Greetings!

I write this during the week following the 2026 Iowa Honor Band, which was held on our beautiful campus on February 21-22. This annual two-day event was a tremendous event. We hosted more than 200 students from 44 high schools representing 5 different states. The weekend’s activities included a brief organ recital showcasing the stunning Klais organ in the concert hall, master classes, full rehearsals of the Voxman and Welch Bands, sectionals by the band TAs, a showcase concert featuring the UI Concert Band and Symphony Band, and finale concert of the honor bands on Sunday afternoon. Our guest performers featured UI alumnus Dr. Andrew Boysen. Jr., UI alumnus Dr. Yuichi Ura, Visiting Scholar from Miyazaki, Japan, Dr. Angelo Favis, Professor of Guitar at Illinois State University, and Dr. David Cyzak, Visiting Professor of Oboe at the University of Iowa. It was such a rewarding weekend for all involved, and I already look forward to next year’s Iowa Honor Band.

As we approach a much-anticipated spring break, more exciting events lie on the horizon. The Iowa Symphony Band was invited to perform at two important conferences this spring. The first is the College Band Directors National Association North Central Division Conference at the University of Michigan in Hill Auditorium at 4:30PM on Thursday, April 9. The program features compositions by Joan Tower, UI alumnus Aaron Perrine, James M. David, and Masanori Katoh. I will be joined in the performance by guest conductor Dr. Eric W. Bush, Associate Director of Bands, and soloist Dr. Kenneth Tse, Professor of Saxophone. The concert tour will include a performance at Pleasant Valley High School and at the CBDNA conference in Ann Arbor. The students and I are proud to represent the University of Iowa and School of Music in the prestigious event.

We will have our usual on-campus concert offerings by the Concert Band on Monday, April 27, Symphony Band on Monday, May 4, and University Band on Wednesday, May 6. Our three doctoral conducting students, Courtney Ridge, Miles Anglin, and Brandon Halberg will be featured guest conductors in these performances.

To end the school year, the Symphony Band will perform at the 99th Annual Iowa Bandmasters Association Conference in the Des Moines Marriott Ballroom. The concert, which is free and open to the public, will be held at 8:15PM on Friday, May 15. The program will include a wide array of music with works by Navarro, Lunde, Grainger, Ives, Biedenbender, and Sousa, and I’m proud to be joined on the podium by guest conductors Dr. Eric W. Bush, Dr. Myron D. Welch, and Dr. Nick Miller. It promises to be a wonderful evening for the University of Iowa.

This will be a busy but rewarding year right up to the very end of the spring semester. The directors, graduate teaching assistants, and more than 700 students involved in our band program work hard and are committed to upholding the longstanding traditions of excellence of Iowa Bands. I hope you will join us for some of these performances.

Go Hawks!

Richard Mark Heidel

Director of Bands