Middle Level All-State Orchestra

Contact

Have any questions or comments for this event? Contact Daniel Ericksen.

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Deadline/Application Cost

Application window will be open from October 2 - November 6, 2026

Audition: requirements can be seen below

Application site: Opusevents.com

Audition Fee: $15.00

Chosen student participation fee: $80.00

 

​Rehearsal and Performance Information

Rehearsal date and times: Friday, February 19th from (8:30am-7:00pm)

Location: University of Northwestern - St. Paul, MN

-Lunch, Dinner and a snack will be provided on the rehearsal date

 

Performance: Saturday, February 20th at 11:00AM

Location: Minneapolis Convention Center

1301 2nd Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55404

 

Eligibility

All students must be string players in grades 7 through 9 during the 2026-2027 school year.

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A student participating in the Middle Level All-State Orchestra must be enrolled in their school orchestra, if one exists. They must be enrolled in and a member in good standing from the time of the audition through the following February rehearsals and performance in order to be eligible for participation in the ensemble.

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Participation is limited to those students whose sponsoring teacher is a current member in good standing of both MNSOTA/ASTA and MMEA/NAfME at the time of the student’s audition and continues to be a member of both MNSOTA and MMEA through the February rehearsal and performance period. The sponsoring teacher must be currently teaching the student at the time of the student’s audition, and must continue as a teacher for that student through the February rehearsal and performance period. Examples of sponsoring teachers are school ensemble directors, studio teachers/instructors for private lessons, and individuals conducting a community youth ensemble. 

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General Information

Student members will be chosen by score, with ties going to students in rural areas with fewer opportunities than those in the metro area.

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Teachers and students will receive practice copies of music by email. Students will receive performance parts at the first rehearsal.

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All chosen students must attend all scheduled rehearsals and activities. A participation fee of $80.00 per student will cover all expenses of the rehearsals and performance including the cost of two meals.

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Guardians will be responsible for transportation, lodging and supervision when the students are not in rehearsal or performance.

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Conductor

Sophia Butler holds degrees in music and teaching from St. Olaf College and the University of Alaska Southeast. She started her teaching career with El Sistema inspired JAMM (Juneau Alaska Music Matters), after which she accepted a Fulbright grant to teach in Sarawak Malaysia, on the island of Borneo, where she got to learn the music traditions of the Bedayu and Iban people. For the last 8 years, Sophia has been teaching band, orchestra, and jazz at South High School in Minneapolis, and in fall of 2026, she will be stepping in as the new high school orchestra director in Edina Public Schools. Fall of

2026 also marks her second season conducting the String Orchestra with Minnesota Youth Symphonies. Other recent accolades include earning an MBA in Arts Innovation from the Global Leaders Institute in 2023 and being a semi-finalist for MN teacher of the year in 2026. 

 

Additionally, Sophia regularly performs as a violinist and violist in the Twin Cities area. She is a member of the Linden String Quartet, and often performs with the Blue Water Kings and in local Twin Cities pit orchestras. She particularly enjoys playing jazz, tango, and other folk styles, which she performs with her quintet, Mill City Caravan. When she is not teaching or performing, she is gardening at her south Minneapolis home, trying out new restaurants, or enjoying a state park with her partner and dog.

 

Online Audition Process

Upload the student’s recording files, payment and contact information.

• Either the student/guardian OR the sponsoring teacher/director can complete the application. MNSOTA recommends that an adult take this responsibility.

 

We are using Opusevent.com for our audition submissions this year. The application is below if you are having trouble please contact honorsorchestra@mnsota.org for support.

How to submit application:

Sponsoring teacher/director:

• Go to Opusevent.com.

• Create an account

• Select MNsota Middle Level All-State Orchestra

• Scroll down and add location

  • Create your school as a location

• Then you may choose to fill out and submit new applications for all your applicants or have your Student’s family do it

 

If Student/Guardian are submitting a submission:

• Have student/guardian create an account and follow same process

• Student/guardian can then select your school when adding locations and then create new applicant and follow the application steps.

 

If your student is accepted into the MLAO there is one final step: All emails entered into the Opusevent.com application will receive a link for the student’s school principal (or homeschool equivalent) to fill out. The principal’s digital signature is required for all students participating in the event. The principal will only sign if the student is in good standing with the school. No student will be allowed to attend the event if their principal’s digital signature is missing.

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Audition and Upload Requirements

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• Students/guardians OR sponsoring teachers/directors may complete the necessary application information and upload the audition files using Opusevent.com. All personal information entered into Opusevent will be hidden from the judges to allow for anonymous judging.

• Each student must upload five separate audio files into their user profile.

• Click Here to see the music for the first 4 files: Audition sheets. A metronome must not be used during recording. Audition scores will be docked points for incorrect rhythm or slow tempo of scales.

• File 1 – The specified major scale for their instrument, recorded without metronome and with the tempo and rhythm above.

  • Violin: D Major

  • Viola: G Major

  • Cello: G Major

  • Bass: G Major

• File 2 – The specified minor scale for their instrument, recorded without metronome and with the tempo and rhythm above.

  • Violin: E Melodic Minor

  • Viola: A Melodic Minor

  • Cello: A Melodic Minor

  • Bass: E Melodic Minor

• File 3 – Orchestra Excerpt 1  

• File 4 – Orchestra Excerpt 2

• File 5 – A short piece, excerpt or etude of their own choosing not to exceed 2 minutes in length. This selection must be recorded without accompaniment, and must be of equivalent or greater difficulty to the required piece. Pop tunes and novelty pieces are not appropriate.  Please indicate the title of your choice piece in the file name using composer last name and piece title.

Event Cancellation/Refund Policy

Since events cannot be rescheduled, during normal times MNSOTA is committed to holding all events as planned and will cancel an event only in cases of a safety emergency (e.g. road conditions/weather), based on state advisories. If an event is cancelled, participant fees paid to an outside organization such as GetAccptd cannot be refunded. However, at the discretion of the board, a partial refund of participant fees paid to MNSOTA may be considered after expenses have been paid.