SMYRNA, TN (WGNS) - If you’ve got a young musician at home, Ethos Youth Ensembles is striking up the band for another season—and they’re making it clear that every student in Rutherford County has a place to play. Public school, private school, homeschool… it doesn’t matter. If a child loves music, Ethos wants to hear them.
The big audition day for the Ethos Wind Symphony and Ethos Jazz Ensemble is coming up Sunday, November 1, 2026, at Stewarts Creek High School in Smyrna. Students in grades 8–12 will move through scales, sight‑reading, and prepared excerpts, all based on MTSBOA standards. The audition window runs from 2:00 until 8:00 PM, giving families plenty of time to work around church, sports, or weekend plans.
String students have their own audition hub. The Camerata and Chamber Orchestras will meet at First United Methodist Church on West Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro. Younger musicians enter through the Ethos Music Academy and Reading Orchestra—two programs that don’t require auditions at all. Those groups serve beginners as early as second grade, helping them build confidence before stepping into the more advanced ensembles.
Dr. immerer New Jazz Ensemble Director
Ethos recently announced that Dr. Frank Zimmerer—a familiar face in Middle Tennessee music circles—has been appointed conductor of the Ethos Jazz Ensemble. Zimmerer brings decades of experience as a jazz pianist, clinician, and band director, giving local students access to a seasoned educator who knows how to grow young talent.
He joins a roster of homegrown faculty who keep the program rooted in the community. Mrs. Shaw leads the Reading and Camerata Orchestras, Mrs. Cowan directs the Chamber Orchestra, and Dr. Brian Russell oversees both the Preparatory Choir and the Wind Symphony. It’s a lineup of educators who live and work right here in Middle Tennessee.
A Rutherford County Original
Ethos Youth Ensembles began in 1997, founded by Middle Tennessee musicians who saw a need for high‑quality ensemble experiences outside the school day. What started in a portable classroom has grown into one of the region’s most respected youth music programs. Today, Ethos partners with First United Methodist Church and Stewarts Creek High School, keeping rehearsals close to home for families in Murfreesboro and Smyrna.
And while Rutherford County remains the heart of the program, students come from all across Middle Tennessee. Thousands of young musicians have passed through Ethos over the years—many continuing into college music programs, community ensembles, or professional careers.
Families can find audition details, requirements, and registration information at EthosMusic.net.
