Honor Bands

Honor bands are a large part of the concert band season. These select bands range from informal to very prestigious. Many students apply and only the very best from each school are chosen to participate. Students from many different high schools are selected as a part of these honor bands. In order to participate in an honor band, you have to fill out an application and compete for a certain number of spots in the ensemble. If selected, a set of music is sent to the director and he or she will pass it out to the students. This usually happens around a month to a month and a half before the actual honor band takes place. The students are to practice and prepare the music ahead of time before they come to the honor band. Once at the actual honor band, auditions are held for each instrument to determine their chair placement. For younger students, such as sixth and maybe seventh grade, they usually just sit the students alphabetically. However, once you get older you are required to participate in the auditions. During the auditions, you are usually asked to play a short section of each piece you received in your folder. If there are solos, the judges typically ask you to play the solo section of the piece. The judge then determines the order of chair placement, seating the best players at the top of the section. Then, the day commences.

Honor bands are extremely taxing on all players. You will be playing your instrument upwards of around eight hours a day. Most students are not accustomed to playing their instruments this long and they will fatigue very easily. It is important to take frequent breaks and not over-do it. It is not the end of the world if you lay out on a few sections throughout the day to save your chops for the concert.

At single day honor bands, the students simply come in the morning, have their auditions, and rehearse all day to perform a concert that night. There is often a lunch provided, but dinner mostly happens after the concert. Some of the more prestigious honor bands last multiple days over the weekend. Students usually leave school around half way through the day on Thursday and arrive that night. They then rehearse all of Friday and Saturday and have a concert Saturday afternoon or evening. These honor bands are especially fun because you get to stay overnight at a hotel with all the other students attending the honor band from your school.

Many students are afraid to try out for honor bands because they are worried about getting in or they do not think it will be fun. I love honor bands and I suggest that everyone try some out some time!