Don't miss it: Festival application deadline is June 5th

If you are a band director, orchestra director or percussion ensemble director who is considering applying for the 2014 Music for All National Festival, presented by Yamaha, don’t forget that applications and audition recordings must be received by June 5, 2013.

We hope by now you know everything you need to know about why you should apply to be a part of the Music for All National Festival, but if you don’t, here are some highlights to consider:

What IS the Music for All National Festival?

The MFA National Festival is an invigorating gathering of outstanding high school and middle school concert bands, orchestras and percussion ensembles from across America. Once invited, by recorded audition, the “competition” is completed – the Festival itself is non-competitive, with no rankings or ratings. Instead, the focus is on performing for peers and for the evaluator panel of esteemed conductors and clinicians.

What are the Highlights of the Music for All National Festival?

• Recorded and Written evaluation: All who apply receive recorded and written evaluation from the listening panel, making the audition process itself an educational resource.

• A national stage: High School and Middle Schools concert bands, orchestras and percussion ensembles from all over the country are invited to apply to be a part of the Festival.

• Expanded opportunities for concert bands: The National Concert Band Festival will now include two stages (opportunities) for high school bands- “Featured Bands”” on the Honors Stage at Clowes and “Invited Bands” on the Festival Stage at the new Howard L. Schrott Center for the Performing Arts, both at Butler University. Read more about these NEW exciting opportunities here.

• A non-competitive experience: without the worry of ratings or rankings, directors are free to explore and stretch themselves, and students can enjoy music-making without the pressure of competition.
  

• Concert Performances and Clinics: Each ensemble performs a concert before a knowledgable audience, including the Festival evaluation panel, music educators and fellow band and orchestra members. Ensemble directors will receive recorded and written comments from evaluators and input on their conducting as well. Following the peformance, each ensemble will have a clinic providing even more educational opportunties.

• Master Classes: All students participate in instrumental master classes, led by top applied faculty and professional musicians. 

• Social Events for Students and Directors: The Festival social gives students the chance to relax, have fun and get to know students from other programs across the country. The director and evaluator reception and hospitality opportunities offer networking and informal interaction with colleagues, guest artists and icons of music education.

• Gala Awards Banquet: The “black-tie-optional” banquet for students, directors, parents, staff and evaluators culminates the Festival with first-class standards that distinguish the Music for All National Festival. The formal banquet with over 2,000 guests is sure to be unforgettable for you, your students, parents and supporters.

• World-Class Venues and Facilities: Featured Bands perform at Clowes Memorial Hall and Invited Bands at the new Howard L. Schrott Center for the Performing Arts, both on the Butler University campus. Percussion ensembles perform at Warren Performing Arts Center and Orchestras at Hilbert Circle Theatre, home of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

• DVD & CD Package: Each student member and director gets a recording package of their concert, including professionaly-produced video on DVD and audio on CD.

• Ensemble Hosts: Each invited ensemble will be assigned a “host” to help guide you through the Festival weekend and is committed to ensuring that you have the best possible experience before and during the Festival. Hosts are familiar with, and in most cases have had an ensemble perform at, the Festival.

• Opportunities for Additional Ensembles: Many groups want to travel with all of the students in their school’s band program and Music for All provides educational options to allow as many of your instrumental music students as possible to participate. Directors can choose to submit audition applications for multiple bands from one school for the Featured Band and/or Invited Band stages. Selected bands from both stages can choose to bring additional ensembles- concert bands, percussion ensembles, or orchestras- to participate in additional opportunities during the Festival.