High School Student Events

The School of Music at Mercer University hosts several events for high school students throughout the academic year! Events range from full-day visits designed for prospective students to enjoy a ‘day in the life’ of a music major to multiple-day Honor Band Festivals designed to provide a premier musical experience to young musicians. This page will provide event details as well as registration and audition information. We hope to see you on campus soon. Go Bears!

Use this page to learn more about: 

• The Tenor/Bass Festival
• Bands at the Grand Honor Band Festival
• Music Day in the Life
• The All-State Percussion Masterclass
• Double Reed Day

Please follow us on social media for updates, concerts, and additional information:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• YouTube

Tenor/Bass Festival

Host: Dr. Stanley L. Roberts, Conductor
When: Tuesday, October 21, 2025; 9:15 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Where: Mercer University – Macon, GA
Cost (includes music, t-shirt, and lunch):

• $30 per student
• $15 for All-State Choir Students
• Free to Georgia All-State Reading Choir Students

Join us on October 21 for our annual High School Tenor/Bass Festival! This is an excellent opportunity for high school students to build community and see how fun choral singing really can be. Students will be provided music for the festival, as well as lunch and a t-shirt. Under the direction of Dr. Stanley Roberts, students will rehearse music and sing with the men of Mercer Singers in concert that afternoon.

Registration for the 2026 Tenor/Bass Festival will open in August.

Bands at the Grand: Honor Band Festival

Host: Dr. Brittan Braddock/Mercer Bands
When: February 26-28, 2026
Where: Mercer University and Piedmont Grand Opera House in Macon, Georgia
Cost: $50/student, limited scholarships available

Please join us for the third “Bands at the Grand” Honor Band Festival! The mission of the “Bands at the Grand” Festival is to provide a premier musical experience and build a community of talented musicians in the Southeast.

This year, both Middle School and High School musicians from Middle Georgia and the surrounding region will be eligible to audition. Made up of about 80 talented high school musicians and 80 talented middle school musicians, the Honor Bands will rehearse and prepare a concert to be performed at the historic Piedmont Grand Opera House in Macon, Georgia, on February 28, 2026. In addition, the Mercer University Wind Ensemble will perform a concert on Friday, February 27, 2026.

Middle School Honor Band Audition Registration

Dr. MJ Robinson, director of bands at Pierre Moran Middle School and assistant band director at Elkhart High School in Elkhart, Indiana, will be the guest conductor for the the Middle School Honor Band.

Auditions are open to all students enrolled in a middle school band program grades 7 and 8 with at least one year of experience in band. All students are required to fill out the 2025 – 2026 Middle School Honor Band Audition Form. Students will submit their audio on the same form.

Audition materials are due by Friday, December 5, 2025.

All auditions must include:

• Student stating their name and school first
• Two major scales of the player’s choice (one to two octaves)
• Chromatic scale
• All-State OR All-District audition excerpts (ex. GMEA excerpt)

Directors will receive a list of students selected for the Middle School Honor Band and all students will be notified by December 29, 2025. Chair placement within the ensemble will be based on the initial audition. Music for the festival will be emailed to the students by the end of January, 2026. If selected for the Honor Band, students will be expected to attend all scheduled rehearsals and activities February 26-28, including attending the Friday evening concert presented by Mercer Bands. Parents/Directors are responsible for transportation, lodging and supervision at all other times during the Honor Band weekend. Possible accommodation options include our on-campus hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn.

High School Honor Band Audition Registration

Dr. Ben Blasko is the director of bands at Bethel University, and is the conductor of the wind ensemble at the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts, and will be the guest conductor for the the High School Honor Band.

Auditions are open to all students enrolled in a high school band program grades 9-12. All students are required to fill out the 2025 – 2026 High School Honor Band Audition Form. This same form is also where students will submit their audio.

Audition materials are due by Friday, December 5, 2025.

All auditions must include:

• Student stating their name and school first
• Two major scales of the player’s choice (at least two octaves): in sixteenth notes no slower than ♩= 60
• Chromatic scale of the player’s choice: two octaves in eighth notes, ♩= 80
• All-State OR All-District audition excerpts OR 1 faster/technical etude + 1 slower/lyrical etude
• If using All-District audition materials that only include one excerpt, ADD a contrasting etude for a total of two music selections

Directors will receive a list of students selected for the High School Honor Band and all students will be notified by December 29, 2025. Chair placement within the ensemble will be based on the initial audition. Music for the festival will be emailed to the students by the end of January, 2026. If selected for the Honor Band, students will be expected to attend all scheduled rehearsals and activities February 26-28, including attending the Friday evening concert presented by Mercer Bands. Parents/Directors are responsible for transportation, lodging and supervision at all other times during the Honor Band weekend. Possible accommodation options include our on-campus hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn.

Fees

There is no fee to audition. The cost to participate in the festival if selected is $50 per student.

Timeline

December 5, 2025: Video Auditions are due
January 2026: Music distributed to performers
February 26-28, 2026: “Bands at the Grand” Honor Band Festival

Schedule (subject to adjustment)

For questions, contact Dr. Brittan Braddock.

Music Day in the Life

When:

• January 23, 2026
• February 13, 2026

Discover the life of a music major in the School of Music by living it. Join us for classes, ensembles, information sessions, and evening events at our Music Day in the Life days. Registration for 2025 – 2026 Music Day in the Life days is now open!

All-State Percussion Masterclass

Host: Dr. Marcus Reddick
When: Saturday, November 8, 2025; 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Where: Mercer University – Macon, GA
Cost: $15 per student

Join us on November 8th for an All-State High School Percussion Masterclass! This is your opportunity to get in-depth musical and technical knowledge about all three (snare drum, keyboard and timpani) All-State études, including practical tips for better preparation for your scales and sight-reading. You will learn exactly what the judges will be listening for and how to best prepare for your All-State audition.

Registration for the 2025 All-State Percussion Masterclass is now open, click here to register. Click here to make a payment.

Mercer University Double Reed Day

Hosts: Jazmyn Barajas-Trujillo and M. Isaac Ripple
When: Saturday, January 17, 2026; 8:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Where: Mercer University – Macon, GA
Cost: $15 per student

Join us for the first-ever Mercer University Double Reed Day, a full day of music-making, learning, and community for oboists and bassoonists from 6th grade through college and beyond! All Double Reed enthusiasts are invited! Participants will take part in masterclasses, reed-making sessions, warm-up clinics, and ensemble rehearsals led by our distinguished guest artists and Mercer faculty, Professor Jazmyn Barajas-Trujillo and Professor M. Isaac Ripple.

Featured Guest Artists

• Emily Brebach, English Horn – Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
• Marissa Takaki, Principal Bassoon – Atlanta Opera Orchestra

Double Reed Day Schedule

8:30–9:15 a.m. – Registration (6th grade through collegiate)

• Day-of registrants should still complete the online registration form

9:30–10:30 a.m. – Opening Recital

10:45–11:50 a.m.

• Oboe: Younger Student (grades 6–10) Masterclass with Emily Brebach

• Oboe: Reed-Making Class with Professor Barajas-Trujillo (grades 11–college)

12:00–1:00 p.m.

• Bassoon: Younger student (grades 6–10) Masterclass with Marisa Takaki

• Bassoon: Reed-Making Class with M. Isaac Ripple (grades 11–college)

1:00–2:00 p.m. – Lunch (on your own on Campus or in Macon)

2:10–3:20 p.m.

• Bassoon: Guest Artist Class with Marissa Takaki (grades 11–college)

• Oboe: Warm-Up Class with Professor Ripple (grades 6–10)

3:30–4:40 p.m.

• Oboe: Guest Artist Class with Emily Brebach (grades 11–college)

• Bassoon: Warm-Up Class with Professor Barajas-Trujillo (grades 6–10)

5:00–5:45 p.m. – Double Reed Day Ensemble Rehearsal

6:00–6:20 p.m. – Full Ensemble Closing Recital

Register here and click here for payments.

For more information, please contact Professor Barajas-Trujillo or Professor Ripple