
High School Band All-State Festival
The Nevada Music Educators Association All-State Festival features a middle school and high school level band. These ensembles include woodwinds, brass, and percussion. Students work closely with a guest conductor for two days before performing a final concert. Students who make the All-State bands are the top performers in Nevada. Both Middle and High school students audition to earn a spot in the ensemble.
2024 Nevada High School Band
All-State Audition and Nomination Information
2024 All-State Audition Student Information
Students see your music director for more information on the audition process. All-State Audition and/or Participation fees will be paid by each school and their ensemble director/s. All students will need to see their school director for more information on audition fees and audition registration. Students and parents please contact your school music or ensemble director with any questions you might have about your students auditions.
High School All-State Band Audition Results:
Directors, All-State Ensemble Auditions information as well as forms can be found below. The All-State results will be available no later then by December 2, 2023. Please contact your All-State Chair persons for any questions or help.
High School All-State Band Audition Links
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Important Dates
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The registration deadline is Monday, October 30th, 2023
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Audition Schedule will be posted and sent out on November 6th, 2023
Audition Dates Las Vegas
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November 13th at Clark High School (ALL Percussion)
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November 14th at Coronado High School
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November 15th at Coronado High School
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​November 16th at Arbor View High
Audition Dates North
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November 13th, 2023 at Carson City High School
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November 14th, 2023 at Sparks High Schoo
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November 15th, 2023 at Elko High School
2024 Nevada All-State High School Band Festival and Conference Information
2024 HS Band All-State Festival Schedule and More
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2024 HS All-State Festival Schedule Not available yet
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2024 All-State Festival Participation
All-State Festival Participation Checklist:
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Pay for Student All-State Festival Participation fee $50 Not available yet
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Music Directors Complete Director FormNot available yet
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Directors Pay for All-State Festival Director fee here $50 Not available yet
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Book Hotel rooms (Not available yet)
All-State Festival Payments
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Pay for Student All-State Festival Participation fee $50 Not available yet
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Pay for All-State Festival Director fee here $50 Not available yet
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If you are paying by check please email David Morris the State Executive. Invoices can be requested by contacting David Morris the State Executive at stateexec@nmeamusic.org
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Mail all checks to 1125 Avenue of the Oaks #406, Sparks, NV. 89431. Please write checks out to the Nevada Music Educators Association.
Chairperson and Committee
Julio Vargas All-State HS Band Chair
Email: Vargajc@nv.ccsd.net
Josh Matthews
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Related Documents
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Student All-State Festival Participation fee $50 Not available yet
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2024 All-State Directors Form Not available yet
2024 Nevada All-State High School
Band Conductor

2024 Conductor
Captain Brian O. Walden
U.S. Navy Retired
Captain Brian O. Walden, U.S. Navy (Ret.) recently completed 2021/2022 as Visiting Assistant Professor/Interim Director of Bands at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia where he has remained this year to teach as an Adjunct Instructor in music education. He returned to the Hampton Roads area after serving as Associate Professor, Director of Bands & Instrumental Studies and Interim Director of Music Education at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama from 2018 - 2021. He previously served as the Director of Bands and Director of Music Education at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia from 2015 - 2018 where he was also the Coordinator of the Graduate Conducting Program. He has conducted international recording artists live and for television performances with Jason Mraz, James Taylor, Colbie Caillat, Take 6, Phillip Phillips (American Idol winner), Isaac Slade of the rock band “The Fray,” Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, Branford Marsalis (former Director of The Tonight Show Band with Jay Leno), TV and Broadway star Neil Patrick Harris, and performed with Natalie Cole as well as many other artists. He has conducted ensembles and performed as a trumpet instrumentalist on every continent except Antarctica. Brian holds a BA in Music/Religious Studies (Double Major) from Saint Leo University, Florida, a MM in Wind Ensemble Conducting from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, and studied in the DMA Music Education program at Boston University and PhD program in Music Education at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. In 2012 he was awarded the Outstanding Alumni Award by the Alumni Council of the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston for his career contributions to the field of wind band conducting. He also holds a Graduate Diploma in National Security Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. Upon retirement from active duty serving as the Commanding Officer/Conductor of the United States Navy Band Washington, DC (White House Support Unit) as the senior musician in the Department of Defense, Captain Walden was awarded the distinguished Legion of Merit by President Barack H. Obama for his 35 years of service to the nation. Additionally, in 2019 President Donald J. Trump awarded the National Medal of Arts, “the highest honor given to artists and arts patrons by the United States Government.” Brian has performed on trumpet and as Guest Conductor with the Alabama Winds and is currently the Conductor/Music Director of the Virginia Wind Symphony and serves with the Bay Youth Orchestras of Virginia as Conductor of the Bay Youth Wind Symphony. Captain Walden is an elected member of the American Bandmasters Association, the highest honor for Bandmasters in North America. He is in demand nationally as a guest conductor for professional, collegiate, high school and middle school wind bands and orchestras. Captain Walden is married to Staci Harris Walden, whom he met as a blind date for her high school senior prom. They have been married for 37 years and have two sons. Brian and Staci love sailing at their home on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland and spending time with their grandson, Maverick.
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