Bainbridge High School junior Henry Brown played tenor saxophone in the All-National Honor Concert Band earlier this month in Dallas, Texas.

The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) hosts four national honor ensembles (Jazz Ensemble, Mixed Choir, Concert Band, and Symphony Orchestra) annually in conjunction with its national conference.

NAfME selected Henry for the national concert band after he first qualified for the Washington Music Educators Association’s All-State Wind Ensemble last fall, and then submitted a video audition in the spring to compete against other All-State musicians from around the country. In June, NAfME selected students from 49 states and three foreign countries to participate in its four national honor ensembles.

These high school musicians arrived Thursday afternoon, Nov. 10, and their first three-hour rehearsal was held that evening. Six hours of rehearsals each on Friday and Saturday were punctuated by presentations from music educators and guest speakers and evening performances by the Lone Star Wind Orchestra and Men’s Director’s Choir. The extended Veterans Day weekend culminated with Sunday performances by all four national honor ensembles.

The All-National Honor Concert Band was led by Paula Crider, professor emerita, University of Texas, who conducted the Symphony Band and directed the acclaimed University of Texas Longhorn Band for 17 years.

In related band news, Henry Brown and Kevin McCann (BHS junior) and Sarah Jung (BHS sophomore) successfully auditioned for the 2017 All-Northwest Honor Ensembles.

Kevin and Henry, who both study privately with Dave Carson, were named to the All-Northwest Concert Band on alto saxophone. Sarah was selected as a violinist for the All-Northwest Orchestra.

The biennial All-Northwest Honor Ensembles are composed from the top high school music students from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Alaska. BHS Band Director Chris Thomas said that this is the first time in at least five years that three band students have been selected for this honor in the same year.

This year’s event will take place in Bellevue on Feb. 16–19.