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Austin Youth Orchestra Conductor Page

2025-2026

AYO Symphony Orchestra

The Austin Youth Orchestra Symphony is the premier ensemble of AYO, designed for advanced high school musicians whose technique and musical maturity are suited for the artistic interpretation of standard symphonic repertoire. Conducted by Mr. Chris Tran, the Symphony represents the highest level of the AYO curriculum. Membership is highly competitive and provides exceptional training for dedicated students. The Symphony performs as a Full Symphony Orchestra year round.

Membership is open to students in 9th grade and above who demonstrate strong musical ability through a formal audition. Applicants must have at least four years of orchestral experience, be in good standing with their school music program (orchestra for strings, band for winds and percussion), and complete all membership and tuition requirements by the designated deadlines.

Rehearsals are held Sunday evenings from 5:00–7:30 PM during both fall and spring semesters at Austin High School.

Mr. Chris Tran

Mr. Chris Tran, Symphony Conductor of the Austin Youth Orchestra, brings a wealth of experience as an orchestral educator and conductor. He currently serves as Co-Director of the University of Texas University Orchestra and is pursuing his Doctor of Musical Arts in Orchestral Conducting under the mentorship of Farkhad Khudyev at the University of Texas at Austin.

Mr. Tran has served as assistant and cover conductor with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Symphony of Southeast Texas, and Boulder Philharmonic, and has guest conducted ensembles such as the Williamson County Symphony Orchestra and the Campanile Orchestra at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music.

Before his graduate studies, Mr. Tran taught orchestra in the Plano, Highland Park, and Clear Creek ISDs. While at Clear Falls High School, his Symphony Orchestra placed 4th in the 2024 TMEA Honor Orchestra Contest, a prestigious statewide recognition.

Mr. Tran has been invited to conducting masterclasses across the U.S. and internationally, including the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, International Conducting Workshop and Festival, and programs in Los Angeles, Eugene, Boulder, and St. Andrews (Scotland). He has worked with notable conductors such as Cristian Măcelaru, Leonard Slatkin, Larry Rachleff, Donald Schleicher, Neil Thomson, Jeff Grogan, and Sian Edwards.

He holds a Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from CU-Boulder and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education, summa cum laude, from Southern Methodist University. His principal teachers have included Gary Lewis, Paul Phillips, Nicholas Carthy, and Charles Wetherbee.

Mr. Josue Martinez

Philharmonic Orchestra

Josue Martinez is the Director of Orchestras at Westlake High School in Eanes ISD. He began his teaching career in the district in 2016 as the Assistant Director of Orchestras at West Ridge Middle School, later joining the high school faculty in 2021.

Mr. Martinez earned both his Bachelor of Music Education (2016) and Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting (2019) from Texas State University in San Marcos. During his time at Texas State, he performed with a wide range of ensembles, including the Texas State Symphony Orchestra, Texas State Opera Orchestra, and the Texas State Wind Symphony, developing his versatility as a conductor and performer.

In addition to his work in Eanes ISD, Mr. Martinez serves as Co-Conductor of Camerata Philharmonic with the Austin Youth Orchestra Academy, and is an active freelance double bassist in the Greater Austin area. He is a passionate educator and performer, with memberships in the Texas Music Educators Association, American String Teachers Association, Texas Orchestra Directors Association, International Society of Bassists, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity, among other professional and artistic organizations.

Outside of teaching and music, Mr. Martinez enjoys spending time at home with his two terriers, Artemis and Buster.

Mrs. Anna Macias

Philharmonic Orchestra

Anna Macias has served as the Director of Orchestras at Lake Travis High School in Lake Travis ISD since 1996 and has been a conductor with the Austin Youth Orchestra since 2003. A dedicated music educator, performer, and leader in the Texas music education community, she has held numerous leadership roles within the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), including organizing the High School Region Orchestra and serving as the TMEA Region 26 Orchestra Division Chair. Since 2002, she has also served on the faculty of the Texas State University Strings Camp.

Ms. Macias is an active member of several professional organizations, including TMEA, the Texas Orchestra Directors Association (TODA), the Texas Music Adjudicators Association (TMAA), the Texas Hill Country Bass Collective, and Mu Omicron. In addition to her work in public schools, she maintains a private studio for double bass and fiddle students.

A graduate of Southwest Texas State University with a degree in Music Education, Ms. Macias has performed with numerous Texas orchestras, including the Temple Symphony, Victoria Symphony, Mid-Texas Symphony, and Brazos Valley Symphony. She has also been a member of the Gilbert and Sullivan Summer Opera Orchestra for over 15 years.

Ms. Macias is deeply passionate about Texas fiddling and Western Swing music, a love that began at Johnny Gimble’s Texas Music Camp in 1997. In 2000, she founded the Lake Travis Fiddlers, a youth ensemble dedicated to preserving and performing traditional Texas fiddle music throughout the Hill Country.

Philharmonic Orchestra

The Austin Youth Orchestra Philharmonic is a full orchestra ensemble that rehearses and performs year-round, offering advancing student musicians the opportunity to strengthen their technique and ensemble skills through the study of challenging orchestral repertoire. Conducted with the goal of preparing students for eventual advancement to the AYO Symphony, this ensemble provides a rigorous and supportive environment where players develop musical maturity, technical proficiency, and ensemble awareness.

Membership is open to students with at least three years of orchestral experience who qualify through a formal audition. All members must be in good standing with their school music program (orchestra for strings, band for winds and percussion), and must submit all required membership forms and tuition payment.

Rehearsals take place on Sunday evenings from 5:00–7:30 PM during both fall and spring semesters at Austin High School.

Mr. Ragan Whatley

Sinfonietta Orchestra

Ragan Whatley, a graduate of the University of North Texas, is entering his 14th year of teaching and his 6th year as Director of Orchestras at Canyon Vista Middle School in Round Rock ISD. Prior to his time at Canyon Vista, he taught at Seven Lakes Junior High and Pershing Middle School in the Houston area.

Under his leadership, the Canyon Vista orchestras have earned state and national recognition, including honors from the Foundation for Music Education's Mark of Excellence and high placements in the TMEA Honor Orchestra Competition. Notably, his ensembles were awarded 1st place in the 2020 TMEA Honor String Orchestra Competition and named 2nd Runner-Up in the 2022 TMEA Honor Full Orchestra Competition. In 2023, he was named Director of Distinction by the Texas Orchestra Directors Association (TODA).

Mr. Whatley is a sought-after clinician and adjudicator throughout Texas. He maintains active membership in TMEA, TODA, and TMAA, and has served as TMEA Region 23 Orchestra Chair for five years. He is currently serving his fifth year as the Middle School/Junior High Region Orchestra Coordinator for TMEA Region 26.

Mr. Whatley lives in Cedar Park with his wife Colleen and their three children: Reilly (a cellist), Connor (a violinist), and Nora (also a violinist).

Mrs. Colleen Whatley

Serenata

Colleen Whatley is the Associate Orchestra Director at Westwood High School. She is currently in her 17th year of teaching, having taught strings to all grade levels from 1st to 12th grade in Round Rock, Katy, and Houston ISDs. In February 2024, she was proud to serve as a guest conductor with the Westwood High School Symphony Orchestra at the Texas Music Educators Association Convention, where they were recognized as the top-ranked full orchestra in the state of Texas. Her orchestras consistently receive Superior Ratings at UIL and have received national recognitions, including being named a 2024 Citation Winner for both High School Full & String Orchestras, 2023 Commended Winner for Middle School String Orchestra, and 2020 National Winner for Middle School String Orchestra by The Foundation for Music Education.

Mrs. Whatley received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin, where she studied double bass. She is as Past President of the Texas Orchestra Directors Association, TMEA Region 26 Orchestra Division Chair, an active member of the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, and Mu Omicron, and has served as a conductor for the Austin Youth Orchestra Orchestras since 2022.

Mr. Fidencio Solis

Canzonetta

Originally from Mexico City, Mr. Fidencio Solis currently serves as the Director of Orchestras at Chapa and Simon Middle Schools in Hays CISD. Prior to his current role, he taught for 16 years at O. Henry Middle School in Austin ISD and previously served as Orchestra Director for the Gulfport School District in Mississippi.

Mr. Solis holds both a Bachelor’s Degree and a Master’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Southern Mississippi and is certified in the Suzuki Method. In addition to his teaching roles, he also serves as the Organizer for the Austin Youth Orchestra, contributing his leadership and organizational expertise to AYO for over 16 years.

An active performer and collaborator, Mr. Solis enjoys playing chamber music, performing with community orchestras, and freelancing throughout the Austin area. He is passionate about supporting fellow music educators, sharing his time and talents to uplift programs and projects across the community.

Outside of music, Mr. Solis finds joy in spending time with family and friends, traveling, watching movies, making music, and—above all—making people laugh.

AYO Intermediate and Preparatory Orchestras

The Austin Youth Orchestra offers three distinct string ensembles—Sinfonietta, Serenata, and Canzonetta—designed to support students at various stages of their orchestral development. Placement in these ensembles is determined by performance and skill level through a formal audition process. There are no age requirements for participation.

Sinfonietta Orchestra
The AYO Sinfonietta Orchestra provides an accelerated orchestral experience for advanced intermediate string players. Students in this ensemble perform complete Baroque concerti grossi, challenging works from the UIL String Orchestra Prescribed Music List, and new music by contemporary and modern composers. Sinfonietta prepares students for advancement into the Philharmonic and Symphony Orchestras.

Membership is open to students with at least two years of orchestral experience in either AYO or a school/private program. Students enrolled in schools with orchestra programs must be in good standing with their school ensemble. Membership is contingent upon the submission of all required acceptance forms and tuition payment.

Sinfonietta rehearses on Sunday evenings from 5:00–6:30 PM during the fall and spring semesters at Austin High School.

Serenata Orchestra
The AYO Serenata Orchestra is designed to propel aspiring string players to a higher level of technique, musical expression, and ensemble skills. Emphasis is placed on developing position work, shifting, vibrato, bow articulation, and interpretative skills. Serenata serves as a critical stepping stone in both the AYO ensemble sequence and in students’ school orchestra development.

Membership is open to students with at least one year of orchestral experience in either AYO or a school/private program. Students enrolled in schools with orchestra programs must be in good standing with their school ensemble. Membership is contingent upon the submission of all required acceptance forms and tuition payment.

Serenata rehearses on Sunday evenings from 5:00–6:00 PM during the fall and spring semesters at Austin High School.

Canzonetta Orchestra
The AYO Canzonetta Orchestra is the entry-level ensemble for string students in the Central Texas area interested in joining the Austin Youth Orchestra. Students entering this group should have a strong foundation in posture, intonation, rhythmic accuracy, fingerboard geography in first position, and music reading skills. Canzonetta focuses on building the skills essential for success in an ensemble setting.

Membership is open to students with at least one year of playing experience through school orchestra, private lessons, or AYO. Students enrolled in schools with orchestra programs must be in good standing with their school ensemble. Membership is contingent upon the submission of all required acceptance forms and tuition payment.

Canzonetta rehearses on Sunday evenings from 5:00–6:00 PM during the fall and spring semesters at Austin High School.

The Austin Youth Orchestra Academy Prelude Orchestra is designed for sixth and seventh grade students who have completed at least one semester of orchestra class and are seeking additional training outside of school. This ensemble follows an accelerated curriculum focused on rapid musical advancement and foundational ensemble skills. The Prelude Orchestra meets during the spring semester only and offers a supportive environment for young musicians beginning their orchestral journey.

Membership Requirements
Membership is open to students who qualify through the audition process and have completed at least half a year of orchestral experience in a public or private school setting. Students enrolled in schools with orchestra programs must be in good standing with their school ensemble. Membership is contingent upon the submission of all acceptance materials and payment of tuition.

Rehearsals
The Prelude Orchestra meets during the spring semester only at Austin High School. Rehearsal time is to be determined and will be announced prior to the start of the semester.

Ms. Sarah Uy

Prelude Orchestra

Sarah Uy is a violinist and the current Orchestra Teacher at O. Henry Middle School and Mathews Elementary in Austin, Texas. She earned her Bachelor’s in Music Studies with a Recognition in Performance from the University of Texas at Austin in 2023, where she studied under Sandy Yamamoto and Dr. Laurie Scott.

Sarah began violin at age five under the instruction of Sue Mann and at the Betty Haag Academy of Music, both of whom worked closely with Shinichi Suzuki in Japan. Her Suzuki roots laid a strong foundation for her passion for music education.

While at UT Austin, Sarah taught through the University of Texas String Project for four years, where she maintained a private studio and led group classes for students ranging from infants to teens. She was also an active performer, participating in the University Symphony Orchestra, UT Opera Pit Orchestra, and Chamber Music Program.

She completed her student teaching at Austin High School and The Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders, where her mentors Ana-Maria Solis and Alejandro Tijerina deepened her calling to become a public school music educator.

Sarah currently performs around Austin with the Castle Hill Quartet and the Sienna String Quartet. She is deeply passionate about using education as a tool for change and discovery.

In her free time, Sarah enjoys making visual art, learning new skills, and spending time with her dog.

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