This article was printed in the Newsletter of the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles. It was originally submitted for publication in late 1999. It outlines the history of the International Honor Band and Choir Festival.The International Honor Band and Choir Festival 25 Years from Dream to Reality
Richard Bassett
On March 16, 2000, ninety young band musicians from over 35 schools located all over Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, met as the 2000 International Honor Band. As these young musicians started their first rehearsal with Anthony Maiello of George Mason University, 125 choral musicians begann their first rehearsal with Anton Armstrong of St. Olaf as the 2000 International Honor Choir.
After three days of intensive work to perfect the festival music and learn to work as a cohesive musical organization, the audience was treated to a unique experience as these young people work together regardless of national background, religions, or hundreds of other individual factors. Among the evening's performance was the premiere of a new work by Robert Smith for band and choir entitled "Toward the Unknown Region" which was commissioned by AMIS, The Association for Music in International Schools, for use at this festival.
It's true that hundreds of bands and choirs perform festival concerts all over the world each year. Many are student organizations. Some may be a great deal more musically proficient than these two groups. The International Honor Band and Choir members are part of a unique experiment in international understanding. The festival also represents a unique cooperation between band conductors and choral conductors.
Twenty-six years ago I met Wallace Threlkeld who was the music teacher at London Central High School, a DODDS school. Together we talked of the need for the best band students in the American and international schools in the UK to have a chance to work with other musicians of like minds and ability. That spring a small group of instrumental students me at The American School in London for a brief festival. This was the beginning.
Twenty-five years ago The American School in London began fifteen years of hosting the International Honor Band and Choir Festival that I organized and nurtured together with my wife, Georgia, the choral half of our music-teaching team.
In the beginning all the participating teachers conducted one selection at the festival. We then progressed to asking a friend to come to London to stay in our home and conduct the festival gratis, with donations from industry providing the air fare. Later on the US Government brought clinicians to the festival, realizing that watching fine conductors in rehearsal can provide some of the best in-service training for teachers. For some years the European Council of International Schools also made a financial contribution to the festival.
In the early days each teacher simply nominated his or her best music students as participants. Today schools interested in participating in the festival receive specific audition materials so that students can submit carefully prepared audition tapes in late October. A committee of teachers then selects the honor band and honor choir on two successive grueling weekends. There the competitive aspect of the festival ends. The selected music is sent to the musicians who work on it together with their respective music teachers who test their knowledge of the literature at the beginning of March. This frees the guest conductors from the time-consuming business of teaching notes.
What do Anthony Maiello, Jerry Luckhardt, Tim Lautzenheiser, Dennis Johnson, Don Owens, Mallory Thompson, Eugene Corporon, James Croft, Craig Kirchhoff, Frank Wickes, Frank Battisti, and Timothy Reynish have in common? They have all conducted the International Honor Band. What do Robert Smith, Clare Grundman, and Johan de Meij have in common? They have all had works premiered at the International Honor Band and Choir Festival.
John Stanley contributed much to the growth and success of the HB&C Festival during his term as music coordinator for the DODDS Atlantic Region. Today AMIS with Georgia Bassett its Executive Consultant provides the organizational support necessary for this major musical project to continue.
Dreams and vision are the beginning of many worthwhile musical endeavors. Twenty-five years ago the success of this musical experiment in international cooperation was a dream. Today it is an on-going reality. International music education is alive and well. Why not visit the AMIS website to find out more about this project and to view current pictures from our current festivals.