The Southern Excellence Youth Orchestra
Southern Excellence Youth Orchestra is a community of talented young musicians dedicated to creating harmonious melodies that captivate audiences. Our orchestra prides itself on fostering creativity, teamwork, and musical excellence. Through our commitment to musical education and performance, we strive to inspire the next generation of musicians and enrich our community with the beauty of orchestral music.
Southern Excellence Youth Orchestra is a community of talented young musicians dedicated to creating harmonious melodies that captivate audiences. Our orchestra prides itself on fostering creativity, teamwork, and musical excellence. Through our commitment to musical education and performance, we strive to inspire the next generation of musicians and enrich our community with the beauty of orchestral music.
Our Mission, Our Music.
In the Southern Excellence Youth Orchestra, we firmly believe that music is not just an art form but an integral part of personal growth and development. Our mission extends beyond teaching students how to master their instruments; we aim to cultivate a well-rounded set of life skills that will serve them both in music and in all areas of life. Through our comprehensive program, students will not only refine their musical abilities and technique but also learn the importance of collaboration, discipline, and commitment.
Our students will gain invaluable skills in ensemble playing, leadership, and teamwork, while also fostering qualities such as respect, confidence, responsibility, and perseverance. These attributes are cultivated both on and off the stage, shaping young musicians into disciplined individuals who understand the value of dedication and hard work. the Southern Excellence Youth Orchestra, we are dedicated to empowering students to not only be better musicians but to grow into responsible, confident, and inspiring individuals who will carry these lessons throughout their lives
Our Head Director
Mrs. Jamie Romo brings over 25 years of distinguished experience in orchestra education to the Southern Excellence Youth Orchestra. She has dedicated her career to developing high-achieving music programs and mentoring young musicians across Texas and Oklahoma.
For over a decade, Mrs. Romo served as the Head Orchestra Director at Maus Middle School in Frisco, Texas. Under her leadership, the Advanced Symphony Orchestra earned consistent UIL Sweepstakes Awards, with top honors in 2015–2017 and 2019–2024. Prior to that, she led the orchestra program at Westwood Junior High in Richardson, Texas, where her ensembles received six consecutive UIL Sweepstakes Awards and numerous “Best in Class” recognitions at regional festivals.
Earlier in her career, Mrs. Romo taught both middle and high school orchestras in Oklahoma. Her ensembles performed at major venues and festivals, including the Oklahoma State Capitol, Winter Park Music Festival in Colorado, the Galveston Isle Orchestra Festival, and Disney World’s Music Festival in Florida. Her students have gone on to perform at internationally renowned venues such as Carnegie Hall in New York City and the Musikverein in Vienna, Austria.
Mrs. Romo holds a Bachelor's degree in Music from the University of Central Oklahoma, where she studied violin under Dr. Roger Strong and performed as a scholarship violinist for four years. She also earned a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from East Central University, where she conducted a research study on the effects of violin instruction on spatial-temporal reasoning in kindergarten students.
Beyond the classroom, Mrs. Romo has performed with community orchestras, in musicals and operas, and as a violinist in a professional string quartet. She is the former owner of Romo’s Music Studio, where she taught Suzuki strings, Kindermusik, and vocal ensembles.
An active member of the Texas Music Adjudicators Association (TMAA), Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), Texas Orchestra Directors Association (TODA), and the American String Teachers Association (ASTA), Mrs. Romo frequently serves as a UIL judge and clinician for orchestra programs across Texas. She is also celebrating her tenth year on faculty at the Lake Murray Orchestra Camp in Oklahoma.
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Mrs. Romo now leads the Southern Excellence Youth Orchestra with a continued commitment to musical excellence, student growth, and community engagement.
