Southeastern Percussion Ensemble Symposium (SPES)

A Music for All Affiliate Regional Music Festival, presented by Yamaha.

 

 April 18 and 19, 2025

 

Sponsored by The Percussive Arts Society, Mapex/Majestic Percussion, and Music for All

 

 

The date of the 2025 SPES is April 18 & 19 and will be held at Lassiter High School in the Lassiter Concert Hall located in Marietta, Ga. We are adding a separate solo competition for concert snare, timpani and keyboard to be held on Saturday afternoon.

 

The purpose of the symposium is to encourage the growth of the percussion ensemble activity in a non-competitive environment. The Lassiter Concert Hall is a state of the art acoustic venue, while the festival provides quality evaluation so percussion students and ensemble directors can learn and grow while interacting with some of the best college instructors and performers in the country.

 

 Online registration opens on Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at 10:00 am.

Registration will close when twenty one ensemble slots and twenty-four solo spots are filled.

 

$275.00 application fee for PAS group members and $375.00 for non members.

Title I schools can deduct $100.00 from either fee.

 

For information on PAS memberships go to: https://pas.org/group-membership.

 

Questions? Email Mike Lynch at mikelynch912@gmail.com.

 

Performance times are based on the time stamp of the online registration and will fill up quickly.

Last year the twenty-four performance slots were full within seven minutes.

 

 

Included in Symposium Registration Fee: 
  • Evaluation from two clinicians with recorded and written comments
  • Twenty minute clinic with one clinician
  • Professional photograph of the ensemble on stage in the Lassiter Concert Hall
  • Use of all large equipment
  • Participation award
  • Friday night concert by the Atlanta Youth Percussion Ensemble/Atlanta Percussion Ensemble
  • Saturday lunch concert by the Atlanta Steel Collective (concessions available)
  • Recording and video of your performance will be available for an additional cost.
 
Evaluators and Clinicians for the Symposium:
  • Julie Davila - Middle Tennessee State University and President of the Percussive Arts Society
  • Dr. Nathan Daughtrey – Composer and President of C. Alan Publications
  • Professor She-e Wu - Performer and associate professor of Music and Head of the Percussion Program at Northwestern University
 
 
   Solo Competition - Concert Snare Drum, Keyboard (marimba, vibraphone and xylophone) and Timpani.
Solos are $30.00 for members and $35.00 for non-members.
 
The solo competition will take place Saturday afternoon with results announced after the last ensemble. Students can compete in the solo competition regardless if their school has a participating ensemble.
 
Judges for the solo competition are: John Lawless – Kennesaw State University, Atlanta Opera and Michael Jarrett, Assistant Principal Percussionist, Atlanta Symphony.
 
Prizes will be awarded for the highest three scores regardless of the instrument.