The High School and Middle School Honor Orchestra Festival will be held February 11th and 12th, 2025. The High School Honor Orchestra will be held on the 11th & 12th, while the middle school will be held on the 12th. The Honor Orchestra Festival is a brand new event for middle and high school orchestral musicians at which we provide an opportunity to work with guest conductors and get to know the amazing faculty at Marshall University. We are thrilled to begin this new chapter in the Marshall University School of Music string department as we welcome some outstanding music educators and conductors from around the country.
The nomination process is now open. Please nominate as many students as you like. If you run out of slots in this form, please start a new form. Please note that the cost for this event will be $30 for middle school students and $45 for high school students. Nominations are due by Wednesday, January 8th. Results will be provided to directors on Wednesday, January 15th.
All music will be sent in advance of the festival via email. All students will receive t-shirts and honor orchestra folders, and of course have an opportunity to make great music while expanding their music community.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Dr. Vallejo.
High School Schedule
Tuesday, February 11, 2025
7:30am – 8:30 – Check-in
9:00am – 12:00 – Rehearsal
12:00 – 1:30 – Lunch (0n your own)
1:30 – 4:30 – Rehearsal
4:30 – 5:30 – Upper/Lower String Masterclasses
Wednesday, February 12, 2025
9:00 – 12:00 – Rehearsal
12:00 – 1:30 – Lunch (on your own)
1:30 – 4:30 – Rehearsal
4:30 – Marshall University Orchestra Performance
7:00 – MS and HS Honor Orchestra Performance
Middle School Schedule
Wednesday, February 12, 2025
7:30a – 9:00 – Check-in
9:00 – 12:00 – Rehearsal
12:00 – 1:30 – Lunch (on your own)
1:30 – 4:30 – Rehearsal
4:30 – Marshall University Orchestra Performance
7:00 – MS and HS Honor Orchestra Performance
Meals
All campus dining facilities at the Memorial Student Center and Harless Dining Hall will be open. Students may also go off-campus to eat. There are several restaurants and fast food places within easy walking distance from campus.
Hotels
There are many hotels in the Huntington/Barboursville/Ashland area available for housing during the Honor Orchestra Festival.
Parking for Buses
For those schools bringing buses, you may unload the students on 3rd Ave. in the left lane or in the parking lot north of the new Engineering Building across 3rd Ave. from Smith Music Hall. On Thursday before 7 p.m. and Friday all day, we ask that you park the buses at the stadium parking lot on the corner of 20th St. and 3rd Ave. (please remember that 3rd Ave. is one way going west, the stadium is east of the music building). On Friday, you may park in the new lot behind the new Engineering Building across 3rd Ave. from Smith Music Hall (corner of 3rd Ave. & Hal Greer Blvd.) or in the West Stadium Parking Lot.
Parking for Cars/Vans
On Wednesday evening cars and vans arriving before 6 p.m. should unload students at Smith Music Hall and then move to the West Stadium Parking Lot to park. On Thursday all cars and vans arriving after 6 p.m. may park in the parking lots directly across 3rd Ave. from Smith Music Hall. All other areas will be ticketed. On Thursday, all cars should park in the West Stadium Parking Lot until after 6 p.m. For the concert on Friday, all cars and vans may park in the lots across 3rd Ave. from Smith Music Hall. Parking in areas other than those instructed above may result in a parking ticket.
Please contact Dr. Phil Vallejo with any questions.