Honor Band, Choir & Strings Festival
The Festival provides an opportunity for talented high school musicians to perform in a select ensemble under the leadership of UND faculty.
2025 UND Honor Festival
Save the date for the 40th annual University of North Dakota Honor Band, Choir, and strings festival held on UND's campus January 24-26, 2025!
Audition registration is now open. Please register your students for the 2025 UND Honor Festival auditions by October 10, 2024.
Registration
Students may audition for the Honor Band, an Honor Choir, and the Honor Strings if they so desire ($15.00 per audition, flutists may also audition on piccolo for no additional charge). There is no participation fee for students that are selected. Please make every attempt to attend auditions at one of the sites listed. Special arrangements for students who are interested in auditioning but who cannot appear at the scheduled locations and times will be handled on an individual basis.
Directors can now bulk upload a roster of participating students into our new registration system. Please use this form to ensure consistency with our system.
Directors should register their students for auditions via the online registration form found on the UND Music Department website. The audition fee for the Festival is $15.00 for each student per audition (flutists may also audition on piccolo at no additional charge). To facilitate scheduling, please register for auditions by October 10, 2024. Please note the columns asking for the preferred location and times for your auditions. The master audition schedule will be sent to directors on or around October 23rd. Every attempt will be made to schedule students as closely as possible to their preferred time. Payment for the auditions must be done by credit card when you register. The registration process may be completed by either directors, or by individual students. Please call UND Music at 701-777-2644 with any questions or concerns.
Audition Schedule
| Date | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Monday, October 28 | Devils Lake Middle School | 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. |
| Monday, October 28 | Minot Magic City High School | 1:30 - 8:30 p.m. |
| Tuesday, October 29 | Williston High School | 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. |
| Tuesday, October 29 | Dickinson High School | 4:30 - 7 p.m. MT |
| Wednesday, October 30 | Bismarck High School | 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. |
| Wednesday, October 30 | Bismarck Legacy High School | 1:30 - 7:30 p.m. |
| Thursday, October 31 | Jamestown High School | 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. |
| Thursday, October 31 | Fargo South High School | 1:30 - 8 p.m. |
| Friday, November 1 | Fargo South High School | 8 - 11 a.m. |
| Friday, November 1 | UND Grand Forks | 2:30 - 6:30 p.m. |
| Saturday, November 2 | UND Grand Forks | 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. |
Honor Band Auditions
Woodwind and Brass instrumentalists should play two excerpts from appropriate solo literature and/or etudes that will exhibit both lyrical playing and technical proficiency (approximately three minutes in length total for this repertoire). Students will also be asked to play a major scale of their choice and chromatic scale (both scales should be performed ascending and descending).
- Students may choose the style and tempo, as well as the number of octaves (please play as many as possible), for these scales.
- In addition, each woodwind and brass instrumentalist will also be asked to sight-read.
- Percussionists should play prepared solo literature and/or excerpts on both snare drum and a keyboard mallet instrument (approximately four minutes in length total for this repertoire).
- Percussionists are not requited to play scales or rudiments, but will be asked to sight-read on both snare drum and mallets. Instrumentalists do not need an accompanist. Dr. James Popejoy will conduct the Honor Band auditions.
Honor Choir Auditions
Vocalists should sing a prepared solo from classical vocal solo (i.e. non-choral) repertoire. Popular or country music should be avoided. Also, sight-reading will be an important part of the audition. Vocalists should provide their own accompanist. Please refrain from singing a cappella or using recorded accompaniment. Melanie Popejoy will conduct the Honor Choir auditions.
| Datez | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday, October 26 | UND Grand Forks | 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. |
| Sunday, October 27 | Devils Lake High School | 6 - 8 p.m. |
| Monday, October 28 | Minot Magic City High School | 9 a.m - 12 p.m. |
| Monday, October 28 | Williston High School | 2 - 4 p.m. |
| Tuesday, October 29 | All Bismarck High Schools | 8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. |
| Tuesday, October 29 | Jamestown High School | 3 - 4 p.m. |
Honor Strings Auditions
String instrumentalists should perform a two-three minute selection from appropriate literature that showcases the student’s best playing ability. They will also be asked to play one major or minor scale (two or more octaves; students may choose the style and tempo). In addition, each student will also be asked to sight-read. Dr. Simona Barbu will conduct the Honor Strings auditions.
Accommodations
GRAND FORKS HOTELS & Accommodations