Enrichment Opportunities

Greater Milwaukee Area / SE Wisconsin Band Opportunities open to Middle School Students:

UWM Honors Band Festival - Each fall, I nominate a number of students for this opportunity. The ensembles are selected from the nominations of directors from around the area to represent many schools and to fill instrumentation needs. This festival is usually a weekend or two before Thanksgiving.

MYSO Wind Ensemble - This ensemble is comprised of students from around the greater Milwaukee area. MYSO has a number of ensembles that may include certain instrumentation from band, but the wind ensemble has the full instrumentation. These ensembles are selected from auditions each spring.

U-WAY (UWM Youth Wind Ensemble) - This ensemble is a talented group of students from around the great Milwaukee area. While most of the students are of high school age, the ensemble is open to students in grades 8-12. Auditions for the next school year are held in the spring.

WSMA Middle Level State Honors - This is Wisconsin's middle school "All-State" Band. Auditions are held each April, but registration opens in December and MUST be completed by the beginning of February. Audition sites are located throughout the state and the auditions are generally scheduled. on Saturdays

Summer Music Camps - Summer can be a great time to explore opportunities in music. There are camps at many of the area colleges and universities as well as through the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music in Milwaukee. 

Private Lessons - Private Lessons are for everyone. They are an opportunity to stretch yourself musically on music and etudes selected specifically for the student's level of readiness. Many of the above opportunities will be made of primarily of students who are studying privately. There are many area teacher and our local music stores have lesson programs.

WSMA Solo & Ensemble Festival - This festival, held each March, is a great way for students to enhance their band experience and allow them the chance to receive feedback on their performance as an individual or in a small ensemble. They will prepare a solo, duet trio, etc. and perform it for a WSMA adjudicator. It is a “win-win” endeavor. Even if the pressures of performance cause a student to not play to the best of their ability, they will learn valuable lessons about themselves and their musicality during the preparation. They will also become more familiar with the process so they are more comfortable in the future