Thank you for attending this year’s Northwest High School Honor Band event!
Information for next year’s program will be updated soon.
Northwest High School Honor Band
January 8-9, 2027
Mary Baker Russell Music Center | Ron Gerhardstein, Director
The Northwest High School Honor Bands will feature music performed by approximately 325 of the finest high school musicians from the Pacific Northwest. 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 nationally recognized guest clinicians.
Nominations:
High school directors, please use the link provided below to nominate and recommend students that you would like to participate in the Northwest High School Honor Band. We ask that before nominating a student, please check with each student concerning their availability. There is a participant fee of $140 for each student participating in the Honor Band. The window for Nomination Forms will open on September 14, 2026 at 8am.
Nomination deadline: October 20, 2025 at 11:59pm.
Notification Window:
High school directors will receive notifications of selected students accepted by October 27, 2025.
Registration:
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 the event registration. Once received, please complete registration and payment using the link provided by December 8, 2025.
- Participant fees: $140 (non-refundable) / Deadline: December 8, 2025.
- A link of the recorded performance will be shared with participants following the event.
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 December 8, 2025 at 11:59pm.
Lodging:
Upon registration, students traveling from afar to the PLU campus should plan to coordinate housing prior to the Honor Band event to ensure lodging is available. Please utilize the links provided near the bottom of this page under ‘More Information’.
Performance Attire:
For the performances, students should plan on wearing their provided Honor Band shirts which they will receive at check in, along with dark colored pants and shoes.
Audition Materials for Chair Placement:
After participant’s check in on January 9th, 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 10th 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
Performance
January 10, 2026
4:30 pm Performance
Northwest High School
Cascade Concert Band,
Olympic Concert Band
and
6:30 pm Performance
Northwest High School
Rainier Symphonic Band
Free Admission / No Tickets
Workshop Clinicians:
For Questions:
Ron Gerhardstein, Associate Professor of Music; Director of Band Studies
School of Music, Theatre & Dance; Pacific Lutheran University
(253) 535-7609 e-mail: gerharrc@plu.edu
Abby Deskins, Coordinator of Educational Outreach Programs
College of Professional Studies; Pacific Lutheran University
(253) 535-7877 e-mail: adeskins@plu.edu
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