West Virginia University will be welcoming high school students from across the state and region for its 33rd Annual Invitational High School Honor Band event Thursday through Saturday.
The event, which will begin Thursday with auditions, will feature approximately 350 students and more than 100 different high schools will be participating in the event.
They are accepted based on a recommendation from their band director and on personal ability and achievements.
The participants will audition and be placed into one of the three bands. The top band represents the best of the participants.
This not only serves as great experience for the students, but it also represents experience for their instructors.
It gives the area directors opportunities for observation and workshops.
The event, which will be hosted by WVU Director of Bands John Hendricks and Associate Director Jay Drury owes much of its success to the high caliber guest conductors they get every year.
Those conducting this year are Roger Walker, band director at Frankfort High School in West Virginia and Concert Band conductor at WVU's Potomac State College; Jay Jacobs associate director of bands at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, La.; and Col. Michael Colburn, conductor of "The President's Own," the United States Marine Band from D.C.
The WVU Wind Symphony will also be presenting a concert as part of the weekend events.
The wind symphony concert will be Friday at 7:30 p.m. in the Lyell B. Clay Concert Theatre.
The Honor Band guest conductors will be featured during this concert, as well as The United States Army Herald Trumpets, which is the official fanfare ensemble for the president.
The students will perform their annual concert Saturday, at 3:30 p.m. in the Lyell B. Clay Concert Theatre.
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