All-State Band Registration is now open
ONLY directors, or parents who received a link from their school director can do the registration.  Because of student privacy regulations, students cannot complete their own registrations. Be sure to work with your school director to complete the registration and audition upload.  Directors: you can find your link on the directors page.
Links to "Help" videos produced by area colleges/universities:
Click HERE for Colorado Mesa Faculty Help Videos
Click HERE for Colorado State University Faculty Help Videos
  • Requirements and Basic Information
  • There are two Colorado All-State Bands. 
    • The Concert Band is open to students in grades 10-12 from "small" schools (schools with enrollments of 1,100 students or fewer). Enrollment numbers can vary based on where you find them - for this reason, since the All-State Band operates under the umbrella of the Colorado High School Activities Association, we ONLY accept the published enrollment numbers from CHSAA. You can find how CHSAA has your school classified on the CHSAA School size page posted on this website.  Schools can petition to change their CHSAA enrollment classifications.  If your school has been approved a change in classification from what is published, the SCHOOL DIRECTOR must obtain a copy of the letter from CHSAA (from your principal) and forward it to All-State Band.  We will not know of the change unless you inform us.
    • The Symphonic Band is open to students in grades 11-12 from any Colorado high school, regardless of enrollment
    • All students must be a member of their school band program (piano, harp and string bass students must be a member of their school band OR orchestra program), and that school must be a member school of CHSAA.  Students who participate in bands/orchestras at any school that is not a CHSAA member school are not eligible to audition or participate.
    • ​All directors must be a member of the Colorado Bandmasters Association before students can audition.  CBA information can be found HERE
  • Audition materials and procedures are the same for both the Concert Band and the Symphonic Band.
  • Only students that can participate in the All-State Band Weekend (April 9-11, 2026) should audition.  Attendance at every event in the weekend is required for all members.
  • A $30.00 audition fee will be charged for each auditioning student. Fees should be submited to the students school, and the school band director will submit the required audition fees.
  • The Deadline for audition submission is 5:00pm on November 21, 2025.
  • Students that are proficient on multiple instruments within the same family (flute/piccolo; oboe/English horn; Eb/Bb clarinet, bass/contra clarinet; all the saxophones, trombone/euphonium, etc.) are strongly encouraged to submit an audition on each instrument, using separate audition files. Only one audition fee is required.  If a student auditions on two or more instruments that have DIFFERENT Audition excerpts (i.e. trumpet and French horn), then they must pay for each audition.
  • All percussionists must audition on the three major instruments: snare drum, timpani, and mallets.
  • All auditions are VIDEO auditions.  Complete instructions (including size, resolution, format) are included in the recording instructions below.
  • The decision of the selection committee is final.
  • Every student (regardless of age) will be required to be accompanied to the All-State Band weekend with a school-approved adult chaperone.
  • All students selected for the All-State Bands must be in their school music program at the time of the weekend, and must meet all school directed eligibility requirements.
  • A $55 registration fee will be charged to all players in the bands ($50 if paid by the early-bird registration deadline of January 31, 2026), Late registrations (any registration paid after the due date of March 27) must be paid in check form (made to Colorado Bandmasters Association), submitted at the All-State Band Registration on April 9 and is charged at the late fee of $75.
How your audition will be assessed
Each faculty member from UNC creates their own scoring system and is consistent for each auditionee.  Be assured the judges are listening for the following musical criteria:  tone quality, rhythm, intonation, technique and musicality.  Focus appropriate attention on the scales; they are essential.
How to record your audition
NOTE: Beginning this year, we are no longer requiring any verbal introduction to your audition.  You will not be penalized if you have one, but it is not a required element in the video
Please be sure to read and follow the instructions.
Step by Step Instructions for all Wind Instruments
Step by Step Instructions for all Percussionists
How to submit your audition
Get your audition to your school director, who will submit it from the link on the Directors page (Available November 3 to November 21)
NOTE: You will be required to pay the $30.00 audition fee to your school, and your director must make the payment by 5:00pm on November 21.  Make sure you have your payment to your school early enough so your director can complete their part on time.

​Audition Materials
​2025-2026...

Instrument Specific Instructions - Best way for students to know what is required for the auditions:
FLUTE 4B
OBOE 4B
BASSOON 4B
Bb/Eb CLARINET 4B
BASS CLARINET 4B
SAXOPHONE 4B
TRUMPET 4B
HORN IN F 4B
TROMBONE/EUPHONIUM 4B
TREBLE CLEF EUPHONIUM - Contact Scott Schlup ([email protected]) for the TC Euphonium Audition Materials
BASS TROMBONE 4B
TUBA 4B
STRING BASS 4B
PERCUSSION 4B
​​
School Directors Instructions - a single document that lists the requirements for ALL instruments - best way for directors to see the information
DIRECTORS POSTER (AUDITION SET 4B)

Specialty Instruments:
  • All piccolo students MUST also audition on flute. The flute audition will determine membership in the band and the Piccolo double will be determined by the Piccolo audition.
  • All English horn students MUST audition on Oboe. The oboe audition will determine membership in the band and the English horn double will be determined by the English horn audition.  The Website will post by October 1 if an English horn is needed for the repertoire selected.  If it is, auditions will be accepted - if no English Horn parts are in the repertoire, auditions will not be accepted.
    • English Horn Auditions will NOT be accepted for 2025-2026
  • All E-Flat clarinet students MUST audition on B-flat Clarinet. The B-flat clarinet audition will determine membership in the band, and the E-flat double will be determined by the E-flat clarinet audition.The Website will post by October 1 if an E-flat Clarinet is needed for the repertoire selected.  If it is, auditions will be accepted - if no E-Flat Clarinet parts are in the repertoire, auditions will not be accepted.
    • E-Flat Clarinet Auditions WILL be accepted for 2025-2026
  • Alto Flute, Bass Flute, Contrabassoon, Contralto Clarinet, Contrabass Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone, Bass Saxophone and other specialty instruments are included in the band ONLY as parts are needed for the specific repertoire.  If parts for these instruments exist, students who were selected to the band will be contacted in early January with instructions to audition for the parts if they want.
    • Students selected to play Alto Saxophone in the Symphonic Band will have an opportunity to audition for Soprano Saxophone.  Information will be included with your acceptance packet.
  • String Bass students will be given string bass parts when they exist, but will receive tuba parts if no string bass part exists.  It is the student/director responsibility to make octave changes to the tuba part as needed so it is playable, and to determine the best choices for bowings and/or pizzicato sections.  The All-State Band guest director may ask for changes once they hear what the student/director came up with.
  • Piano and Harp are included in the band ONLY as parts are needed for the specific repertoire.  If parts exist, a piano and/or harp audition will be announced on OCTOBER 1 with specifics on how to audition.  If the student selected to play piano or harp are also selected to the band on another instrument - they will play the piano/harp part on the literature that requires it, and the other instrument on all other pieces.  If the student selected to play piano or harp are not selected on another instrument, they will be added to the band, but will rehearse/perform ONLY the works that require that instrument.
    • Piano AND Harp Auditions WILL be accepted for 2025-2026 (piano is needed in both Concert and Symphonic Band, Harp is needed in Symphonic Band). Auditions can be VIDEO recorded (no scales needed) and EMAILED to Scott Schlup ([email protected]).  EMAIL SHOULD COME FROM YOUR SCHOOL DIRECTOR (not individual student) so we know your director is approving your audition. You WILL NOT go through the audition platform for piano or harp auditions (If you are also auditioning on another band instrument, that instrument DOES need to submit through the audition platform). There is no audition fee for the piano or harp audition, but if you are selected as a pianist or harpist in either ensemble and NOT selected on another instrument, you will be expected to pay the participation fee for the weekend.  Deadline for piano and harp auditions is the same as the band – 5:00pm on November 21.
    • Piano audition will be measures 52 to 65 and 74 to 110 of Danzon No. 2 (Marquez) - Part HERE
    • Harp audition will be measures 21 to 33 and 671 to 683 of Dance Movements (Sparke) - Part HERE
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.