State Honor Bands

2024-2025 MBDA 6-8 and 9-10 Honor Bands

The 2024-2025 MBDA 6-8 and 9-10 Honor Bands provide an opportunity for talented young musicians from across Minnesota to join together in the performance of quality concert band literature.

Rehearsal and Performance Schedule

  • Location: Owatonna High School
  • Rehearsal Schedule:
    • Saturday, April 12th, 2025 from approximately 8:30 am to 8:00 pm
    • Sunday, April 13th, 2025 starting at approximately 12:00 pm
  • Performance: Sunday, April 13th, 2025 at 2:00 pm
  • Attendance at all rehearsals and the performance is mandatory.

State Honor Band Concert Attire:

State Honor Band Concert Attire: Students should plan to wear ALL CONCERT BLACK for the concert. They will need to arrive wearing concert dress on Sunday, as there will not be a space or time to change before the concert. Long sleeves are encouraged. Please NO ties. A long skirt or dress would also be appropriate. Please have close toed shoes. Thank you! There is no dress code for Saturday rehearsals. Honor Band T-Shirts are NOT for the concert.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Students must be in grades 6-8 or 9-10, depending on the band they are auditioning for.
  • Students must be involved in their MN school band program during the year of audition.
  • Directors must be current, paid members of MBDA at the time of audition submission.
  • MBDA aims to represent as many schools across Minnesota as possible each year.

Audition Submission

  • Auditions must be submitted via mp3 recordings.
  • Submission window: December 2 - December 9, 2024.
  • Directors must ensure their membership is paid and current (The membership year begins on July 1st). No auditions will be accepted if the membership is not current.

Audition Fee

  • A $17 per student audition fee must be paid prior to the audition being listened to.
  • All payments must be made by Friday, December 13, 2024, with no exceptions.

Notification and Participation Requirements

  • Notification of acceptance and music will be sent to directors in February 2025.
  • If selected, students must attend all scheduled rehearsals and activities on April 12th and 13th, 2025.
  • A participation fee of approximately $85.00 per student will cover expenses, including lunch and dinner on Saturday and a t-shirt.
  • Parents are responsible for transportation, lodging, and supervision at all other times during the Honor Band weekend.

For any questions, please contact honorbandauditions@mbda.org.

MBDA Honor Band Program Archives