All State Orchestra Fall 2025

Pieces for Performance:

Allegretto from Symphony No. 7 by Beethoven, arr. Lauren Keiser

Allegro Presto from Symphony No. 2 by Joseph Bologne/Chevalier de Saint-Georges, arr. Deborah Baker Monday 

Estrellita (Little Stars) by Manuel Ponce, arr Robert Longfield

Blue Fire Fiddler by Soon Hee Newbold

Amadeus from Symphony No. 25 by Mozart, arr. Jamin Hoffman

2025 ALL-STATE MIDDLE LEVEL ORCHESTRA AUDITION DATE:

ALL AUDITIONS FOR ALL STATE WILL BE DONE THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 8TH. I will be recording auditions September 10th after school in room 308. If that date does not work for you, please let me know and we will figure something else out. 

November 20th: Rehearsal and performance in Lincoln.

AUDITION MATERIALS

NMEA will utilize Google Forms to collect student auditions, which will be available when the window for audition submissions opens. Auditions will include scales and etudes.

1. All-State Scale Sheets (click each link to download)

Each scale sheet contains both major and minor scales.

• Bass

• Cello

• Viola

• Violin

2. All-State Etudes (click each link) Please note that etude sheets do not include bowings. 

• Bass

• Cello

• Viola

• Violin

AUDITION INFORMATION

There will be a $10.00 audition fee for all students who audition for the 2024 All-State Middle Level Orchestra and a $50.00 participation fee for those students that are selected. 

For more information, go to the official website linked here. 

Check out the conductor: 

2025 ALL-STATE MIDDLE LEVEL STRING ORCHESTRA CONDUCTOR

Dr. Alison Gaines holds a Doctoral degree in orchestral conducting from the University of Kansas, Lawrence and a Master’s degree from U.S.C., Los Angeles in bass performance. Her professional conducting experience includes music director positions, assistant conductor positions, has been a conductor of youth symphonies, and has guest conducted various professional groups including 10 years as conductor of Brass Night and on various chamber concerts at the Breckenridge, CO summer music festival. Her academic conducting experience includes a year as interim Director of Orchestra at Iowa State and for Rock Valley College, IL, and for 4 years as conductor of the chamber orchestra at Illinois’ largest college, the College of DuPage. In addition, she has served as a clinician and guest conductor for music associations throughout the Midwest and for the Chicago Bass Festival. During her doctoral studies, she received assistantships from both the orchestral and jazz departments, where she worked and studied with British conductor, keyboards,t and recording artist Brian Priestman and with jazz educator, arranger and composer Dan Gailey. She has also received fellowships and won positions for conducting seminars through the League of American Orchestras, Chorus America, the Conductor’s Institutes in South Carolina (in opera), and at Bard College, NY.

Her performance experience as a bassist includes serving full-time as principal in Tulsa, OK (8 years), a Tanglewood fellowship, an Aspen Music Festival scholarship, was co-principal with the National Repertory Orchestra for 2 summers, and won a substitute audition with the St. Louis Symphony. She has also performed chamber music in the United States and in Europe and has been a featured soloist with the National Repertory Orchestra, Tulsa Philharmonic, Breckenridge, CO Festival, and Rockford, IL Symphony