2024 Cyclone Honor Band
February 2-3, 2024
We hope you can join us for the 48th annual Cyclone Honor Band Festival!
Please nominate your most deserving students to participate in this superb event. The exceptional conductors, combined with masterclasses and ISU Wind Ensemble concert, will provide a truly first-class weekend for you and your students!
For the 2024 Cyclone Honor Band, registration will be online at the link below. Registration deadline will be Monday, December 11, 2023 at noon and notification for accepted students will be sent on Monday, December 18th, 2023.
Registration for the 48th Cyclone Honor Band has closed.
Please do not ask us to allow your students to miss any part of their honor band rehearsals unless it is for the IHSA State Speech Event. That student will likely be able to do both – as long as they request a special time to perform and they are at a nearby site. The IHSA will gladly accept your request, as we are also a “school-approved” activity. However, know that they will not be able to move your speech students to a different site.
We will have two superb honor bands this year! We are excited about this format and our two outstanding conductors. Our intention is to make the Gold Band the finest high school honor band ever assembled in our state. The Gold Band will have approximately 70 members and the Cardinal Band will have about 100-110 members.
The GOLD BAND will be conducted by Dr. Fred Speck, the Director of Bands at the University of Louisville. Membership in this ensemble will be limited to the finest musicians in the state. Students should be a member of the 2023 All-State Band for inclusion in this ensemble. We realize the All-State selection process is not perfect. If you have a student that you feel is truly outstanding you may submit their name(s) but be sure to document the student’s accomplishments.
Students not selected for the GOLD BAND will automatically be considered for the CARDINAL BAND, and will take precedence over your nominations for the Cardinal Band.
The CARDINAL BAND will be conducted by James Tallman, who is Director of Bands at Washington Community High School (IL) and Director of the Prairie Wind Ensemble. Recommend your outstanding student musicians for this group; preferably sophomores, juniors and seniors, All-State or Honor Band caliber; serious students in your program who have already achieved success in music or who show outstanding promise and potential.
Music will be sent electronically to all directors with the acceptance notification – and in your hands by December 18, 2023.The festival will begin with registration at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, February 2 and conclude with the final concert on Saturday, February 3 at 3:00 pm.
There is a charge per student of $25 for participation in the Cyclone Honor Band Festival. There are no meals provided in the cost of registration. If your student(s) would like to eat dinner on Friday at our University Dining Center (all you can eat – wide variety of food options) – that cost is $15.00 and they can purchase that ticket at the Dining Center.
PLEASE NOTE: Once your students are selected (forms are due to us by December 11), we ask you to please pay non-refundable participation fees in advance. FEES ARE DUE BY JANUARY 31.
The honor bands concert will be held at Stephens Auditorium on Saturday, February 3 at 3:00 p.m. Admission to the concert for non-participants is $10 for adults and $5 for children, students, and senior citizens over 65. Each director in attendance will receive one complimentary ticket to this concert.
Thanks in advance for your support. We are excited to host this event and appreciate your participation. Please don’t hesitate to contact me should you have any questions or concerns.
Michael Golemo, D.M.A.
Director of Bands
mgolemo@iastate.edu
515.294.0394