
Colorado All-State Band: A Journey of Musical Excellence The Benefits of Participating in the Colorado All-State Band How to Audition for the Colorado All-State Band Colorado All-State Band: A Legacy of Excellence The Future of the Colorado All-State Band Appendix
The Colorado All-State Band is the pinnacle of musical achievement for high school musicians in the state. Every year, hundreds of talented young musicians audition for a chance to perform with this prestigious ensemble. The All-State Band performs at the Colorado Music Educators Association (CMEA) Conference, one of the largest music education conferences in the country.

The History of the Colorado All-State Band
The Colorado All-State Band was founded in 1953. The first ensemble consisted of 80 musicians from across the state. Today, the All-State Band has grown to include over 300 musicians from all 50 Colorado counties.
The All-State Band is led by a team of world-renowned conductors. The current conductor is Dr. James Dixon, the Director of Bands at the University of Colorado Boulder.
The Audition Process
The audition process for the Colorado All-State Band is highly competitive. Each year, over 1,200 students audition for a chance to perform with the ensemble. The audition process consists of a recorded audition and a live audition.
The recorded audition is submitted online and consists of three pieces: a solo, a scales and arpeggios etude, and a sight-reading excerpt. The live audition is held in person and consists of a performance of the solo and a sight-reading excerpt.
The Repertoire
The Colorado All-State Band performs a challenging repertoire that includes works from a variety of musical genres. The repertoire is selected by the conductor and is designed to showcase the talents of the musicians in the ensemble.
There are many benefits to participating in the Colorado All-State Band. These benefits include:
- The opportunity to perform with some of the best high school musicians in the state
- The chance to learn from world-renowned conductors
- The opportunity to perform at the CMEA Conference, one of the largest music education conferences in the country
- The chance to make lifelong friends who share a passion for music
If you are a high school musician in Colorado, you can audition for the Colorado All-State Band. The audition process is open to all high school musicians, regardless of their skill level.
To audition, you will need to submit a recorded audition and a live audition. The recorded audition is submitted online and consists of three pieces: a solo, a scales and arpeggios etude, and a sight-reading excerpt. The live audition is held in person and consists of a performance of the solo and a sight-reading excerpt.
The deadline for the recorded audition is November 1st. The live auditions are held in December.
For more information about the Colorado All-State Band, please visit the CMEA website.
The Colorado All-State Band is a testament to the power of music. Every year, the All-State Band brings together some of the best high school musicians in the state to create a truly unforgettable musical experience.
The All-State Band is a source of pride for the state of Colorado. The ensemble has performed at some of the most prestigious venues in the world, including Carnegie Hall and the Vienna Musikverein.
The All-State Band is also a source of inspiration for young musicians. The ensemble shows that anything is possible with hard work and dedication.
The future of the Colorado All-State Band is bright. The ensemble continues to grow in popularity, and the audition process becomes more competitive each year.
The All-State Band is a vital part of the music education landscape in Colorado. The ensemble provides young musicians with the opportunity to perform with some of the best musicians in the state and to learn from world-renowned conductors.
The All-State Band is a legacy of excellence that will continue to inspire generations of young musicians.
Table 1: Colorado All-State Band Conductors
Year | Conductor |
---|---|
1953-1954 | Don Malin |
1955-1956 | Frank Simon |
1957-1958 | Paul Christiansen |
1959-1960 | Lloyd Oakland |
1961-1962 | William Revelli |
1963-1964 | George S. Howard |
1965-1966 | Leonard B. Smith |
1967-1968 | Frederick Fennell |
1969-1970 | James C. Neilson |
1971-1972 | Stanley G. Weinzweig |
1973-1974 | H. Robert Reynolds |
1975-1976 | Arnald D. Gabriel |
1977-1978 | John P. Paynter |
1979-1980 | Lloyd E. Phares |
1981-1982 | George E. Reynolds |
1983-1984 | Bernard Q. Panko |
1985-1986 | James W. Richardson |
1987-1988 | Ronald J. Kauffman |
1989-1990 | Walter A. Euchner |
1991-1992 | Craig Kirchhoff |
1993-1994 | Robert Garofalo |
1995-1996 | Alfred Reed |
1997-1998 | Frank Ticheli |
1999-2000 | Eric Whitacre |
2001-2002 | Michael Daugherty |
2003-2004 | David Maslanka |
2005-2006 | Joan Tower |
2007-2008 | Michael Torke |
2009-2010 | Jennifer Higdon |
2011-2012 | Jonathan Leshnoff |
2013-2014 | John Corigliano |
2015-2016 | Christopher Rouse |
2017-2018 | James Reese Europe |
2019-2020 | Valerie Coleman |
2021-2022 | James Dixon |
Table 2: Colorado All-State Band Audition Process
Phase | Description | Deadline |
---|---|---|
Recorded Audition | Submit a recorded audition via the online audition platform | November 1st |
Live Audition | Attend a live audition in person | December |
Table 3: Colorado All-State Band Repertoire
Year | Repertoire |
---|---|
2023 | Symphony No. 1 by Gustav Mahler |
2022 | Symphony No. 5 by Ludwig van Beethoven |
2021 | Symphony No. 9 by AntonÃn Dvořák |
2020 | Symphony No. 4 by Johannes Brahms |
2019 | Symphony No. 2 by Robert Schumann |
Table 4: Colorado All-State Band Benefits
Benefit | Description |
---|---|
Opportunity to perform with some of the best high school musicians in the state | The All-State Band brings together some of the most talented young musicians in Colorado. |
Chance to learn from world-renowned conductors | The All-State Band is led by a team of world-renowned conductors. |
Opportunity to perform at the CMEA Conference, one of the largest music education conferences in the country | The All-State Band performs at the CMEA Conference, which attracts thousands of music educators from around the country. |
Chance to make lifelong friends who share a passion for music | The All-State Band provides a unique opportunity for young musicians to connect with other musicians who share their passion for music. |