The Shepherd University School of Music is excited to announce its Eighteenth Annual Honor Music Festival to be held on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend—Friday, January 13 through Sunday, January 15, 2023, and will include honor jazz ensemble, choir, and wind ensemble. We are looking forward to welcoming young musicians to our campus once again for three days of rehearsals, master classes, and performances.
The festival will feature ensembles comprised of the finest high school musicians in the four-state region nominated by their high school ensemble director. They will spend the weekend making music with each other under the guidance of the Shepherd University conducting faculty and guests. Participants will also enjoy performances by Shepherd student ensembles and benefit from master classes with faculty.
Our conductors for the 2023 Honor Music Festival are Dr. Scott Hippensteel for the Wind Ensemble, Dr. Kurtis Adams for the Jazz Ensemble, Dr. Steven Grives and Dr. Robert Tudor for the Honor Choir. Special guest conductors will be Dr. Mark Lortz for the Honor Wind Ensemble, Amy K. Bormet for the Honor Jazz Ensemble, and Dr. Hilary Apfelstadt for the Honor Choir.
Click here to view the 2023 Honor Music Festival Schedule.
Shepherd Honor Music Festival 2023 will include Honor Wind Ensemble, Honor Jazz Ensemble, and Honor Choir! All Honor Music Festival participants should have received a packet in the mail in December that includes the cover letter, schedule, honor festival information, SRP forms, and printed music. If you did not receive this packet, please email music@shepherd.edu.
Listening links for the Honor Wind Ensemble:
Next Generation Fanfare – Michael Miller
Byzantine Dances – Carol Brittin Chambers
John Williams in Concert – arr. Paul Lavender
Pas Redoublé – Camille Saint-Saëns/arr. Frackenpohl
Listening links for the Honor Jazz Ensemble:
Let’s Get Down – comp. Ronnie Mathews/arr. Melba Liston No recording available
Strasburg St. Denis – Roy Hargrove/arr. Thorsten Wollman
Annapolis Sail – Daniel Jamieso
Celestial Swingin’ Blues – Vince Norman
Listening links for the Honor Choir:
How Can I Keep from Singing, arr. Gwyneth Walker
Ain’t a that Good news, arr. Rollo Dilworth
