Encore Youth Programs

INTERESTED IN AUDITIONING FOR YOUTH WIND ENSEMBLE?

Auditions for Youth Wind Ensemble will occur on January 25, 2026 at Freedom High School in Orlando, Florida!

Auditions are open to Central Florida students in grades 8-12 for the 2025-2026 school year. See below for additional audition information and requirements.

Audition Requirements

• Auditions for Youth Wind Ensemble are on January 25, 2026, in-person at Freedom High School in Orlando, Florida.

• Youth Wind Ensemble Instruments: Piccolo, Flute, Oboe/English Horn, Bassoon, Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Bari Saxophone, Trumpet, French Horn, Trombone, Euphonium, Tuba, Percussion, String Bass, Piano

• Students may perform any prepared solo of their choice (either in its entirety or a portion) or an etude of their choice.

• Students should also perform two scales as part of their audition.

Auditions for the 2025/2026 Youth Big Band ensemble have closed. Sign up here for future audition information and Encore Youth Program updates.

DR. MICHAEL ANTMANN - 2025/2026 YOUTH BIG BAND DIRECTOR

Michael Antmann is in his 25th year as a music educator and his 10th year as Director of Bands at Freedom High School in Orlando, Florida. He holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in music education from Florida State University and a Doctor of Education from the University of Central Florida. His previous positions include Music Resource Teacher for Orange County Public Schools and band director at Bridgewater Middle School (Winter Garden) and Swift Creek Middle School (Tallahassee).

Ensembles under Dr. Antmann’s direction have earned invitations to perform at prestigious events, including the UGA Middle School Band Festival (2004), CBDNA/NBA Southern Division Conference (2006, 2024), UCF Music for All Regional Concert Band Festival (2019, 2022), and the Florida Music Education Association (FMEA) Conference (2011, 2014, 2022).

His honors include five Citations of Excellence from the National Band Association, the Florida Bandmasters Association “Tom Bishop Award,” the “Oliver Hobbs Award,” OCPS/Kessler Grand Bohemian Excellence in Teaching Fine Arts Award, and Teacher of the Year. He was a national semi-finalist for the 2019, 2020, and 2025 Grammy Music Educator Awards and was recently named one of the CMA Foundation’s “Music Teachers of Excellence.”

Dr. Antmann is an active member of FMEA, FBA, ASBDA, and NBA, and currently serves as president-elect of the Florida Bandmasters Association. He is co-founder and instructor of the Florida Band Director Workshop in Titusville—an intensive, interactive clinic focused on conceptual teaching and band pedagogy. He remains in demand as a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator throughout Florida.

DR. JO JOSSIM – 2025/2026 YOUTH WIND ENSEMBLE DIRECTOR

A native of Florida, Dr. Jossim is a graduate of Sandalwood High School (1978) in Jacksonville and received her Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from the University of South Florida (1983). Continuing her education, she earned a master’s degree in oboe performance from the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver (1985). Upon completion of her degree, she was appointed interim conductor of the Lamont Symphony Orchestra. While in Denver, she became the Music Director/Conductor of the Broomfield Civic Orchestra and the Golden Youth Symphony. In addition to her orchestral activities, she also taught middle school band at Sinclair Middle School and general elementary music in the Cherry Creek and Englewood Public School Systems, also in the Denver area. In 1991, she returned home to Jacksonville, Florida, where she was Director of Music at Bishop Kenny High School. Her teaching duties included concert band, marching band, choir, music theory, and general music. Under her direction, the concert band received Superior ratings for the first time in the history of the school. Following her high school teaching, she entered The Florida State University, where she earned a Ph.D. in Music Education (1999).

Dr. Jossim has served as Director of Bands, Instrumental Studies, and Professor of Music at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida, since 1999. Throughout this time Dr. Jossim has conducted the Florida Southern College Symphony Band, Florida Southern College Symphony Orchestra and served as Head of the Music Education program teaching courses in conducting, music education, supervising music interns, woodwind quintet, brass quintet, studio oboe, faculty advisor for NAfME as well as the Director of the MOCS Pep Band. She was also the founder and director of the Florida Southern College Middle School Band Symposium, and Conductor of the Florida Southern College Summer Band Camp. Her bands have performed at State Conferences, and she maintains an active schedule as a guest conductor and clinician throughout the United States.

In addition to her responsibilities at Florida Southern College, she was also co-founder/conductor of the Lakeland based Hollingsworth Winds Concert Band and past president of the Florida College Music Educators Association. she is Chair of Commissioning for Phi Beta Mu, Omega Chapter and New Music Selection Committee member for the Florida Bandmaster’s Association.

She has held memberships in numerous professional and honorary organizations, including Kappa Kappa Psi, Tau Beta Sigma, Delta Omicron, Florida Music Educators Association, Florida Bandmasters Association, College Band Directors Association, Phi Kappa Phi, Omicron Delta Kappa, and Phi Beta Mu.

She has been awarded the “Outstanding Contributor Award for Band” by Phi Beta Mu, Omega Chapter, the Wade Outstanding Teacher Award at Florida Southern College, and, most recently, inducted into the Florida Bandmasters Roll of Distinction.