Northern Festival of Bands 2024

The Northern Festival of Bands is an annual weekend wind band festival for high school band students. Selected students perform in bands led by internationally and nationally renown conductors, participate in masterclasses and workshops with UNI faculty and students, and experience performances given by UNI's outstanding ensembles. 

The 2024 festival is January 25-27, 2024. The festival features performances by the UNI Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band on Friday evening, as well as Saturday afternoon’s performance by high school participants featuring solo competition winners, percussion groups, and the Festival Bands.

High school performers are divided into three bands: Wind Orchestra, Symphony Band, and Concert Band. The Wind Orchestra consists primarily of All-State Band members, the Symphony Band is comprised of some All-State students and older students usually in 11-12th grade, and the Concert Band is typically younger students in 9-10th grade. However, there will be some crossover due to the need to create an instrumentation for three outstanding ensembles.

Festival Fees

Students - $34.00 per student

Schedule

The complete schedule will be available at Registration on your arrival. Currently, the following time frames are in place:

2024 NFB Schedule

Thursday, January 25

6:00pm Meeting for all students and directors

6:30-7:45pm Rehearsal 

8:00-9:00pm Rehearsal

9:00pm Ice Cream Social

Friday, January 26

8:30am-12:00pm Rehearsals and Concerts

1:30-4:00pm Rehearsals and Concerts

6:00pm Rehearsals

7:30pm Concert - UNI Wind Ensemble & Symphonic Band

Saturday, January 27

9:00-11:00am Rehearsals and Concerts

1:30pm Final Warm-Up

2:00pm Final Festival Concert

Date: January 25 - 27, 2024

Location: UNI School of Music

115 Russell Hall, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50614

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