The 34TH Annual UGA Middle School Band Festival: Thursday, December 12 - Saturday, December 14, 2024 MidFEST 2024 GUEST BAND APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN. PLEASE COMPLETE THIS FORM BY APRIL 19, 2024 TO APPLY TO PERFORM AT MidFEST 2024. Contact Rob Akridge (rakridge@uga.edu) if you have questions or need to be added to the MidFest mailing list. MidFest 2023 Guest Bands Richmond Hill Middle School Wildcat Winds, Emery Warnock & Rebecca Maish, directors River Trail Middle School Symphonic Band, Jennifer Compton, director MidFest 2023 Clinicans Dr. Mary Land, Western Michigan UniversityDr. Greg Denson, Cheek Middle School, TexasRoland Ventura, Pinckneyville Middle SchoolAaron Milner, Fairforest Middle School, South CarolinaLeah Williams, Bonaire Middle SchoolTara Melvin, Awtrey Middle SchoolReggie Humphrey, South Forsyth High SchoolAbigail Russom, Cass Middle School MidFest 2023 Information: 2023 MidFest Schedule of Events2023 MidFest Final Information2023 MidFest Brochure2023 MidFest Payment Link2023 MidFest Map2023 UGA School of Music Map2023 MidFest Guest Band Concert Information2023 MidFest PAC Fire & Safety Policy2023 MidFest Parking Information2023 MidFest Classic Center Bus Parking Information Yearly MidFest information: MidFest information will be mailed to band directors in September of each year. If you are a new director to a school, email us at rakridge@uga.edu before September 1 to be included in the mailout. "MidFest" (established 1990) is a three-day event for middle school band musicians. Students are nominated for participation by their director by way of this website early in the academic year after receiving the MidFest announcement in the mail. MidFest 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 the 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 an initial audition. These bands rehearse four times before a final performance on the final afternoon of the event. Attendees also enjoy several featured performances by guest middle school bands and the UGA Wind Symphony. For more information regarding MidFest or to update contact information, email Director of Band Festivals, Rob Akridge.
