HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Dr. Adam Dalton and his passion for music and education would not let COVID-19 cancel Marshall University’s annual High School Honor Band Festival.
Dalton, the Director of Bands at Marshall, said this year’s event on Friday will be a free online version open to anyone. Last year’s event took place in-person, in February, just weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic began.
“I still wanted to be able to provide that service for high school students and high school directors to be able to participate in music and participate in an honor band event,” Dalton said.
In a non-COVID year, high school band directors would make recommendations to the event and there would be auditions at Marshall to divide in multiple concert bands. The event is also traditionally a Thursday, Friday and Saturday with a concert on Saturday evening. Educators, composers and musicians are brought in from around the country to reach on Thursday and Friday.
Dalton said with the event opened up to everyone virtually, there has been interest from all over the state and as far as Arkansas. As of Wednesday morning, Dalton said 253 registered for the event.
“This time because there is no need for travel, we let everyone register. What is great is, people from the other side of the state that may not have wanted to travel all the way to Huntington are registering. People from outside of the state as well,” he said.
The theme of the event is “Reconnecting.” The event will feature special guest Robert W. Smith, a renowned composer and educator. On Friday, participants will rehearse Smith’s new piece, “Portals,” in a live, virtual setting and attend sessions with Marshall band directors and master classes with Marshall faculty.
Students will then submit recordings of themselves playing “Portals.” The recordings will be edited together and premiere online in a special Marshall Bands concert that will be shared on the School of Music’s YouTube channel in May, Dalton explained.
“Our hope is that in this one-day virtual experience that they can still find a way to connect with each other, connect with the incredible guest musician coming in Robert W. Smith and connect with marshall,” Dalton said.
Registration for the Honor Band is free and still open at www.marshall.edu/band/honorband.
The event is sponsored by the School of Music in the College of Arts and Media.