The 36TH Annual UGA Middle School Band Festival: Thursday, December 10 - Saturday, December 12, 2026 2026 MidFest Clinicians Robert Herrings – Vista Ridge High School Leander ISD, Texas Devan Moore – Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL Laura Estes – Composer/Clinician, Marietta, GA Ashby Goldstein – Carson-Newman University, Jefferson City, TN Jeffrey Hughley – Flat Rock Middle School, Tyrone, GA Alicia Crutchlow – Abner Creek High School, Duncan, SC Jennifer Theisen-Gray – Dekalb Arts Academy, Avondale Estates, GA Lynel Goodwin – Jonesboro High School & Clayton County Public Schools, Jonesboro, GA 2026 MidFest Featured Ensembles SOUTH fORSYTH mIDDLE sCHOOL syMPHONIC bAND Lakeside Middle School Symphonic Band Important Dates Student nominations begin: September 25, 2026 Student nominations due: October 16, 2026 Student selections announced: October 23, 2026 Video Auditions Due: November 23, 2026 Post Student Selection Video Audition: All selected students will be asked to submit an audition video. These will be open for upload after student selections are made. The audition information is below, so nominated students can begin preparation if they choose. Winds: All winds should prepare two scales to submit. They may choose from the GMEA Middle School (Grades 6-8) All-State Band scales of concert Bb, Eb, Ab, and F. Winds should prepare their chromatic scale in their largest possible range. If your student would like to be considered for the 2026 MidFest Honor Band, the top group of the 8 MidFest bands, they must also submit the GMEA 2026-2027 Middle School Lyrical Etude. Students who do not submit the additional lyrical etude will not be considered for the 2026 MidFest Honor Band. Percussion: All percussionists should prepare two scales to submit. They may choose from the GMEA Mallet All-State Band scales of concert Bb, Eb, Ab, and F scales. Percussionists should prepare their chromatic scale in their largest possible range. Prepare GMEA All-State 1st round Snare & Timpani etudes. If your percussionist would like to be considered for the 2026 MidFest Honor Band, the top group of the 8 MidFest bands, they must also submit the GMEA 2026-2027 Middle School Xylophone Etude. Students who do not submit the additional xylophone etude will not be considered for the 2026 MidFest Honor Band. 2026 MidFest Payment Information: The cost for MidFest is $99 per student. The University no longer allows us to take cash as payment. Please plan to use check or credit card for payment this year. Some bookkeepers ask for a W-9 from us, and you can find that HERE. Contact us at bandfestivals@uga.edu if you have questions or need to be added to the MidFest mailing list. Yearly MidFest information: MidFest information will be mailed to band directors the first week of October of each year. If you are a new director to a school, email us at bandfestivals@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 Ensemble and Wind Symphony. For more information regarding MidFest or to update contact information, email Director of Band Festivals, Dr. Mia Athanas at bandfestivals@uga.edu.
