2027 Honor Band Festival

Student Nomination and Selection

We invite high school band directors to nominate student musicians for this exciting experience. The deadline to nominate students is Tuesday, January 5, 2027.

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Students selected for the Honor Bands must arrive on campus by Thursday, February 4, by 3 PM.  Auditions for the band, part assignment, and chair placement will be held between 3-5 PM.  We use an online application on the Honor Band website to nominate prospective UofM Honor Band members.  Please nominate ONLY those students who will be able to participate if selected.  Students will be selected in the following manner:

1. Complete the online nomination form. Please indicate the ranking order for your students on the form by entering them in the appropriately numbered tabs.  Enter all students at one time before submitting the form. After submitting the form, you will receive a confirmation email with your submitted information.  Letters to directors and student musicians will be emailed to directors shortly after the deadline.  The list of music to be performed and final instructions will be forwarded at that time.  YOU DO NOT NEED TO PAY WHEN NOMINATING STUDENTS.
2. The first student-musician from each school ranked by the high school band director will automatically be selected. Please be careful when nominating percussionists and saxophonists with a ranking of first.  Remember that we will take those students nominated first by you and can accept only a limited number of students in those sections (saxophone and percussion).
3. The student from each school ranked second will probably be selected, depending on the nominated number, musical awards and achievements, and instrumentation needs.
4. Each school's members will be selected to balance instrumentation based on your nomination and their musical honors, awards, and/or achievements.
5. Audition music: Students are asked to prepare a solo or etude that best displays their ability. They may also play the music prepared for their Music Educators Association tryout: All-West, All-Region, All-State, etc.  Students will be asked to perform scales and sightreading along with the prepared selections.  Percussionists should prepare short excerpts on snare, timpani, and keyboard.

Please note: Each student will be charged a $50 participation fee, including dinner on Friday evening and an Honor Band patch.  This amount will be collected in advance with one combined payment from each school after completing student-musician selections.

We hope you will plan to nominate students to participate in the UofM Honor Band Festival.  We look forward to receiving your nominations.

All participants will need to complete a University of Memphis Parental Consent Form to participate.

Dr. Wiler Augusto

Dr. Wilker Augusto, originally from João Pessoa, Brazil, brings a wealth of international experience to his role. He completed his bachelor of music in horn performance at the UFPB (Federal University of Paraíba), graduating with the prestigious Laurel of Academic Excellence Award. In Brazil, Dr. Augusto worked as band director for several middle and high schools for 14 years, winning first place during many state and regional championships and himself winning first place in conducting. He attended national and international music festivals for horn and conducting and received the "Young Orchestral Conductor" award during the 2012 International Music Festival Eleazar de Carvalho. Augusto also worked with social projects in Brazil, such as “Orquestra Criança Cidadã” (The Child Citizen Orchestra) as a horn teacher and “PRIMA” - Program of Inclusion through the Music and Arts as a horn teacher, assistant orchestra conductor, and artistic director. 

In 2016, Augusto moved to the United States to continue his musical career. In California, at Azusa Pacific University, he completed his artist certificate in horn performance with the renowned professor James Thatcher and the master of music in instrumental conducting (Winds) under the tutelage of Dr. John Burdett. During this time, he worked as assistant band director with Glendora High School and Los Osos High School, as music director of the World Music Symphony Orchestra from the Azusa Conservatory, as horn teacher and brass instructor for many schools and organizations, and as a freelancer musician for many orchestras in Southern California. He also worked as a brass staff member for the Impulse Drum and Bugle Corps in 2018 and as tour assistant director for The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps in 2018 and 2019. 

Augusto graduated in 2024 with a doctor of musical arts in wind conducting from the University of Memphis under the mentorship of Dr. Albert Nguyen. He has been participating in conducting symposiums around the country and recently received the Reynolds Conducting Institute Fellowship during the Midwest Clinic. Besides his academic life, Augusto is an active horn musician and private teacher who serves as a clinician and guest conductor for honor bands and schools around the Mid-South. 

Dr. Augusto's influence in the global music community is further demonstrated by his recent appointment as the director of international relations of L.B.F. (Brazilian League of Bands). His leadership and influence, which he extends through his memberships with the International Horn Society, College Band Directors National Association, and College Music Society. He is also an honorary member of the national band fraternity Kappa Kappa Psi.