KSU Orchestra Invitational

The KSU Orchestra Invitational is open to high school and advancing middle school orchestras. Applications will be accepted on a "first come, first served" basis, and the number of orchestras that can be accepted is limited. (Performance recordings are no longer required as part of the application.)

Registrations will be accepted ensembles will receive an acceptance letter – which will include confirmation of warm-up and performance times – and an invoice for the total participation fee. The fee is $350.00 for each participating orchestra and total fee is due by Friday, September 5, 2025. Payment details will be included in the invoice.

Please click here to register!

Your performance experience will include:  

• Rehearsal and warm-up time in Scott Rehearsal Hall (in the Bailey Center adjacent to the performance stage)
• Performance on stage in Morgan Concert Hall in the Bailey Performance Center.
• Clinic with nationally-recognized guest clinician immediately following performance.
• Assessments of your ensemble by guest clinician and KSU faculty via audio caption and written feedback.
• "Conductor Cam" video recording.
• High-quality audio and video recordings of the performance.

In addition, your group can listen to live performances mid-day from the KSU Symphony Orchestra and have opportunities to hear other high school orchestras from around the region.

Michael Hopkins
Chair of Music Education and Profession of Music
at the University of Michigan

Michael Hopkins is Professor and Chair of Music Education at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he teaches courses in string techniques, instrumental methods, research methods, and the psychology of music teaching and learning. Prior to joining the U-M faculty, Hopkins was the conductor of the University of Vermont Symphony Orchestra, the founding director of the Burlington Chamber Orchestra, and director of middle and high school orchestras in Colorado, Michigan, and Vermont. He has been a guest conductor at over 60 orchestra festivals throughout the United States, and has given over 100 presentations at conferences on various topics in string education. He has composed and arranged over 90 published works for orchestra. His music is published by Alfred, Grand Mesa, Kendor, Ludwig Masters, with 26 of his pieces receiving J.W. Pepper's Editor's Choice honorary distinction. His compositions have been commissioned by many schools and ensembles throughout the United States. His research and pedagogical articles are published in the Journal of Research in Music Education, International Journal of Music Education, CRME Bulletin, Music Education Research, Journal of Music, Technology and Education, American String Teacher, String Research Journal, the Music Educators' Journal and The Instrumentalist. He has served on the executive boards of the Vermont and Michigan chapters of ASTA and has served on several national ASTA committees.

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Dr. Nathaniel Parker
Director of Orchestral Studies and Associate Professor of Music

A talented and versatile musician, Nathaniel F. Parker has conducted professional orchestras in the United States, Peru, Russia, Poland, England and the Czech Republic. Equally at home working with professionals and training future generations of musicians, Dr. Parker is director of orchestral studies and associate professor of music at the Kennesaw State University Bailey School of Music. Concurrent appointments include the positions of associate conductor of the Georgia Symphony Orchestra, the Dr. Bobbie Bailey artistic director of the Georgia Youth Symphony Orchestras (GYSO), and music director and conductor of the GYSO Symphony. Parker's work as a conductor, scholar and educator has been recognized by the New World Symphony (Florida), Tanglewood Music Center, the American Prize, the College Music Society (CMS), the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) and the College Orchestra Directors Association (CODA), among others. He is also the recipient of a Citation of Excellence in Teaching from the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association. Parker earned graduate degrees in orchestral conducting from Michigan State University (DMA) and Bowling Green State University (MM). He also earned a BM in bassoon performance, magna cum laude, from Arizona State University. His mentors and teachers include Raphael Jiménez, Leon Gregorian, Stephen Osmond and Emily Freeman Brown (conducting), and Jeffrey Lyman and Catherine Lewis (bassoon).Nat resides in Kennesaw with his wife, Melody, and their son, Jacob.

For more information, contact:
Dr. Nathaniel Parker
470-578-7692

E-mail