2025 All-State Symphonic Band






​​Dr. Alan McMurray
Director of Bands, emeritus
University of Colorado
The 110-piece Colorado All-State Band is open to high school juniors and seniors enrolled in their Colorado high school band program.

2025 All-State Concert Band


​​Dr. Richard Strauch
Director of Bands
Whitworth University

The 110-piece Colorado All-State Concert Band is open to high school sophomores, juniors and seniors enrolled in their Colorado high school band program with an enrollment of 1,100 or fewer students (based on the previous school year CHSAA "enrollment" count).

The Colorado All-State Band...
  • The Colorado All-State Symphonic Band was founded in 1952 by Wayman Walker, Director of Bands at the University of Northern Colorado. Then and now it's membership is set at around 105.
  • Kenneth Singleton added the All-State Wind Ensemble (now Concert Band) in 1988. It consists of sophomores, juniors and seniors from smaller schools. The membership was 50 (school size limited to 500) in 1988, and has now grown to around 105 (school size is limited to 1,100). Juniors and seniors from smaller schools are also eligible for membership in the Symphonic Band.
  • Audition materials are announced in April/May, and are drawn from recognized method books for each instrument. Most instruments will prepare a portion of two etudes (generally in contrasting tempi and style), totaling 3-4 minutes of music. The auditions also include major, minor and chromatic scales.
  • Audition recordings are typically due no later than the end of November.  UNC woodwind/brass/percussion faculty members listen to the recordings of around 900 students, and select the membership for each band. Results of these auditions are usually posted around mid-December.
  • When students are notified of membership, they have been placed into their section (i.e. 2nd clarinet or 4th horn).  Students will submit a second audition recording typically 3 to 4 weeks before the event, playing excerpts of the performance music.  These second auditions serve two functions: 1) to make sure students will be adequately prepared, and 2) to determine chairs within each section.  Students find out their chairs at the first rehearsal of the group.
  • The Membership in the All-State Bands is limited to students who are members of a Colorado high school band. The high school's band director must be a current member of the Colorado Music Educators Association and the Colorado Bandmasters Association.  If the school does not provide a band within its curriculum, (including homeschools), the student must be a regular band member at a high school in order to audition for and participate in the All-State Bands. The student must be a member of the school's marching or concert band in the Fall and participate in its concert band in the Spring.
  • Students must be chaperoned by a school sponsored employee at the in-person weekend events.
  • Accepted students are required to be at ALL rehearsals and performances.
The Colorado All-State Band is a collaboration between the Colorado Bandmasters Association and the University of Northern Colorado.  Click the logos to find out more about each organization.