The 46th annual Cyclone Honor Band Festival was held on campus February 4-5 after being held “virtually” in 2021. Over 200 high school students, representing 50 schools, participated in the event which included rehearsals with guest conductors and ISU band directors, masterclasses with the ISU applied faculty, performances by the ISU Wind Ensemble and Jazz Combo, and culminated with a performance of the two honor bands at Stephens Auditorium. Guest conductors were Patrick Sheridan, an internationally-known conductor and tuba virtuoso, and Jarrod O’Donnell, Director of Bands at Atlantic High School (IA).
According to ISU Director of Bands Michael Golemo, “This was a tremendous and very successful event, providing a rewarding musical experience for over 200 high school students while providing a wonderful recruiting opportunity for our program. It was terrific to have this back on campus.”
Leah Schmidt, Director of Bands at Williamsburg High School (IA), wrote “What an amazing honor band!! My students all commented on how much fun they had and LOVED the music selections! For my students attending this event, this was the perfect balance of challenge and reward. THANK YOU for hosting the event – we definitely missed it last year!”