January High School Band Festival

The University of Georgia January High School Band Festival (“JanFest”) is a four-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 MidFest 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 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 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 Wind Ensemble.

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