Coming together with other passionate, young musicians to play great music together instilled a real desire in me to pursue orchestral performance as a part of my career. I grew a lot as a musician during my GDYO years.
Allie Miller is currently a section violinist in the Richardson Symphony Orchestra and Plano Symphony Orchestra, and is the concertmaster, orchestra manager, and orchestra librarian at First Baptist Dallas. A Nationally Certified Teacher of Music in Violin (NCTM) of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), Allie is also an active violin instructor in the Dallas / Fort Worth area. Previous work experiences include being an adjunct music professor at Tarrant County College, serving as the orchestra librarian at the Blair School of Music, and interning with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, among others. Allie graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance and music history and literature from Vanderbilt University in 2017, and then went on to receive a Master of Music degree in violin performance from Texas Christian University in 2019, where she was a graduate teaching assistant to Dr. Elisabeth Adkins, and was invited to join the Gamma Epsilon chapter of the national music honors society, Pi Kappa Lambda. A native Texan, Allie graduated with honors from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in 2013, and has recently moved back to Dallas with her husband, a cellist, composer, and church music director. You can find out more on her website, www.allieviolin.com
WHAT YEAR DID YOU GRADUATE FROM GDYO?
I graduated high-school (GDYO) in 2013. I was in YPO for 1 year, DSE for 2 years, Sinfonietta for 1 year, Philharmonic for 1 year, and GDYO for 4 years.
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE GDYO EXPERIENCE OR MEMORY?
My favorite memory during my time in GDYO was the 2012 summer European tour, when we went to Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic, though, some of my fondest memories are from the simple, normal rehearsals on Sunday afternoons… coming together with other passionate, young musicians to play great music together instilled a real desire in me to pursue orchestral performance as a part of my career. I grew a lot as a musician during my GDYO years.
TELL US WHAT YOU’VE BEEN UP TO SINCE GRADUATING FROM GDYO.
I am currently a section first violinist in the Richardson Symphony Orchestra, as well as the concertmaster, orchestra manager, and orchestra librarian at First Baptist Dallas. A Nationally Certified Teacher of Music (NCTM) of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), I am also an active violin instructor in the Dallas / Fort Worth area. Previous work experiences include teaching violin lessons and music classes at Tarrant County College, serving as an orchestra librarian at the Blair School of Music, and interning with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, among others. I graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance and music history and literature from Vanderbilt University in 2017, and then went on to receive a Master of Music degree in violin performance from Texas Christian University in 2019, where I was a graduate teaching assistant to Dr. Elisabeth Adkins, and was invited to join the Gamma Epsilon chapter of the national music honors society, Pi Kappa Lambda.
I currently reside in Farmers Branch, Texas, where I live with my husband, a cellist and church music director.
WHAT LIFE ACHIEVEMENTS ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF SO FAR & WHY?
One of my most proud musical achievements was when I was named concertmaster of the TMEA All-State Symphony Orchestra my senior year of high school. That was an important, groundbreaking moment for me, because I was shown a great example of how much my hard work can pay off.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO CURRENT GDYO STUDENTS?
To all young musicians and GDYO students, I would say:
Learn about the business side of music: The music industry of the 21st century is heavily built on freelance musicians and entrepreneurship, and requires at least a basic understanding of accounting, copyright legalities, marketing, networking, contracts, and much more. Great careers can come from this part of the music industry, too!
Don’t have tunnel vision on one particular type of job in the music industry. In addition to being relentlessly competitive, the music industry is constantly changing and shifting with today’s culture, so make sure to do some research, become a well-rounded and educated musician, and keep an open mind for any and all potential music-job opportunities! In fact, most musicians in today’s society keep multiple jobs to keep a steady career in music.
Stay humble: When you get too caught up in your success, it’s possible to forget who you are and become too big for your own shoes. This is why it’s crucial to stay humble – it affects everything you do and the way you do it. If you become too egotistical, you’ll feel like you’re the best, you’ll treat people like they’re beneath you, you’ll become irresponsible, and no one will want to work with you! As a young musician, everything can go as fast as it comes, so be sure to stay humble in order to stay smart and keep a respected reputation.
THANK YOU ALLIE FOR STEPPING INTO GDYO’S ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT!
IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SHARING THE ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT OR WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE GDYO ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, CONTACT CHARILYNE ROJAS AT CHARILYNE@GDYO.ORG.
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