Northwest High School Honor Band
All in-person events and workshops have been postponed to the 2021-2022 academic year. The following is provided for information only. Dates and details will be updated in Spring 2021.
January 7-8, 2022
Pacific Lutheran University
253-535-7602
The Northwest High School Honor Bands will feature music performed by approximately 250 of the finest high school musicians from Idaho, Oregon and Washington. These outstanding high school students are recommended for participation in the event by their high school band directors and the concert is a culmination of two days of intense rehearsals with guest clinicians.
Honor Band is hosted by Pacific Lutheran University under the direction of Dr. Ed Powell and Dr. Ron Gerhardstein.
Dr. Vu Nguyen
Professor Vu Nguyen currently teaches at University of the Pacific, having previously taught at the University of Connecticut where he served as Director of Wind Ensembles and Conducting.
Prior to his appointment at the University of Connecticut, he served as the Director of Bands at the University of Indianapolis, was a conductor of the Wind Ensemble at Washington University in St. Louis, and was a visiting conductor of the Indiana University Concert Band. He began his career teaching in the public schools of San Ramon, CA.
Dr. Nguyen has conducted throughout the western United States and in Japan. He maintains an active schedule as a clinician and has served as guest conductor with the United States Air Force Bands of the Golden West and Mid-America, as well as regional honor bands in northern California, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana. Ensembles under his direction have been invited to perform at state music educator conferences in California and Indiana, at the Midwest Clinic, and most recently at the 2020 College Band Directors National Association Eastern Division Conference. His research interests focus on contemporary wind band literature, the music of Frank Zappa, and conducting pedagogy. His book chapter on composer Carter Pann was published in the fifth volume of A Composer’s Insight: Thoughts, Analysis, and Commentary on Contemporary Masterpieces for Wind Band (Meredith Music Publications).
A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Dr. Nguyen earned a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from University of the Pacific, a Master of Music in Conducting from the University of Oregon, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Conducting from the University of Washington.
In addition to his academic career, Dr. Nguyen continues to serve as an officer in the Air National Guard (ANG) where he is the commander/conductor of the ANG Band of the West Coast. In this position, he is responsible for all activities of the 40-member squadron, including participation in ceremonies, parades, concerts and other public performances. The Band of the West Coast is one of five ANG Bands in the United States covering an eight-state area of responsibility that includes California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
Dr. Tonya Mitchell-Spradlin
Dr. Tonya Mitchell-Spradlin is the Assistant Director of Bands and Associate Director of Athletic Bands at the University of South Carolina. There, she assists with the Carolina Band, directs the women’s basketball band, and conducts the University Band. Dr. Mitchell-Spradlin also teaches courses in the music education department and oversees student teachers. Prior to her appointment at USC, she served as interim Director of Athletic Bands at Valdosta State University in Valdosta, GA, and spent four years as band director at Chamblee Charter High School in Chamblee, GA.
Dr. Mitchell-Spradlin is a frequent adjudicator, clinician, and speaker. As a proponent of new music, she led the consortium and premiere of Aaron Perrine’s Beneath a Canvas of with the University of Kansas Wind Ensemble to complete her doctoral studies. Her research on Joan Tower’s Fanfares for the Uncommon Woman is published in the Alta Musica journal; she also presented this research at the International Society for the Promotion of Wind Band in Oberwölz, Austria. Additionally, Dr. Mitchell-Spradlin serves as New Music Editor for the Women Band Director’s International Journal. As a champion for women in music, she was honored to speak in the 2018 Tau Beta Sigma Women in Music series.
Dr. Mitchell-Spradlin received her Bachelor of Music Education degree with a minor in wind conducting from Indiana University where she was also drum major of the Marching Hundred. She holds a Master of Music Education degree from the University of Georgia, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Wind Conducting degree from the University of Kansas. Dr. Mitchell-Spradlin is a member of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity, and an honorary member of Tau Beta Sigma.
High school directors, please use the link provided below to create or login with an OpusEvent account to nominate and recommend students that you would like to participate in the Northwest High School Honor Band. The nomination deadline is TBD. We ask that before nominating a student, please check with each student concerning their availability. There is a participant fee of $110 for each student participating in the Honor Band.
Link to the Honor Band information letter, schedule.
Nominations for January 2022 will open TBD:
OpusEvent Honor Band Nominations
Honor Band Registration will be made available following the designated nomination period.
Once nominations have been reviewed Honor Band participants will be notified of acceptance via email and provided access to registration. Once received, please complete registration and payment using the OpusEvent link provided by TBD.
- Participant fees: $110 (non-refundable) / Deadline: TBD.
- Concert CD: $20
Please note that no refunds will be allowed after event registration has been completed, and no registration or payment will be accepted following the deadline of TBD.
Audition Materials for Chair Placement
After participant’s check in on January 7th, chair placement auditions will be held in various rooms in the Mary Baker Russell Music Center. Please open and print the PDF version of your part for your instrument and practice prior to the January 7th check in.
Flute, Oboes, Clarinet (B-Flat), Clarinet (Bass), Clarinet (Contra Bass), Bassoon, Sax (Alto), Sax (Bari), Sax (Tenor), Trumpet/Cornet, French Horn, Trombone, Euphonium TC, Euphonium BC, Tuba, Mallets, Snare Drum, Timpani, Double Bass
JANUARY 8, 2022
5:00pm performance
Northwest High School
Concert Band
and
6:30pm performance
Northwest High School
Symphonic Band
The concerts are held in Lagerquist Concert Hall in the Mary Baker Russell Music Center. Free Admission / No Tickets.
General information regarding your time at PLU for Honor Band
ATTIRE: For the performances, students should plan on wearing standard concert attire that they would normally wear for school performances. Aside from the concerts, casual dress is appropriate.
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