2025 Honor Orchestra Festival
FESTIVAL DATE: Thursday Oct 9, 2025
NOMINATE BY: Thursday Sep 11, 2025
LOCATION: University of Hartford
Calling all CT orchestra students! CT-ASTA and the Hartt School of Music will host the 2025 CT-ASTA Honor Orchestra directed by Ciara Picard, Director of Orchestras in Meriden.
This festival is nomination based and is open to any orchestra student in grades 9-12. Please consider nominating dedicated students who have not been selected for an auditioned festival experience. Cost for participating students is $42 and includes dinner and a T-shirt.
Nominate students here: NOMINATION FORM COMING SOON
FESTIVAL SCHEDULE:
8:30am Participant Check in
9:30am – 11:45 am Rehearsals: Millard Auditorium
12:00pm – 1:15pm Lunch on campus (participants will bring their own)
1:30pm – 4:45pm Rehearsals and sectionals: Millard Auditorium
5:00- 6:15 pm Dinner at 1877 Club
6:30 Warm Up
7:00 Concert: Millard Auditorium (FREE)
REGISTRATION DETAILS:
COST: $42 per student- includes dinner at the 1877 Club at the University of Hartford, festival fees, and a T-shirt.
PAYMENT TYPE: Checks payable to CT-ASTA. Please provide a check from your school for all students (as for a Region or All State festival.)
MAIL PAYMENT TO: Dr. Nola Campbell, c/o Glastonbury High School, 330 Hubbard Street, Glastonbury, CT 06033.
INVOICE: You will receive an email with a list of selected students and a fillable invoice. Once you have confirmed your student attendance, please follow the instructions to fill out and submit the invoice with payment.
Also attending the CT-ASTA Fall Workshop? You are also welcome to hand-deliver your school's check; please let us know if you plan to do so.
FESTIVAL DETAILS:
MUSIC: Selections will be in the grade 3-4 range- TBA. Please nominate students who could prepare 20 minutes of grade 3-4 music in 3 weeks' time.
NOMINATION CRITERIA: You may nominate up to 8 students. Students will be selected based on the following criteria:
Teacher ranking- Rate your students highest to lowest. A ranking of "1" means, this is the student to whom I would MOST like to give this opportunity.
School participation- We aim to have all participating schools as equally represented as possible while striving for relatively balanced instrumentation.
Grade level- Older students will be given preference if needed.
TEACHER ATTENDANCE/SUPERVISION: A teacher must be present on campus for the duration of the festival- please consider joining for the CT-ASTA Fall Workshop! Students will be supervised during all rehearsals by CT-ASTA board members during the workshop hours. Please join us following the workshop!
Hungarian Dance No. 5 - Brahms / M.J. Isaac
Otoño Porteño - Piazzolla / Christopher Jones
Danse Infernale - Del Borgo
Por Una Cabeza - Gardel / Selby
Directed by Christopher Jones
Orchestra Teacher, Guilford High School
General Music, Adams Middle School