become a passion as he has worked with 30 student teachers, and 80 practicum teachers from five different universities.  Over the years, he has enjoyed conducting HS and MS orchestra festivals in Arkansas, Nevada, Nebraska, and South Dakota, while at the state level, he has presented 3 concert performances and a dozen teacher sessions at the NMEA Conference Clinic.

Mr. Whitman received B.M. degrees in cello performance and music education from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, and his M.M. degree in instrumental conducting from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  As a cellist, Mr. Whitman is active around the Lincoln community, but relishes being home with his wonder-wife, Julie, and sharing Dad Jokes unsparingly with his three grown children.  He loves pineapple, basketball, can moonwalk, and once almost poked his eye out with the baton.