Honor Band Festival

December 7-9, 2023

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

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!

NOMINATION & AUDITION PROCESS

Streamlined Selection Process using Festival Scores.

• 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

UPDATES TO THIS YEAR’S PROCESS

instructions

• 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

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

CURRENT HONOR BAND FESTIVAL DOCUMENTS

• Director Letter
• Student Invitation Letter
• STUDENT REGISTRATION FORM
• Hotel Information

Audition Excerpts

CLICK HERE

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

Nomination/Chair Placement Audition Upload Instructions

Contact: 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.