BGSU High School Honor Band

Dr. Malcolm Jones became the Professional Lecturer of Music/Director of Bands at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY in August 2022. Prior to Marist, he spent two years as Director of Bands at Casteel High School in Queen Creek, AZ. From 2018-2020 he studied at Arizona State University where he was a graduate teaching assistant with the Wind and Athletic Bands. Before moving to Arizona, he was the Interim Director of Bands at Malone University (OH) and an Adjunct Professor at Kent State University (OH). He has also served as the Director of Bands in the Maple Heights City School District (OH), teaching grades 5-12. In addition to his Doctor of Musical Arts in Wind Band Conducting from ASU, he holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of Akron (OH) and a Master of Music in Wind Band Conducting from Kent State University.

Dr. Kaitlin Bove is Director of Bands and an Assistant Professor of Music at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, California. She also serves as Artistic Director for the Diablo Wind Symphony (part of the Blue Devils Performing Arts) and on the board of California Band Directors Association where she coordinates the annual Social Impact Consortium and commissions new works for the California All-State Bands. Prior to these appointments, she was on faculty at Pierce College in Puyallup, Washington and Payson High School and Mt. Nebo Junior High in Payson, Utah. Kaitlin holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Wind Conducting from University of Kentucky where she was a student of Dr. Cody Birdwell and a Masters and Bachelors of Music in Education from University of the Pacific under the mentorship of Dr. Eric Hammer. Kaitlin is founder of the And We Were Heard initiative, a volunteer non-profit that matches underrepresented composers of wind band literature with ensembles, generating quality recordings of the music of diverse compositional voices. She is also co-founder of Girls Who Conduct, a mentorship program that supports gender parity on the conducting podium. Kaitlin serves on several advisory boards for music scholarship and equity in addition to maintaining a robust schedule of honor band, adjudication, and guest conducting appearances.

Dr. Kenneth Thompson currently serves as professor in the College of Musical Arts at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio.  His responsibilities include conducting ensembles in the band area, teaching graduate and undergraduate conducting, repertoire and pedagogy. Additionally, he serves on the conducting staff of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s Wu Family Academy where he directs the DSO Civic Wind Symphony and the CYE Philharmonic Orchestra. A graduate of Limestone College (SC) with a double major in music education and trumpet, Thompson received a master's degree in music education and doctorate in conducting from The University of Iowa. Previous professional appointments include Artistic Director and Conductor of the Toledo Symphony Youth Orchestras and associate conductor of the St. Louis Wind Symphony and Chamber Winds.  He has conducted numerous performances of world premieres, commissions, television and radio broadcasts and critically acclaimed recordings.

With publications in the Journal of the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, Journal of Band Research, Journal of the National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors, School Band and Orchestra Magazine, Journal of the Australian Band and Orchestra Directors Association, The Instrumentalist, Bandmusic PDF Archives and the BCM International Web Archive, Dr. Thompson maintains a reputation as both a scholar and performer.  He has appeared as a guest conductor, lecturer or clinician for the International Society for Music Education, the National Conference of the College Band Directors National Association, the National Conference of the MENC, the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, the Texas, Virginia, Michigan, Oklahoma, North Carolina, South Carolina, Iowa, West Virginia, Ohio and Missouri Music Educators Association conferences, the Missouri Bandmasters conference, the Midwest Composers Symposium and the Iowa Center for New Music.  In demand as a guest conductor and lecturer, Thompson maintains an active schedule with engagements throughout the United States, Canada, Thailand, Mexico, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan and China.

Dr. Thompson is an advocate of new music and expanding the repertoire. Along with commercial recordings receiving votes in the Grammy™ Entry List appearance for Album of the Year; Best Engineered Album, Classical, and Best Orchestral Performance, critics have written the following about Dr. Thompson’s work:

“First impressions matter, and BGSU’s wind symphony makes an overwhelmingly positive one. Unison playing is completely silken, and tone clusters are tuned perfectly. The ensemble playing within sections is remarkable, and the band as a whole is balanced evenly.”

Fanfare Magazine

“the music’s power is certainly enough to make its point on its own, captured in a vital, present recording and played with real grit here”

“an enjoyable disc of imaginative music performed to a professional standard and an auspicious beginning to what should be an intriguing series”

Colin Clarke, Gramophone and International Record Review

“a powerful disc that draws the listener in and never lets go”

Amazon Rating

★★★★★

Application Letter

Nomination Form

Thursday

3-5:00 pm         Arrive and check in*

3-6:30 pm         AUDITIONS

4-6:30 pm         BGSU College Fair /Campus Tours

6:30 pm            Meet in Kobacker Hall and depart for dinner

7:45 pm            Return from Dinner, BGSU Wind Symphony

8 pm                BGSU Wind Symphony Concert

9 pm                All Student Participant Meeting (commuters leave at conclusion)

9:30 pm            Resident Student Transport to Hotel

11 pm               Lights Out

Friday

7:00 am            Breakfast at hotel for residents

7:30 am            Residents leave hotel

8:30 am            REHEARSALS BEGIN

1:00 pm            LUNCH

2:30 pm            Masterclasses/Sessions

3:30 pm            REHEARSALS

6:30 pm            DINNER

8:00 pm            SPECIAL CONCERT: BGSU Jazz Lab Band I

9:15 pm            Resident Student Transport to Hotel/Commuters Released

11:00 pm           Lights Out

Saturday

7:00 am             Breakfast at hotel for residents

7:30 am             Residents leave hotel – check out and bring all belongings

~~WEAR CONCERT ATTIRE!!~~

8:30 am             REHEARSALS BEGIN

11:30 am           Lunch

1:00 pm             Meet in Rehearsal Rooms for final concert preparation; Brown Band on Stage

1:00 pm             FINAL CONCERT

                        1:00     Brown Band

                        1:30     White Band

                        2:00     Orange Band

How do I get nominated for the BGSU High School Honor Band?

All nominations must come from your school director or a private teacher. Your teacher can contact us at bgsubands@bgsu.edu to get the nomination forms.

How will I know if I’m selected?

All communication is done via the email provided for you on the nomination forms. If selected, you and your teacher will receive an email from us with registration and acceptance forms.

What if I’m having trouble returning my acceptance forms?

All forms must be returned electronically. Most smartphones will let you take a picture of the forms and email them as a PDF document. The ‘Notes’ app on an iPhone works well, but GeniusScan is a free app that many people use.

How do I pay to participate and do you offer scholarships?

Unfortunately we are unable to offer scholarships or financial assistance. All payments must be made electronically through our EMarket. The links for that will be in your acceptance materials.

What does it mean when it asks if I will be a resident or commuter?

Resident students are housed in the hotel (see more information below) and commuter students arrive and depart each day for all activities and do not stay in our hotel.

What is included in the price to participate?

Cost of all instruction
BGSU Honor Band Shirt
BGSU Wind Symphony Concert on Thursday night
BGSU Jazz Band Concert on Friday night
Master Class or other professional presentation on Friday
Final concert by all HSHB participants on Saturday afternoon
Dinner (all you can eat) on campus on Thursday
Breakfast at hotel on Friday (resident only)
Morning snack of fruit and water on Friday morning
Lunch (all you can eat) on campus on Friday
Dinner (all you can eat) on campus on Friday
Breakfast at hotel on Saturday (resident only)
Morning snack of fruit and water on Saturday morning
Lunch (all you can eat) on campus on Saturday

What if I will be a resident participant and staying in the hotel?

Students staying in the hotel are considered ‘resident students’, and for the student only the BGSU Band Office make quad-occupancy hotel arrangements. Chartered bus service to/from BGSU to the hotel is provided.

What if my family wants to stay with me for the duration of the event in a hotel?

Sometimes families want to accompany participants. In this case, families would simply make their own hotel accommodations and register as a commuter student. For questions about this, or preferred hotel rates reach out to us directly.

What if I have dietary restrictions? Do I need to bring my own meals?

Our full-service dining facilities can manage any food restriction or dietary need. We will use the information you provide in your acceptance forms to coordinate any meal accommodations needed.

Can I bring my own food and snacks?

For the safety of all participants bringing food and snacks is discouraged. Healthy snacks of fruit and water are provided for all participants each day. There is a special “snack store” available at the hotel for resident students. Please bring cash – small bills preferred – to buy items at the hotel store. Food deliveries are strictly prohibited to the hotel and to the campus. Any DoorDash, UberEats, etc. deliveries will be refused.

Do I need to bring money?

All meals and snacks are provided, so the only reason you might need some cash is if you plan to purchase things in the hotel. Please bring small bills if you plan to purchase from our “snack store” in the hotel.

What should I wear?

The final concert is performed in the BGSU shirt we provide and denim (blue jeans) so you do not need a uniform or ‘dress clothes’. For the event, you should dress comfortably, but know that you will be walking short distances outside to meals, so dressing in layers with a coat is ideal. Most likely what you would normally wear to school is appropriate.

Do I need to audition?

The selection to participate is done through the nominations, but all accepted students take a brief, live audition when arriving on campus for the event. Detailed information about the audition is provided in the acceptance materials.

I still have questions! What should I do?

There is a chance we have not addressed something you need. Please reach out to us directly at bgsubands@bgsu.edu so we may assist you.