1.   Although she had appeared as soloist with the St. Louis, Montreal and Vienna Symphonies, most of her engagements were still with regional orchestras.

2.   After graduation she auditioned for and was accepted by a number of regional orchestras in the Midwest.

3.   Each gained performing experience and onstage confidence -- an inherent part of their musical training -- via carefully selected youth concerts, regional orchestra debuts and low-key recitals.

4.   Having taken the burgeoning Kansas City Philharmonic as far afield as Chicago, Krueger wanted to make it a regional orchestra also serving Wichita and Tulsa, Okla.

5.   He has also just started to take on guest conducting engagements with regional American orchestras.

6.   In his decade on the Houston podium, Eschenbach has transformed a demoralized regional orchestra with a respectable history but scant acclaim into a world-class touring and recording ensemble.

7.   Like many regional orchestras, the Charlotte Symphony has survived musical and financial hard times.

8.   Like virtually all regional orchestras, the Hudson Valley Philharmonic has always struggled to balance its books.

9.   Such enormous forces keep performances by regional orchestras to a minimum.

10.   That regional orchestra is hoping to restructure.