HS Honors Band Festival

Read Invitation Letter From James Dragovich

December 5, 2025

Dear Director:

It is my pleasure to share with you the news about the first-ever, Annual High School Honors Band Festival hosted by the Five Towns College Music Division.

During my tenure as Director of Bands at George W. Hewlett High School, I helped prepare many students to perform at NYSSMA Solo Festivals. While the process of learning and performing a wonderful work of music should have been reward enough, many of my students hoped they would earn a place in either a state or county ensemble. This, unfortunately, was not always the case.

Each year, upon seeing the disappointed faces of students who were not selected for an All-County or All-State Band, I wished there was another option for them. They, of course, were enthusiastic musicians deserving of opportunities, too. At last, in my current position at Five Towns College, I have created this initiative for enthusiastic student band members to continue playing in the Annual High School Honors Band Festival.

The Festival dates are Friday, January 30, 2026, and Saturday, January 31, 2026. This webpage has the important information but some highlights are mentioned below.

This initiative is being offered free by Five Towns College to your students and those in your Music Department in grades 10,11, and 12.
Students will receive a souvenir T-shirt, a pizza dinner, and participate in Masterclasses taught by FTC Music faculty.
The Festival will culminate with a High School Honors Band Festival Concert in the Five Towns College Performing Arts Center and friends and family are invited!
Use the Festival Registration Form on this page to RSVP.
No audition is needed and students will be chosen on a first come, first serve basis; taking both instrumentation needs and technical ability into account (based on information they provide in their Registration Form).

The deadline for submitting the Festival Registration Form on this page is Friday, January 9, 2026.

A welcome letter and music will be mailed to accepted students by Monday, January 12, 2026.

Please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns you may have. We are excited to have you be a part of this wonderful event!

Sincerely,

Jim Dragovich, M.S.Ed.
Director of Bands
Five Towns College
James.dragovich@ftc.edu

Additional Information:

Friday night dinner and water provided throughout the event.
Souvenir T-shirt provided for High School Honors Band Concert performance in the FTC Performing Arts Center.
Masterclasses taught by Five Towns College Music Faculty.

Eligible Students:

Members of their High School Band program who are presently in grades 10-12.
Members accepted on a first come, first serve basis with limited instrumentation.
Recommendation from school teacher required.

Entire event is free of charge.

Contact James Dragovich at james.dragovich@ftc.edu for more information.

Please RSVP using the form below:

"*" indicates required fields

First Name*

Last Name*

This field is hidden when viewing the form

How would you like your name to appear in the program?*

What high school do you attend?*

What is the name of your high school band director?*

What instrument do you play? (please include any doubles)*

What is your mailing address?*

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

Which is the best email to communicate with you?*

What is your present grade in school?*

Have you attended a NYSSMA Solo Festival?*

Yes

What year did you perform, what level was your solo, and what grade did you receive?*

Please list the name and phone number of an emergency contact person.

Name*

Phone Number*

What is your t-shirt size?*

Signature*

By submitting this document and affixing your signature you agree to attend all scheduled rehearsals and the performance for the complete duration of the festival.

This form must be submitted by Friday, January 9, 2026 to be considered for acceptance.