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Students in band at BHS are eligibal for five high school honor band programs, all listed below. All-State and WIBC are audition only, while UMT and PLU are by director recomendation. The NAfME All-Nation Ensembles are also by audition, but students need to first make All-State to be eligibal for All-National auditions.
Honor Bands are NOT BHS affiliated. BHS assumes no financial, supervision, or transportation responsibilities for honor bands.
Honor Bands by Audition
All-State / All-NW
All-State / All-NW
All-State is the most prestigious honor band opportunity available to students at BHS. Each student accepted into the program will be placed into one of several All-State ensembles, assigned a guest conductor, and will prepare a full concert for performance in Tacoma's beautiful and historic Pantages Theater.
- 2027 All State Informational Hub- WMEA All-State / NAfME All-NW [Winds & Percussion - DUE Nov 12th, 2026]- WMEA All-State / NAfME All-NW [Jazz - DUE Nov 12th, 2026]
Record your auditions at home. Then do the online form, pay, and upload your audition materials in the band room after school before the deadline.
NOTES- NAfME All-Nationals has been cancelled since covid- NAfME All-NW has been cancelled since 2025 (Washington was the only state willing to organize or host it, so WMEA decided to drop it in favor of focussing on an improved All-State experience.)
WIBC
WIBC
The Western International Band Clinic is the biggest honor band in the Pacific Northwest. Each year, they take about 600 students from the greater northwest, including some students from as far away as Australia!
The 600 students are assigned to four different bands, who all share a rotating set of 5-6 professional conductors. WIBC is the way to go, if you're looking for a great experience that will leave you inspired and excited about music!
- WIBC Audition Music [DUE Oct 9th]
Record, register, pay, and upload your auditions at home ahead of the deadline. Mr Thomas will approve your audition after the fact.
Honor Bands by Recommendation
UMT
UMT
The University of Montana hosts about 225 high school honor band students for a three day festival each fall. Students earn admission through director recommendations, and are placed into one of three bands prior to arrival.
- UMT Honor Band Information [appications due by 9/28/2026]
PLU
PLU
Pacific Lutheran University runs a two day honor band program that includes about 250 great high school band students from the PNW.
Acceptance is by director recommendation, and once on campus, students audition for placement between two bands.
- PLU Honor Band Information [appications due by 9/28/2026]
All-Nation Concert Band - by Audition
The National Association for Music Education
>> DISCONTINUED SINCE 2020 <<
The National Association for Music Education holds a National Conference in the fall, and the All-Nation Concert Band, Orchestra, and Chorus are some amazing opportunities available to students who first make All-State or All-NW. Those select students are invited to reaudition, by video submissions, in the spring for the national ensembles which take place the following fall. Audition results are disseminated in early summer. Current 9th through 11th grade students who participate in All-State or All-NW are eligibal to participate in All-Nation during their sophomore through senior years.
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