Upcoming Events
Percussion / Color Guard Spring Rehearsals
Percussion and Color Guard rehearsals will be held weekly on Thursdays from April 24 to May 22 and Tuesday, May 27 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.
Percussion will rehearse in Northwest Band Room
Color Guard will rehearse in the Northwest Multi-Purpose Room
Spring Band Concert
The annual Spring Band concert will feature both the Concert and Symphony Bands. The doors to the auditorium will open for audience members at 6:40 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public!
Students should plan to be at the school by 6:15 p.m. Wind Symphony will meet in the north band room, while the Concert Band will meet on stage.
Concert Dress
We want to look as good as we sound, so please adhere to the following guidelines:
Preferred concert attire
Black suit with a white shirt and a tie and black dress shoes
Black dress that extends beyond your knees when seated and covers your shoulders
Acceptable concert attire
Black slacks with a black long sleeve collared dress shirt
Unacceptable concert attire
White shirts without a jacket *** This is a change from past years
White shoes
White socks
Short sleeved shirts
Jeans or leggings
Torn or distressed clothing
Sneakers or athletic shoes
Short skirt that expose your knees when you sit
Blouses or shirts that expose your shoulders
Please note that in order to improve the uniformity of the ensemble, white shirts are no longer allowed without a jacket.
Nothing Bundt Cakes Bundtlet Pick Up
Northwest Band Parent Boosters Organization is partnering with Nothing Bundt Cakes for a sweet Bundtlet Sale Fundraiser!
If you ordered Bundlets, please pick them up in the Northwest North Band Room (655 NW 10th St., Waukee, IA) from 3:15 to 7:00 pm on May 8, 2025.
Percussion / Color Guard Spring Rehearsals
Percussion and Color Guard rehearsals will be held weekly on Thursdays from April 24 to May 22 and Tuesday, May 27 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.
Percussion will rehearse in Northwest Band Room
Color Guard will rehearse in the Northwest Multi-Purpose Room
Jazz @ Northwest
Come out and listen to Northwest’s Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Lab bands. The concert is free and open to the public!
This jazz extravaganza will feature both jazz bands along with a variety of student led small ensembles. It is a great night and a fantastic way to wrap up the year. We hope to see you there!
State Large Group Concert Band Festival
The Concert Band will perform Iowa High School Music Association’s Large Group Festival.
The Northwest Concert Band will perform at TBED in the DCG auditorium.
Spectators should park in the main lot south of the main entrance (South Side) of the building. Admission is $10.00 for adults, $7.00 for Seniors (65+), and $5.00 for students (K-12 only). Pre-school and younger will be admitted for free.
Visit the event website here.
NWBPO Meeting
The Northwest Band Parents Board will meet on May 13 at 6:00 PM in the NWHS Seminar Room. All band parents are invited to join us!
All State Jazz Band
Sponsored by the Jazz Educators of Iowa. Visit their website here.
Practice and performance locations include Johnston High School and Downtown Marriott.
Percussion / Color Guard Spring Rehearsals
Percussion and Color Guard rehearsals will be held weekly on Thursdays from April 24 to May 22 and Tuesday, May 27 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.
Percussion will rehearse in Northwest Band Room
Color Guard will rehearse in the Northwest Multi-Purpose Room
NWHS Graduation
Sophomores and Juniors will play as the Seniors enter and exit graduation. (Bus transportation to and from Wells Fargo Arena will be provided.)
Schedule: More information to come.
Concert Dress
We want to look as good as we sound, so please adhere to the following guidelines:
Preferred concert attire
Black suit with a white shirt and a tie and black dress shoes
Black dress that extends beyond your knees when seated and covers your shoulders
Acceptable concert attire
Black slacks with a black long sleeve collared dress shirt
Unacceptable concert attire
White shirts without a jacket *** This is a change from past years
White shoes
White socks
Short sleeved shirts
Jeans or leggings
Torn or distressed clothing
Sneakers or athletic shoes
Short skirt that expose your knees when you sit
Blouses or shirts that expose your shoulders
Please note that in order to improve the uniformity of the ensemble, white shirts are no longer allowed without a jacket.
Senior Class Recital
Please join us for this exciting new event highlighting the remarkable talents of our graduating senior musicians!
The recital will showcase several of our seniors performing solos and ensembles, reflecting their musical growth and accomplishments.
We invite you to attend and celebrate with us as our seniors embark on the next exciting chapter of their lives.
Band Awards Night
Students and parents are cordially invited to join us in celebrating the achievements of the Northwest High School bands for the 2024-25 academic year. This special event will include the presentation of band awards, an end-of-year slideshow, and special recognition for the Class of 2025 seniors. You won't want to miss it!
Oh the places you’ve been!
One of the highlights of our Awards Night is the end of the year slideshow - and we need your band pictures from the year to make it happen. Pictures from band camp? Great! Pictures from concert band? Wonderful! Pictures from Perry or a jazz band trip? Fantastic!
Please email pictures (or a link to the pictures) to nwbandphotos@gmail.com. Make sure to go through your pictures first before submitting your favorites. If we get too many from each person, we can not include them all - and it would make the video really long if we did. So pick your best and send them in. Think quality over quantity!
End of the Year Video Help!
We are looking for someone who would be willing to put together an end of the year video slideshow to play at our awards night on May 20. The video has typically been between 15 and 25 minutes long and includes band pictures from throughout the year. If this is something that you would be interested in doing, please email Mr. Strohmaier for more information.
2025-2026 Jazz Band Auditions
Audition packets are out for the 2025-2026 school year. If you are interested in auditioning for a jazz band at Northwest, please make sure that you have a packet and start practicing now! See Mr. Strohmaier or Mr. Friesleben if you need a packet or if you have any questions. Auditions should be performed with play-along tracks.
Both the packets and the audition tracks can be found at Northwest Jazz Audition Packets.
Auditions will be held on May 21 and 22.
🍕Papa John's Fundraising Night
Waukee NW Band Fundraising Night
Every 3rd Wednesday of each month, Papa John’s will be giving back 5% of sales to the Waukee Northwest High School Band!!
Waukee Location ONLY
Percussion / Color Guard Spring Rehearsals
Percussion and Color Guard rehearsals will be held weekly on Thursdays from April 24 to May 22 and Tuesday, May 27 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.
Percussion will rehearse in Northwest Band Room
Color Guard will rehearse in the Northwest Multi-Purpose Room
2025-2026 Wind Symphony Auditions
We will be holding auditions for the 2025-2026 Northwest Wind Symphony this spring. These auditions are not required, however everyone is encouraged to audition.
Students who opt not to audition will be automatically placed in Concert Band for the 2025-2026 school year.
Northwest Wind Symphony Audition Packets are available by clicking the link.
Auditions will be held on May 27-29.
Percussion / Color Guard Spring Rehearsals
Percussion and Color Guard rehearsals will be held weekly on Thursdays from April 24 to May 22 and Tuesday, May 27 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.
Percussion will rehearse in Northwest Band Room
Color Guard will rehearse in the Northwest Multi-Purpose Room
Leadership Team Training
Training for the 25-26 Royal Brigade Leadership Team including: Drum Majors, Section Captains and other mentors.
Northwest Seminar Room
New Marchers and Leadership Team Rehearsal
New Marchers and Leadership Team Rehearsal will take place from Tuesday, June 3 to Friday, June 6 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM in the North Band Room/Stadium.
Full Royal Brigade Rehearsal
Full Royal Brigade Rehearsal will take place from Tuesday, June 3 to Friday, June 6 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM in the North Band Room/Stadium.
Percussion / Color Guard Rehearsals
Percussion and Color Guard rehearsals will be held from Tuesday, June 3 through Friday, June 6, from 6:00 to 9:00 pm.
Percussion will rehearse in Northwest Band Room
Color Guard will rehearse in the Northwest Multi-Purpose Room
NWBPO Meeting
The Northwest Band Parents Board will meet on June 17 at 6:00 PM in the NWHS Seminar Room. All band parents are invited to join us!
Royal Brigade Fall Band Camp
Band Camp is scheduled for August 4-21, 2025. Rehearsals will take place at the High School and at the stadium.
Attendance is very important. Every student in the band is a critical component and every student must contribute equally for success of the program. Please arrive at least 15 minutes before the listed rehearsal time so that you are on the field and ready when rehearsal begins.
Helpful things to have for summer rehearsals and band camp:
A large water bottle (½ gallon or bigger) with your name on it
Lots of sunscreen
A white shirt for all wind and battery students
Athletic shoes
Hat and sunglasses
Food for dinner on days when camp goes to 9:00 pm. The dinner break is from 4:00-5:00 on those days. You will be able to leave campus if you choose, but many find it is easier to bring dinner with them so that you aren’t rushed getting back for the evening rehearsal block.
All regular rehearsal equipment (instrument, binder, charged phone with UDB - see below)
Band Camp: UDB app and your phones
When we learn drill, we use an app called UDB (Ultimate Drill Book). Please remember to bring your fully-charged phone with you to camp each day along with a charger if your device has battery issues. If you have not yet done so, please make sure that you have downloaded the UDBapp Pro (gold icon with the shadow of a marcher).
Instructions have been provided through Parent Square on how to download the App prior to Monday of band camp.
Band Camp: Dress Up Days
Don’t forget band camp dress-up days. Students will change into their dress-up day outfits at the evening break (approx. 7:00 each evening) with a parade of costumes and awards given at the end of the day. Please make sure that your outfit doesn’t interfere with your ability to rehearse!
Parents and guardians, we are in need of volunteers to provide Band Camp support. Please be on the lookout for a volunteer sign-up.
Royal Brigade Fall Band Camp
Band Camp is scheduled for August 4-21, 2025. Rehearsals will take place at the High School and at the stadium.
Attendance is very important. Every student in the band is a critical component and every student must contribute equally for success of the program. Please arrive at least 15 minutes before the listed rehearsal time so that you are on the field and ready when rehearsal begins.
Helpful things to have for summer rehearsals and band camp:
A large water bottle (½ gallon or bigger) with your name on it
Lots of sunscreen
A white shirt for all wind and battery students
Athletic shoes
Hat and sunglasses
Food for dinner on days when camp goes to 9:00 pm. The dinner break is from 4:00-5:00 on those days. You will be able to leave campus if you choose, but many find it is easier to bring dinner with them so that you aren’t rushed getting back for the evening rehearsal block.
All regular rehearsal equipment (instrument, binder, charged phone with UDB - see below)
Band Camp: UDB app and your phones
When we learn drill, we use an app called UDB (Ultimate Drill Book). Please remember to bring your fully-charged phone with you to camp each day along with a charger if your device has battery issues. If you have not yet done so, please make sure that you have downloaded the UDBapp Pro (gold icon with the shadow of a marcher).
Instructions have been provided through Parent Square on how to download the App prior to Monday of band camp.
Band Camp: Dress Up Days
Don’t forget band camp dress-up days. Students will change into their dress-up day outfits at the evening break (approx. 7:00 each evening) with a parade of costumes and awards given at the end of the day. Please make sure that your outfit doesn’t interfere with your ability to rehearse!
Parents and guardians, we are in need of volunteers to provide Band Camp support. Please be on the lookout for a volunteer sign-up.
Royal Brigade Fall Band Camp
Band Camp is scheduled for August 4-21, 2025. Rehearsals will take place at the High School and at the stadium.
Attendance is very important. Every student in the band is a critical component and every student must contribute equally for success of the program. Please arrive at least 15 minutes before the listed rehearsal time so that you are on the field and ready when rehearsal begins.
Helpful things to have for summer rehearsals and band camp:
A large water bottle (½ gallon or bigger) with your name on it
Lots of sunscreen
A white shirt for all wind and battery students
Athletic shoes
Hat and sunglasses
Food for dinner on days when camp goes to 9:00 pm. The dinner break is from 4:00-5:00 on those days. You will be able to leave campus if you choose, but many find it is easier to bring dinner with them so that you aren’t rushed getting back for the evening rehearsal block.
All regular rehearsal equipment (instrument, binder, charged phone with UDB - see below)
Band Camp: UDB app and your phones
When we learn drill, we use an app called UDB (Ultimate Drill Book). Please remember to bring your fully-charged phone with you to camp each day along with a charger if your device has battery issues. If you have not yet done so, please make sure that you have downloaded the UDBapp Pro (gold icon with the shadow of a marcher).
Instructions have been provided through Parent Square on how to download the App prior to Monday of band camp.
Band Camp: Dress Up Days
Don’t forget band camp dress-up days. Students will change into their dress-up day outfits at the evening break (approx. 7:00 each evening) with a parade of costumes and awards given at the end of the day. Please make sure that your outfit doesn’t interfere with your ability to rehearse!
Parents and guardians, we are in need of volunteers to provide Band Camp support. Please be on the lookout for a volunteer sign-up.
First Day of School / Morning Rehearsals Begin
7:00 am morning rehearsals begin, every M-F through 10/17/2025!
A reminder to students to plan to be on campus NO LATER than 6:45 am. That allows sufficient time to get to the band room, get your instrument out, and be at the stadium on time.
Remember: to be early is to be on time, to be on time is to be late!
Also, please make sure that you eat breakfast before you come to school. A protein bar as you’re walking out the door will make a HUGE difference as you go through morning rehearsal.
Color Guard Rehearsal
The color guard rehearses weekly on Tuesdays from 6:00 to 8:00 pm until October 14 in the NW Multi-Purpose Room.
Percussion Rehearsal
Percussion rehearses weekly on Tuesdays from 7:00 to 9:00 pm until October 14 in the South Band Room / Stadium.
Color Guard Rehearsal
The color guard rehearses weekly on Tuesdays from 6:00 to 8:00 pm until October 14 in the NW Multi-Purpose Room.
Percussion Rehearsal
Percussion rehearses weekly on Tuesdays from 7:00 to 9:00 pm until October 14 in the South Band Room / Stadium.
Royal Brigade Parent Preview Performance
Witness the fruit of the band's hard work during spring and fall band camp by attending their performance at Northwest Stadium.
TBD call for band members (and don’t forget your white shirt).
Performance will begin at 7:00 PM.
Football Game Performance vs. Valley (North Side Band Night)
Volunteers are needed to help with equipment. Sign up here to help us out so that we can get all of our set pieces on the field. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Chad Friesleben or Chad Allison.
This will be a fun night celebrating band students from the Northwest High school feeder schools!
Friday night schedule:
4:45 - Leadership team needs to be dressed and in the auditorium
5:15 - Dressed and on the practice field
6:45 - Pregame
7:00 - Game begins
After third quarter - Student’s dismissed
Don’t forget:
Long black socks
Close fitting shorts
Sleeveless undershirt
Color Guard Rehearsal
The color guard rehearses weekly on Tuesdays from 6:00 to 8:00 pm until October 14 in the NW Multi-Purpose Room.
Percussion Rehearsal
Percussion rehearses weekly on Tuesdays from 7:00 to 9:00 pm until October 14 in the South Band Room / Stadium.
2025 Northwest Marching Clinic
This is an in-house marching clinic and rehearsal day for the Royal Brigade.
Students should meet on the practice field behind the stadium at 8:00 am.
We will have an hour lunch break from noon-1:00, and then students will be dismissed at 5 pm.
Please plan for this like you would for a full day of band camp - water jugs, sun screen, hats, etc.
Also, we will be on the grass practice field for the morning block of rehearsal. We would recommend that you bring a change of shoes and socks if possible, as the grass may be wet first thing in the morning.
Color Guard Rehearsal
The color guard rehearses weekly on Tuesdays from 6:00 to 8:00 pm until October 14 in the NW Multi-Purpose Room.
Percussion Rehearsal
Percussion rehearses weekly on Tuesdays from 7:00 to 9:00 pm until October 14 in the South Band Room / Stadium.
Color Guard Rehearsal
The color guard rehearses weekly on Tuesdays from 6:00 to 8:00 pm until October 14 in the NW Multi-Purpose Room.
Percussion Rehearsal
Percussion rehearses weekly on Tuesdays from 7:00 to 9:00 pm until October 14 in the South Band Room / Stadium.
Homecoming Festival
This year’s homecoming week will feature a Thursday night Homecoming Festival. The band will be playing during these festivities, which will include a carnival in the south parking lot of the school followed by the Homecoming Coronation in the stadium.
Call time will be given to the students next week.
Please wear blue and white Northwest spirit wear. Students will be dismissed around 7:30 pm.
Football Game Performance vs. Des Moines East
Homecoming Night!
Volunteers are needed to help with equipment. Sign up here to help us out so that we can get all of our set pieces on the field. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Chad Friesleben or Chad Allison.
Friday night schedule:
4:45 - Leadership team needs to be dressed and in the auditorium
5:15 - Dressed and on the practice field
6:45 - Pregame
7:00 - Game begins
After third quarter - Student’s dismissed
Don’t forget:
Long black socks
Close fitting shorts
Sleeveless undershirt
Color Guard Rehearsal
The color guard rehearses weekly on Tuesdays from 6:00 to 8:00 pm until October 14 in the NW Multi-Purpose Room.
Percussion Rehearsal
Percussion rehearses weekly on Tuesdays from 7:00 to 9:00 pm until October 14 in the South Band Room / Stadium.
Football Game Performance vs. Ottumwa
Volunteers are needed to help with equipment. Sign up here to help us out so that we can get all of our set pieces on the field. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Chad Friesleben or Chad Allison.
Friday night schedule:
4:45 - Leadership team needs to be dressed and in the auditorium
5:15 - Dressed and on the practice field
6:45 - Pregame
7:00 - Game begins
After third quarter - Student’s dismissed
Don’t forget:
Long black socks
Close fitting shorts
Sleeveless undershirt
Bands of America - Iowa Regional
BOA Volunteers
Volunteers are needed to help at the BOA 2025 Iowa Regional Championships in a number of ways.
To help out at the event, please sign up here.
To help out with equipment, props, and uniforms please sign up here.
Find BOA Volunteer Job Descriptions here.
Volunteer Sign-In will be in the school’s choir room. Please go there to check in before your shift. Please arrive at the volunteer check-in 15 minutes prior to the start of your shift.
Royal Brigade & BOA Schedule
Students will meet in the band room to dress and should be prepared to move to warm-up (the baseball field) by 2:15 pm. NOTE: To help avoid congestion in the parking lot, please carpool as much as possible.
BOA Iowa Regional Itinerary
2025 BOA Iowa Prelims Schedule
The Royal Brigade will perform at TBD with finals performance based on afternoon scores.
Awards for the prelims are at TBD and the finals competition begins at TBD.
Find the Full Royal Brigade BOA Itinerary here.
Bands of America Iowa Regional Spectator Information
Bands of America is fully-digital with ticketing. Guests purchase tickets in advance online, which are delivered by email to present on their mobile device for scanning on-site or print-at-home. Tickets purchased at the ticket window on-site on the event day are a higher price. Spectators are encouraged to order in advance, skip the ticket window line, and save! Purchase tickets for the BOA Championship now
Friends, family, and supporters who cannot attend in person can subscribe to watch the live stream online at BOAlive.tv, powered by BOX5 Media. The BOA Pro Pass offers the best value and includes the live stream of every BOA show this fall. Single event pay-per-view is also available. Remember, these are live-as-they-happen streams only. Sign up to watch the live stream
Color Guard Rehearsal
The color guard rehearses weekly on Tuesdays from 6:00 to 8:00 pm until October 14 in the NW Multi-Purpose Room.
Percussion Rehearsal
Percussion rehearses weekly on Tuesdays from 7:00 to 9:00 pm until October 14 in the South Band Room / Stadium.
ValleyFest & Showdown
Valleyfest - Saturday, October 11, Valley Stadium
The Royal Brigade will perform at TBD
Volunteers are needed to help with equipment. Sign up here to help us out so that we can get all of our set pieces on the field. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Chad Friesleben or Chad Allison.
Valleyfest is the largest local marching contest of the season featuring 34 bands from across Iowa. This contest runs as two separate competitions, meaning that bands do not qualify for their evening performance as they did with BOA. Instead, bands are free to sign up to perform and compete in one or both of the Day Show or Showdown contests.
Royal Brigade Itinerary
Buses will begin loading at 7:15 a.m. and will return to the high school around 11:30 p.m.
Students should eat a good breakfast before they arrive at the school
After the band has performed and changed after their morning performance, we will load up and head to Jordan Creek mall for lunch, returning before afternoon awards.
After our evening performance, students will tear down, before heading back into the stadium to watch bands until the evening awards.
All students will eat dinner at the concession stands.
Students need to remember to bring:
Money for lunch & dinner
Uniform clothes (black socks, tight fitting shorts, sleeveless shirt)
Anything else they need for their instrument
ValleyFest & Showdown Itinerary
The Royal Brigade will perform at TBD.
Ticket Information
Day Show only
$10 Adults / $5 Students (K-12)
Night Show only
$10 Adults / $5 Students (K-12)
Both Day and Night shows*
$15 Adults / $10 Students (K-12)
Children 5 and under – FREE
*Stadium will be cleared between Day and Night Shows
Find additional information on the Valley Bands Website and Facebook Page.
Color Guard Rehearsal
The color guard rehearses weekly on Tuesdays from 6:00 to 8:00 pm until October 14 in the NW Multi-Purpose Room.
Percussion Rehearsal
Percussion rehearses weekly on Tuesdays from 7:00 to 9:00 pm until October 14 in the South Band Room / Stadium.
End-of-Season Awards/Tailgate Party
In celebration of the marching band season, all members of the Royal Brigade are invited to attend an end of the year tailgate in the Northwest Commons at 4:00 p.m.
Dinner will be provided by the Northwest Band Parents Organization and a series of season awards to outstanding marchers and sections will be given out.
See you there!
Football Game Performance vs. Waukee
Volunteers are needed to help with equipment. Sign up here to help us out so that we can get all of our set pieces on the field. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Chad Friesleben or Chad Allison.
Friday night schedule:
4:45 - Leadership team needs to be dressed and in the auditorium
5:15 - Dressed and on the practice field
6:45 - Pregame
7:00 - Game begins
After third quarter - Student’s dismissed
Don’t forget:
Long black socks
Close fitting shorts
Sleeveless undershirt
State Marching Contest/Mid-Iowa Band Championships
State Marching Contact will take place at Waukee Stadium.
Mid-Iowa Band Championships will take place at Ankeny Stadium.
More information to come.
Wind Symphony Concert with Northwest Singers
Join the Wind Symphony and Northwest Singers as we present a joint concert, highlighting differences in colors and affect as both groups perform different versions of the same melodies. It is sure to be a fun concert, and a great opportunity to see both sides of our music department performing side by side. The concert is on Monday, April 28 at 7:00 in the auditorium. Call time for the Wind Symphony is 6:30. Hope to see you there!
Concert Band Clinic with Dr. Golemo (Concert Band)
Concert Band Clinic with Dr. Golemo (Concert Band)
Adventureland Band Festival / Southeast Polk (Wind Symphony)
Because the spring musical falls on Adventureland weekend this year, we will not be able to participate in the festival on Friday.
Instead, the Wind Symphony will perform on Saturday morning at Southeast Polk, while the Concert Band will stay at Northwest and clinic in preparation for their performance at State Large Group on May 10.
Our full itinerary is as follows:
8:30 a.m. - Meet at Northwest HS in concert dress
9:00 a.m. - Depart for Southeast Polk
10:35 a.m. - Wind Symphony warm-up
11:00 a.m. - Wind Symphony performs
12:00 p.m. - Depart for Northwest
12:45 p.m. - Arrive back at Northwest HS
Percussion / Color Guard Spring Rehearsals
Percussion and Color Guard rehearsals will be held weekly on Thursdays from April 24 to May 22 and Tuesday, May 27 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.
Percussion will rehearse in Northwest Band Room
Color Guard will rehearse in the Northwest Multi-Purpose Room
2025 Royal Brigade Season Kick-Off
2025 Royal Brigade Season Kick-Off
Leadership Team Reveal
Show Announcement
Parent Information Meeting
JOIN US THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 6:00 PM
NORTHWEST COMMONS
🍕Papa John's Fundraising Night
Waukee NW Band Fundraising Night
Every 3rd Wednesday of each month, Papa John’s will be giving back 5% of sales to the Waukee Northwest High School Band!!
Waukee Location ONLY
NWBPO Meeting
The Northwest Band Parents Board will meet on April 15 at 6:00 PM in the NWHS Seminar Room. All band parents are invited to join us!
Iowa Jazz Championships
The Iowa Jazz Championships, held on Tuesday, April 8 at Stephens Auditorium on the Iowa State campus, features the best fifteen 4A bands from across Iowa. The Northwest Jazz Orchestra will perform at 4:15 p.m. We would love to have your support in Ames on that Tuesday afternoon. A full schedule for the day can be found at the Iowa Jazz Championships website.
There are three ways for you to purchase tickets for the Iowa Jazz Championships.
Visit Iowa Jazz Championships Tickets prior to March 31 and enter code EARLYBIRD to purchase tickets for $12.
Visit Iowa Jazz Championships Tickets between April 1 and April 6 and enter code ADVANCE to purchase tickets for $15.
Purchase tickets at the door for $20 with CASH ONLY.
All tickets will get you a wristband that allows entry in all four performance locations. Children under 5 who sit on a lap are free. NO REFUNDS will be given for any reason. If you're not sure you can attend, tickets will be available at the door on the day of the event at regular price. Checks and credit cards will not be accepted at the door.
Find additional information on Iowa Jazz Championship’s website here.
IIMA Waukee Indoor Marching
This is the 2025 IIMA State Championships!
This event features Indoor Drumlines and Colorguards from around central Iowa. It is being held at Waukee High School as a joint effort between the Waukee and Northwest Band programs.
Event Schedule
I&E (solos and duets) early-afternoon
Full performances mid-afternoon & evening
Location
Waukee High School
555 SE University Ave.
Waukee, IA 50263
Spectator Tickets
$20 - General Admission
$15 - Students/ Ages 65+
Children 5 and Under - FREE
Volunteer
We need your help to make to make this event happen! If you are available to volunteer to help this event happen, please click on the following link to sign up. Waukee Winter Showcase Volunteer Sign-Up
Visit IIMA’s website for additional information and tickets here.
Jazz Orchestra Performance at Noce Jazz Cabaret
Come out and listen to the Jazz Orchestra at Des Moines’ coolest jazz venue!
The Northwest Jazz Orchestra will once again perform at Noce Jazz Club. Located at 1326 Walnut downtown, Noce is one of the finest jazz venues in the Midwest.
The Des Moines Big Band, of which Mr. Page and I are both members, performs every Wednesday night from 7-9 p.m. Each week, a different area high school is invited to come down and perform during the set break of the big band. So if you find yourself free tonight, please consider coming down.
Tickets can be purchased at https://www.nocedsm.com/. Although tickets are available at the door, please consider purchasing your tickets early, as these nights do have a tendency to sell out.
🍕Papa John's Fundraising Night
Waukee NW Band Fundraising Night
Every 3rd Wednesday of each month, Papa John’s will be giving back 5% of sales to the Waukee Northwest High School Band!!
Waukee Location ONLY
St. Patrick's Day Parade Trip
Ireland here we come!!!
Tentative Itinerary
Friday, March 14 - Travel Day
Saturday, March 15 - Arrive/Rehearse at the Gaelic Athletic Association Grounds
Sunday, March 16 - Visit the city of Kilkenny and Kilkenny Castle
Monday, March 17 - March in the 2025 St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Tuesday, March 18 - Visit the city of Galway and the Cliffs of Moher
Wednesday, March 19 - Tour Dublin, visit the EPIC Emigration Museum and The Jeanie Johnstion: An Irish Faminie Story
Thursday, March 20 - Visit Belfast and tour the Titanic Museum
Friday, March 21 - Visit Causey Farm with Dinner and Show at Taylors Three Rock
Saturday, March 22 - Depart
Northwest Jazz Showcase
The Northwest Jazz Showcase will highlight the musical talents of all NWHS Jazz bands, ranging from 7th grade and up. Join us for a spectacular evening celebrating the incredible journey of budding jazz musicians contributing to the vibrant musical community at Northwest High School.
This concert is open to the public and free of charge. Doors will open at 6:45 pm, so come early and enjoy an unforgettable night of jazz performances.
IIMA Roosevelt Indoor Marching
Location
Theodore Roosevelt High School
4419 Center St.
Des Moines, IA 50312
Spectator Tickets
$15 - General Admission
$10 - Students/ Ages 65+
Children 5 and Under - FREE
Schedule TBD
Northwest “Blue Note” Jazz Festival Set-Up
We are hosting our annual Northwest Blue Note Jazz Festival on Saturday, March 8th.
It's going to be an exciting day with 45 bands performing in three centers around the building. This festival will be an opportunity for us to support jazz music, bring in some great clinicians, and raise money for the band parent organization - which will benefit all of our band students.
Please visit the Blue Note Jazz Festival page for detailed information.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
We have lots of volunteer opportunities available! (Jazz students will have specific jobs assigned to them, so these students should not sign up.)
If you would like to sign up to help, click the link below:
Northwest Blue Note Jazz Festival Volunteer Sign-up
Non-band students can also sign up and earn Silver Cord hours.
Thank you for your help!
Northwest “Blue Note” Jazz Festival
This is the third annual Northwest Blue Note Jazz Festival! Our festival has grown substantially this year and will feature 45 bands performing throughout the day for ten clinicians in five competitive classes.
Not only will this be a great event, but it will also be a strong fundraiser for our program. Soon, we will send out a volunteer signup for this event.
Doors open at TBD
Schedule / Performance times:
1:10 pm - Jazz Lab - Auditorium
7:50 pm -Jazz Orchestra - Auditorium
Full Schedule here.
Ticket Information:
Click here to purchase event tickets.
Volunteers are needed to help make this a successful event.
Sign up here.
Non-band students can also sign up and earn Silver Cord hours.
Thank you in advance for your help!
NWBPO Meeting
The Northwest Band Parents Board will meet on March 4 at 6:00 PM in the NWHS Seminar Room. All band parents are invited to join us!
Ireland Trip Meeting (following band concert)
We will hold a (brief?) meeting for all traveling students and families on Monday night immediately after our concert. Please make sure you have this meeting on your calendar, as this will be your chance to get the final details for the trip and ask any last minute questions you may have.
If you have specific questions that you want to make sure that we answer, please submit them below.
If you have multiple questions, please submit a separate form for each question.
Winter Band Concert
Our winter band concert is coming up on Monday the 3rd at 7:00 with the 9th grade band from Prairieview. The auditorium will be a little more full than normal, so please plan accordingly. Also, please help us make the Prairieview families feel welcome. We are excited to have them all at the high school with us next year!
Concert dress is the same as December and All-Iowa. We plan to have our concert uniforms for the April performances, however for Monday, we ask that all students adhere to the following guidelines:
Preferred concert attire
Black suit with a white shirt and a tie and black dress shoes
Black dress that extends beyond your knees when seated and covers your shoulders
Acceptable concert attire
Black slacks with a black long sleeve collared dress shirt
Unacceptable concert attire
White shirts without a jacket *** This is a change from past years
White shoes
White socks
Short sleeved shirts
Jeans or leggings
Torn or distressed clothing
Sneakers or athletic shoes
Short skirt that expose your knees when you sit
Blouses or shirts that expose your shoulders
Please note that in order to improve the uniformity of our ensemble, we prefer that students no longer wear a white shirts without a jacket.
Perry Band Olympics
The Perry Band Olympics solo and ensemble contests.
More information will be sent out to participating students and their families through a separate ParentSquare group.
This is an all day event.
Tall Corn Jazz Festival
On Friday, February 21, Jazz Lab and Jazz Orchestra will head to the University of Northern Iowa for the Tallcorn Jazz Festival.
NW PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Jazz Orchestra will perform at 3:00.
Jazz Lab will perform at 5:00.
ITINERARY
Find the event itinerary here.
You can find additional information here.
Purchase tickets here.
🍕Papa John's Fundraising Night
Waukee NW Band Fundraising Night
Every 3rd Wednesday of each month, Papa John’s will be giving back 5% of sales to the Waukee Northwest High School Band!!
Waukee Location ONLY
NWBPO Meeting
The Northwest Band Parents Board will meet on February 18 at 6:00 PM in the NWHS Seminar Room. All band parents are invited to join us!
All-Iowa Concert Band Festival
The All-Iowa Concert Band festival is held on Monday, February 17 at Johnston High School. Both bands will perform.
The Concert Band will perform at 3:15 PM.
The Wind Symphony at 4:30 PM.
Find the event itinerary here.
Attendees
Admission is free for this event if you would like to make the drive out to Johnston to support the bands!
Audience members should park in the north lot and enter through the Auditorium Entrance (Door 23).
Find the event website here.
Concert Dress
We want to look as good as we sound, so please adhere to the following guidelines:
Preferred concert attire
Black suit with a white shirt and a tie and black dress shoes
Black dress that extends beyond your knees when seated and covers your shoulders
Acceptable concert attire
Black slacks with a black long sleeve collared dress shirt
Unacceptable concert attire
White shirts without a jacket *** This is a change from past years
White shoes
White socks
Short sleeved shirts
Jeans or leggings
Torn or distressed clothing
Sneakers or athletic shoes
Short skirt that expose your knees when you sit
Blouses or shirts that expose your shoulders
Please note that in order to improve the uniformity of the ensemble, white shirts are no longer allowed without a jacket.
Basie Straight Ahead, Jazz Orchestra Theme Concert
Jazz Orchestra will be holding our first ever theme concert on Thursday evening, February 13 at 7pm in the Northwest Auditorium.
Since the first of the year, we have been digging into the music of Count Basie, and specifically into the music from the 1968 album “Basie Straight Ahead.”
On the 13th, we will be performing that entire album. It has been a great opportunity for us to learn about one of the cornerstones of jazz music.
We hope you can join us!
Drake University Honor Jazz Band Festival
Students are placed in ensembles according to their grades 9-12.
The event is held in Performing Arts Hall in the Harmon Fine Arts Center on the Drake campus.
Schedule:
Rehearsal from 9:30am-3:30pm
Clinics from 3:30pm-4:30pm
Concert with Drake Jazz I at 7:00pm in the Performing Arts Hall of the Harmon Fine Arts Center.
Find additional information here.
Perry Band Olympics Prep Night
Perry Prep Night is our in-house test run in preparation for Perry.
This year’s event will be held after school on Monday, February 3.
Each student who is participating in the Perry Band Olympics will be assigned a 10 minute time slot where they will come in and perform their solo or ensemble for a hired clinician.
For those of you who went through the All-State Mock Auditions, this process will be very similar. Students will perform and then receive feedback to help them prepare for Perry.
Students do not need to wear anything in particular for this event, and are only required to be here for their performance time. Students will not perform with their accompanist for this event.