Honor Bands.

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2008 State Honor Band.

About

The Minnesota Band Directors Association sponsors two honor bands annually, one comprised of students in grades 6, 7 and 8, and another comprised of students in grades 9 and 10. The MBDA Honor Bands provide the opportunity for select students from across the state of Minnesota to immerse themselves in an invigorating environment of music-making under the direction of a distinguished guest conductor.

Interested students apply by completing an application and submitting a taped audition. A committee of qualified adjudicators scores each audition tape against an agreed upon set of standards, ensuring that a consistent standard of excellence is used in assessing each applicant.

Regional Honor Bands

Regional level honor bands (by nomination) were held on either January 26th, 2008 or February 23rd, 2008 (to be decided by your regional leadership team).

More information: Visit the links to the left for your specific region and information.

State Level Honor Bands

State Level Selection Process

Students in grades 6-10 must be members of the school band program during the year of audition and have directors who are presently members of MBDA. Students are selected based on ability through the evaluation of audition tapes by qualified music educators, but each school is limited to no more than six (6) students per band (typically each MBDA Honor Band consists of between 70-80 students). Instrumentation is determined by the needs of the guest conductor and by the musical demands of the selected literature. The ranking given to the student by the school director is consulted only when the audition score, instrumentation, and school participant limit are in conflict. It is the intent of MBDA to represent as many schools across the state as possible while functioning within the stated guidelines.

Participation in the MBDA Honor Bands is earned by:

  • A successful audition; and
  • A commitment to attend all scheduled Honor Band Activities.

Dismissal:

  • Any participant who is absent from a scheduled Honor Band activity (ie: rehearsal, sectional, meal, break time, etc.) other than in a case of severe illness or unforseen emergency, shall forfeit their place in the Honor Band and be asked to hand in their folder before being dismissed.
  • Advance notice of irresolvable conflicts will allow another student to be placed from the list of alternates. Participants must resolve all outside conflicts and commit to all Honor Band activities.
  • Participants who forfeit their place may be denied consideration for MBDA Honor Bands in future years.

The 2008 timeline of events will require that audition tapes and CD's are received in early December, 2007. Membership will be determined and mailed to directors by early March, 2008.

Questions about Honor Band auditions should be directed to David Miller, MBDA Honor Band Audition Chair.

2007-08 State Level Audition Materials

Questions about Honor Band auditions should be directed to David Miller, MBDA Honor Band Audition Chair.

6-8 State Honor Band Information

The event will be held April 19-20, 2008 at Northfield Middle School.

The conductor will be Joni Sutton, MBDA Past President and Band Director at Maple Grove Junior High School.

Repertoire for this year's 6-8 Honor Band will be:

  • Annie Laurie - arr. Carl Strommen - Carl Fischer
  • Flourish for a Celebration - Carl Strommen - Belwin
  • Silvercrest Concert March - James Swearingen - Barnhouse
  • Tribal Quest - Sean O’Loughlin - Carl Fischer
  • Bacchanale - Camille Saint-Saëns, arr. Andrew Balent - Carl Fischer
  • Alligator Alley - Michael Daugherty - Band Quest
  • The Star Spangled Banner - arr. Mark Williams - Alfred

9-10 State Honor Band Information

The event will be held April 19-20, 2008 at Northfield Middle School.

The conductor will be Dr. Mark Whitlock, Director of Bands at the University of Minnesota, Duluth.

Repertoire for this year's 9-10 Honor Band will be:

  • Joy Revisited - Frank Ticheli
  • On A Hymnsong of Philip Bliss - Holsinger
  • Symphony #1 - Daniel Buckvich
  • An Irish Rhapsody – Grundman
  • Pentland Hills – Maj. James Howe

MBDA Honor Band Program Archives

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