The 74th Annual UGA January High School Band Festival: Thursday, January 18 - Sunday, January 21, 2024 JanFest 2024 Guest Band Application (due Friday, April 14, 2023) Please email questions to Rob Akridge (rakridge@uga.edu). Last Year's Information 2023 JanFest Guest Bands: Pope High School Wind Symphony - Bo Sodders, conductor Walton High School Wind Symphony - John Palmer & Chris Johns, conductors Woodland High School Wind Symphony - Michael Kobito & Holly Maldonado, conductors Stephenson High School Wind Ensemble - Quentin Goins & Noah Speaks, conductors 2023 JanFest Clinicians: Alfred Watkins, retired band director Ricky Fleming, Buffalo State Jake Wallace, South Dakota State LaToya Webb, Wilfrid Laurier University Amy Knopps, University of Missouri James Seda, Southwest DeKalb High School Jeff Harper, Lassiter High School David Roth, Kell High School 2023 JanFest Information: 2023 JanFest Schedule of Events2023 JanFest Final Information2023 JanFest Brochure2023 JanFest Payment Link2023 JanFest MapUGA School of Music Map2023 JanFest Guest Band Concert Information2023 JanFest PAC Fire Code & Safety Policy Online Registration opens Monday, October 24 Nomination Deadline is Friday, November 18 Acceptances published on or around Friday, December 2 Cancellation Deadline is Friday, January 6 Video audition submission due Sunday, January 8 (All-State lyrical etude for their grade, percussion play snare, timpani, and mallet etude for their grade, ending at first round stopping point) Yearly JanFest Information: JanFest information will be mailed to band directors in October of each year. If you are a new director to a school, email us at rakridge@uga.edu before October 1 to be included in the mailout. "JanFest” (pioneering band invitational established in 1950) is a three-day event for high school band musicians. Students are nominated for participation by their director by way of this website early in the academic year after receiving the JanFest announcement. UGA Bands staff selects students to participate based on the order of the director’s submission, the instrumentation need of the festival bands, and the reported musical achievements of each student. Typical festival attendance is approximately 1000 students from 130 schools.Directors and other adult chaperones accompany students to Athens for the event. Directors are responsible for housing and food arrangements for their students. The festival announcement includes a list of hotel properties in close proximity to the festival site.Students are placed in festival bands on the basis of a video audition. These bands rehearse several times before a final performance on the final afternoon of the event. Attendees also enjoy several featured performances by guest high school bands and UGA student ensembles, including the UGA Hodgson Wind Ensemble.We’re looking forward to seeing you next winter at JanFest! For more information regarding JanFest or to update contact information, email Director of Band Festivals Rob Akridge.
