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Honor Band Festival

Honor Band Festival

Read more below about the yearly Honor Band Festival!

 

Director Letter

December 7-9, 2023

The University of North Carolina Wilmington is pleased to announce the 12th annual UNCW Honor Band Festival. In addition to working with UNCW Director of Bands, Dr. Dominic Talanca, and our guest conductor, Ms. Carolina Perez (North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics), students will attend performances by the UNCW Symphonic Band, jazz ensembles, and faculty ensembles. Students participate in full-ensemble rehearsals as well as masterclasses with the UNCW Department of Music applied faculty. The festival concludes on Saturday afternoon with a finale concert. Festival participants are selected based on their director’s endorsement and the submission of recorded musical excerpts.

Seniors: participants of the festival will have the opportunity to audition for admission into the UNCW Department of Music on Saturday, December 9.  Students auditioning at this time will receive full consideration for scholarships!

Conductor

Dr. Dominic Talanca

Director of Bands
UNC Wilmington

 

Guest Conductor

Ms. Carolina Perez

Director of Bands
North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics - Durham, NC

NOMINATION & AUDITION PROCESS

Festival Scores

We are streamlining the selection process by using Festival Scores:

Sign Up

  • Directors who previously set up an account can use it if they still have the same email address; password reset functions are available on the website
  • Directors new to the system or with new email addresses may follow prompts to create a new profile and then enter your students for consideration

Sign Up Instructions (Video) - Click "How To Get Started"

Changes For This Year

  • Student nominations, selection, and chair placement auditions have been combined into ONE EASY STEP
  • Directors create student entry; Director OR Students may upload mp3 audition recording to finalize entry
  • Student profiles remain in the system for the duration of their time at a particular school
  • NEW THIS YEAR: we will be using the 9-10 All-State excerpts as the source material for our audition excerpts

Audition Process Timeline

Date Event
September 6–15, 2023
  • Explain to students, gauge interest, enter students into system
  • Students can still be entered after September 15, but in creating the student entry, you make it possible for students to upload their audition mp3 (see instructions)
  • RECOMMENDED: print this...have advanced students fill out/return to director
  • blank form
September 6–November 2, 2023
  • Student excerpt preparation and mp3 submission
  • Director or student upload possible (see instructions)
  • No submissions after October 10
November 4, 2023
  • Judging and data processing begins
November 13, 2023
  • Announcement of accepted students into the UNCW Honor Band Festival
Audition Excerpts

We will be using the 9/10 NCBA Honors Band excerpts for our auditions. Click the Audition Sheet Music link below and select the file for your instrument. Then click on the download icon to see the pieces and audition cuts for the UNCW Honor Band Festival.

Audition Sheet Music

Email: Dr. Dominic Talanca

talancad@uncw.edu

UNCW is an EEO/AA Institution. Accommodations for disabilities may be requested by contacting the Department of Music at 910.962.3415 at least 10 days prior to the event.

Please review either the written instructions below or this video for uploading Mp3s.

  • Go to www.festivalscores.com
  • Click Directors button on the banner
  • EVERYONE should click Create New Account button
  • Click Create New Director Account button OR Reset Password if you have previously created an accountNOTE – DO NOT USE FORWARD OR BACKWARD BUTTONS IN YOUR BROWSER WHEN USING THIS SYSTEM
  • Enter school email address and look for automated email with activation link; enter info (first name, last name, password)
  • Go to www.festivalscores.com and log in using newly-created username and password
  • The screen below will appear and become a home base for your account
  • Click Update Profile button at the top left
  • Fill out the Account Profile page and PLEASE INCLUDE
    • All Green Fields
    • Expertise 1 and 2
    • Mobile Phone
    • Shirt Size
    • SAVE CHANGES
  • Click Schools dropdown and click Schools or Add School
  • Double check ALL information for your existing school or enter all information for your school
  • SAVE CHANGES
  • Discuss the opportunity with your students and decide who is going to submit an audition to participate. Please make sure they are aware of all the implications with acceptance (cost, travel, etc).
  • RECOMMENDED: Have interested students fill out this blank form and return to you so you have ALL of the info you need when entering them into OR updating their information in the system: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MlKSfCPS4zi2G- nF96o9e9Ro4D3GQe_A/view?usp=sharing
  • Once you have the student forms for entry…
  • Click Students dropdown and Students (to see who is in the system from last year –ADD THE MISSING INFORMATION) OR Add Student
  • Enter the information in the GREEN boxes as well as THESE REQUIRED FIELDS:
  • Now it is time to Activate New Event
  • There is 1 event to activate:
    • 2023 UNCW Honor Band Festival: NYHJPFH
  • Important Resource Files (instructions and links to music, etc.) are available under the activated event
  • Once the event has been activated, then it is time to click Entries at the top to bring up this screen…
  • Click the Manage Entries button to add your students to the correct audition for their instrument; students can be entered in more than one audition – this makes the most sense for students auditioning to be considered for flute & piccolo; oboe & english horn
  • Then click the New Entry button in the appropriate section
  • Select your student from the dropdown menu
  • Select your school from the dropdown menu
  • Click Next
  • You can click Manage Entries again to see the list of students under the appropriate instrument awaiting the mp3 upload
  • Once a student has prepared the excerpts and recorded a SINGLE mp3 file, there are 2 options for uploading the file to upload:
    • DIRECTOR UPLOAD: once you have the SINGLE mp3 file for a student’s chair placement audition, you can simply upload it by clicking the Manage button next to the student’s name.
    • Click the Upload Audio File button
    • The file MUST be an mp3
    • If your student sends you an mp4 or some other format, then ask them to open it in itunes and then choose the track, select FILE/CONVERT/CREATE MP3 version.
    • That new track can be dragged to their desktop and easily sent
    • You can also do this for them in less than 10 seconds if you are so inclined.STUDENT UPLOAD OPTION BELOWSTUDENT UPLOAD:
  • After clicking the Manage button, you can provide access to your student by clicking Audition Access under Student Uploading
  • A personalized form is created for your student and it can be printed and given to them; the form contains a link and a pin
  • Once the mp3 file is uploaded (by director or student)…the entry is “submitted” and complete.
  • Deleting an audio file will be regarded as a cancellation if the entry remains empty at the moment of the deadline. Only "complete" entries move on to judging.
Hotel Information

Below is our partner hotel in the UNCW/Wilmington area. They have agreed to provide special rates for participants of the Honor Band Festival. Hotel space is limited – do not delay. You must mention the provided code to receive the festival rate!

Hampton Inn and Suites
University Area/Smith Creek Station
124 Old Eastwood Rd.
Wilmington, NC 28403 
(910) 791-9899

$89.00/night, plus tax - two queen beds - complimentary breakfast

Call and ask for the UNCW HONOR BAND FESTIVAL rate or book online.

(Special rate is available until November 30 @ 5:00 pm)

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