Mrs. Jamie Romo brings over 25 years of distinguished experience in orchestra education to Garland High School.  She has dedicated her career to developing high-achieving music programs and mentoring young musicians across Texas and Oklahoma.

            For over a decade, Mrs. Romo served as the Head Orchestra Director at Maus Middle School in Frisco, Texas. Under her leadership, the Advanced Symphony Orchestra earned consistent UIL Sweepstakes Awards, with top honors in 2015–2017 and 2019–2024. Prior to that, she led the orchestra program at Westwood Junior High in Richardson, Texas, where her ensembles received six consecutive UIL Sweepstakes Awards and numerous “Best in Class” recognitions at regional festivals.

            Earlier in her career, Mrs. Romo taught both middle and high school orchestras in Oklahoma. Her ensembles performed at major venues and festivals, including the Oklahoma State Capitol, Winter Park Music Festival in Colorado, the Galveston Isle Orchestra Festival, and Disney World’s Music Festival in Florida. Her students have gone on to perform at internationally renowned venues such as Carnegie Hall in New York City and the Musikverein in Vienna, Austria. 

            Mrs. Romo holds a Bachelor's degree in Music from the University of Central Oklahoma, where she studied violin under Dr. Roger Strong and performed as a scholarship violinist for four years. She also earned a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from East Central University, where she conducted a research study on the effects of violin instruction on spatial-temporal reasoning in kindergarten students.

            Beyond the classroom, Mrs. Romo has performed with community orchestras, in musicals and operas, and as a violinist in a professional string quartet. She is the former owner of Romo’s Music Studio, where she taught Suzuki strings, Kindermusik, and vocal ensembles.

            An active member of the Texas Music Adjudicators Association (TMAA), Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), Texas Orchestra Directors Association (TODA), and the American String Teachers Association (ASTA), Mrs. Romo frequently serves as a UIL judge and clinician for orchestra programs across Texas. She is also celebrating her eleventh year on faculty at the Lake Murray Orchestra Camp in Oklahoma.

​            Mrs. Romo now leads the Southern Excellence Youth Orchestra with a continued commitment to musical excellence, student growth, and community engagement. 

These orchestra courses offer a fine arts credit required for graduation and include instruction in violin, viola, cello, and string bass. Designed for beginner to intermediate players, the classes provide students with the opportunity to continue developing their instrumental skills.

Participation in rehearsals, trips, and other events outside of regular class time is expected, and attendance at all out-of-school rehearsals and performances is mandatory. This is a full-year course.

These orchestra courses provide a fine arts credit required for graduation and are open to students who play violin, viola, cello, or string bass. Designed for intermediate-level musicians, these courses offer continued development of instrumental skills. Students should expect time commitments outside of class for rehearsals, trips, and performances, with attendance at all extracurricular rehearsals and events being mandatory. This is a full-year course.

The Grand Philharmonic Orchestra serves as the preparatory ensemble for the Honors Orchestra and is open to students with 2–3 years of experience on their instrument. The focus is on strengthening fundamental playing techniques to help students build confidence and improve performance skills.

These orchestra courses fulfill the fine arts credit required for graduation and are open to students who play violin, viola, cello, or string bass. Designed for intermediate to advanced players, these classes offer continued growth in instrumental technique and musical performance. Students are expected to commit time outside of class for rehearsals, trips, and other events, with mandatory attendance at all out-of-school rehearsals and performances. This is a full-year course.

These orchestra courses offer a fine arts credit required for graduation and are intended for students who play violin, viola, cello, or string bass at an advanced level. The curriculum focuses on refining instrumental technique and ensemble performance. Students must commit to rehearsals, trips, and events outside of regular class time, with attendance at all out-of-school rehearsals and performances being mandatory. This is a full-year course.

The Honors Orchestra is made up of a select group of advanced student musicians and is widely recognized by professional musicians, university professors, and music educators as one of the premier orchestral training programs in North Texas. Students develop ensemble skills and follow the professional standards and protocols used in symphony orchestras. A key focus of the program is performing full orchestral repertoire, rather than simplified or abridged arrangements.

This course fulfills the fine arts credit required for graduation and is designed for advanced musicians with a strong interest in the study and performance of various styles of string music. As a performance-oriented ensemble, students must audition to join and are required to maintain membership in one of the main orchestra groups to participate.

Students should be prepared for additional rehearsals and performances outside the regular school day, including events at school and community functions.

These music ensemble courses provide a fine arts credit required for graduation and are designed for advanced orchestra students who have demonstrated exceptional performance skills through an audition. To be eligible for these chamber music groups, students must also maintain membership in either the Symphonic or Honors Orchestra.

The primary focus of the course is the study and performance of various types of orchestral ensembles. Students in these groups may participate in UIL contests and are expected to perform at both school and community events.