Festival Information

All performances are open to the public and admission is free (with the exception of the Showcase Concert). Parents, friends, etc. are encouraged to attend the Festival and watch the daily festival performances.

Parents and friends are advised to park in the Arts Parkade at the University of Calgary and in public parking at Polaris Centre for the Performing Arts. Please be advised that parking fees may apply.

IMPORTANT! There have been major changes to where buses can drop-off and pick-up for the Alberta International Band Festival that have been mandated by the U of C Parking & Transportation Division. It is critical that you communicate these changes to your drivers are we are no longer allowed to use the loop in front of the Rozsa Centre. If you have any concerns about these changes, we encourage you to take it up with them. You can find the link to their department HERE.

Maps will be added in the coming weeks.

DROP-OFF: Buses will enter off 24th Avenue on University Gate NW. Buses will be allowed to drop off students on the far side of the Rozsa Centre and then can turn around and exit in the loop in front of International House. (Teachers and students will walk around and still enter at the main entrance of the Rozsa)

*** TEACHERS - To check in at the Registration Desk, you can slip in the EMERGENCY EXIT door along University Court between the Scotabank Milling Room and the Great Hall. Once done, you will return to your group and bring them in the main doors of the Rozsa Centre.

Buses that need to wait for students are allowed to park down at McMahon Parking Lot. Drivers are best to enter the McMahon entrance off University Drive and then park anywhere in the lot to the right.

PICK-UP: For pick-up please arrange a 10-minute warning call to your drivers (who are waiting at McMahon Stadium for your call). They can drive in on University Drive and take the main loop around that turns into University Way. Bands will exit out the "breezeway" by the Reeve Theatre and towards the Art Parkade. Buses will pick your groups up just past the +15 leading to the Art Parkade.

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We have already been in contact with National Motorcoach to discuss the updated procedures. They are aware and are communicating this information with their drivers.

If you are using a different bus company, it is essential that you share this information with your drivers so they are aware of the changes.

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National Motorcoach has been SIGNIFICANT sponsor of the Alberta International Band Festivals since 1990 - that 32 years folks! We are grateful for their generous support over the past few year. They are able to provide transportation for a number of bands each day during the festival at a preferred rate.

As our main bussing sponsor, National Motorcoach has generously reduced their Band Festival transfer rates to help makes things easier for our participating bands.

To book buses for your upcoming performance(s) at festival, please contact National Motorcoach directly.

Phone: 403-240-1992

E-mail: [email protected]

The Alberta International Band Festival provides provides a limited amount of equipment on stage and in clinic room. Please read through the equipment list below to confirm what you will have access to.

AIBF Calgary Equipment List 2024 - Please read through carefully ahead of time to avoid problems on performance day.

Equipment NOT provided by the Festival:

• suspended cymbals
• crash cymbals (this is NEW!)
• hammer or mallets for gong, chimes or bass drum
• keyboard instruments

PLEASE LABEL ANY EQUIPMENT THAT YOU BRING TO THE FESTIVAL. Any lost and found items will be available at the Showcase concert at the end of the event. You may also contact Ryan Hancock directly at [email protected].

PLEASE ENSURE THAT ALL EQUIPMENT PROVIDED BY THE FESTIVAL REMAINS IN THE VENUE AS PROVIDED. If there is a problem with any festival equipment, please advise a Festival representative immediately so the situation can be rectified as soon as possible.

Band directors are asked to complete the following forms and be ready to submit them when you arrive at the festival and check in. You will also be asked to submit scores of your musical selections - one set for each adjudicator. (TWO sets for Concert Bands 1 - 6 festival; TWO sets for the Jazz festival at Inglewood and THREE sets for the Jazz Festival at TransAlta Performing Arts Studio). While E-[print is acceptable, photocopies of scores will not be accepted due to copyright infringement.

Background Information Form - You need TWO copies for Concert Bands 1 - 6; TWO copies for Jazz (Ironwood); THREE copes for Jazz at TransAlta Performing Arts Studio. Please attach to the front page of each set of your scores.

MC Form - You need ONE copy.

Band Set-Up Form - You only need to complete the form IF your ensemble is larger than 90 members. Please ensure it is completed and emailed in advance to [email protected] BEFORE Wednesday, February 15th, 2023 for the Grades 1-6 Band Festival.

If your band requires the piano on stage, please email [email protected] BEFORE Wednesday, February 15th, 2023 so we can let the stage technicians know.

The Alberta International Band Festival - South provides two Honour Band enrichment programs for the most accomplished high school musicians. Each registered high school has the opportunity to nominate at least three students per registered Concert Band performing ensemble.

Our honour band committee members will be reaching out to the participating high school directors in regards to getting nominations. Further information will be sent out through them.

The rehearsal schedule and performance details are included on each of the nomination forms. We encourage our high school band directors to please discuss the rehearsal dates and times, and the level of commitment required with your students before nomination them to be part of the ensemble so they know what to expect.

Please DO NOT tell students that they are automatically in the ensemble just because they have been nominated.The Honour Band Committee members will go through the nominations and put together the ensembles. Each student selected will receive an emailed letter inviting them to participate, along with the music and information regarding the rehearsals and performance date. Students selected will be required to respond to this invitation on their own to Andrew Morrow at [email protected] and are expected to attend all rehearsals in order to be eligible to participate.

AIBF HONOUR CONCERT BAND

This year our Senior High Honour Concert Band participants will have the opportunity to work with one of our amazing adjudicators. Each of the conductors will work with the ensemble on one piece of music, giving the student performers a diverse and rich ensemble experience. They will be performing at the Showcase Concert on Tuesday, February 28th, 2023 at the Rozsa Centre at the University of Calgary.

Specific questions in regards to the honour band should be directed to Andrew Morrow at [email protected].

The Alberta International Band Festival encourages you to select musical literature that you believe will best showcase your ensemble at the grade level you have registered them for. Unlike other music festivals, we don't have a set performance list. (As our Grade 1 bands are having to perform earlier than in past years, they may choose to play pieces at the 1/2 level rather than a full Grade 1.)

For both concert band and jazz ensemble performances, you should consider the overall performance. You have a set performance time that you must stay within (including allowing time for your band to get on and off the stage, and time for adjudicators to provide comments between pieces.)

We recommend you play two musical selections, but many groups opt to perform a warm-up piece or march that you have the option of including as part of your adjudication or not. The pieces selected should be in contrasting styles. For example, a good concert band program might include a traditional march and then a more contemporary original concert band work. A jazz program might include a swing tune, a ballad, and a funk tune.

The total number of pieces you choose to perform should be based on the following time allocations:

• Total stage time for Grade 1 to 6 Concert Bands is limited to a maximum of 30 minutes including set-up, performance, and departure.

If you are looking for ideas for performance pieces, there are a variety of resources you can access:

• Talk to more experienced teachers in your community including other teachers within your own area. they are often more than willing to share ideas and experience.
• Talk to your music store representative. Both St. John's Music and Long & McQuade have music specialists who stay up to date on the new repertoire that is out there, as well as some of the tried and true "classics". they might have some great suggestions that would be ideal for your ensemble.
• The Alberta Band Association has put together a syllabus for their festival. You can find the one for 2017 and past years at ABA Syllabus.
• Teaching Through Performance books (available at most music stores). However, be aware that these are American books and the performance level they indicate a piece is at may not always be accurate.

Pieces selected should be original works for concert band and/or jazz and. While there is a definitely place for pop music, movie music and Broadway musical selections in the musical world, they are often not the best choices for festival performance literature.

Concert Band Festival: A reminder that you are required to submit two conductor's scores for each piece you perform for adjudication (not including the one that you will be using yourself).

Jazz Band Festival: A reminder that you are required to submit three conductor's scores for each piece you perform for adjudication (not including the one that you will be using yourself).

AIBF does not condone the use of photocopied scores. Please order your scores early to avoid problems at Festival time.

If you are trying to mail in cheques for registrations, please ensure they are made out to the "Alberta International Band Festival".

Our mailing address is:

Alberta International Band Festival

169 Copperstone Circle SE

Calgary, AB T2Z 0G8

Payments may also be made directly online by credit card. Please log-in to your account, click on the group registration that you're looking for, and select the Pay Now option at the bottom of the page.

Arrival and Unloading:

Before you leave your school, please review the Equipment List to ensure your percussionists and bass players know what is being provided and what isn't. All items you bring to festival should be labelled clearly with your school's name.

PLEASE NOTE THERE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE BUSSING DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP LOCATIONS. You will no longer be able to access the loop in front of the Rozsa Centre. These changes have been mandated by the U of C Parking and Transportation. If you have concerns with the changes, please refer contact them HERE.

Refer to the Bussing Information under "Festival Info" for exact details.

The Band Director needs to check-in at the Registration Desk (located inside the Main Doors of the Rozsa Centre). At the Registration Desk, band directors will need to provide:

• 2 scores for each piece you plan to perform (no photocopies please; eprint is okay)
• 2 Background Information Forms (1 for each adjudicator)
• 1 MC Form
• 1 AIBF Band Set-Up Form - Rozsa Centre.pdf - FOR GROUPS LARGER THAN 90 ONLY (Please submit prior to Wednesday, February 14th, 2024)
• Please also send an email to [email protected] BEFORE February 14th, 2024 if your ensemble requires the use of the piano on stage during their performance.

Once the director has registered, a guide will take the ensemble to a storage area. Early arrival is encouraged in order to ensure that you and your group are not rushed for time.

For groups that are first thing in the morning, please note that we do not have access to the Rozsa Centre before 7:30 AM.

Storage Room:

A volunteer guide will assist the band director and students in finding an assigned storage room. This room is for students to store instrument cases and coats/jackets. It is possible that you may have to share the space with another group so PLEASE USE AS LITTLE SPACE AS POSSIBLE. This is not a warm-up room - ABSOLUTELY NO PLAYING.

Storage rooms will not be locked, so students are encouraged to leave valuables back at their school. Neither the Festival nor the University of Calgary will be responsible for lost, stolen or damaged articles. As their is a limited amount of storage space available, groups will not be able to access their storage room until 15 - 30 minutes before their warm-up time. Items must be removed within 15 - 30 minutes of the end of their clinic.

Warm-Up Room:

A volunteer guide will meet your group in your storage area approximately five minutes before your warm-up time and lead you to the warm-up room. This room will be equipped with chairs and stands only. Directors are responsible for bringing their own tuners. The volunteer will give you a five minute warning before you have to move your group to the performance stage.

Performance:

The guides will lead bands to the performance area at the appropriate time. The Emcee will introduce each group before its performance. Please wait for a signal from the adjudicators between each piece indicating that they are ready for you to continue.

Total stage time for Grade 1 to 6 Concert Bands is limited to a maximum of 30 minutes including set-up, introductions, performance and departure. Please remember that adjudicators will also require a few minutes to complete their thoughts and comments before you proceed to the next piece so plan accordingly.

TIME LIMITS WILL BE ENFORCED.

Band directors are reminded to submit an MC Form at check-in. Please do not change the stage setup unless this is critical to your success. If you do change it, it is your responsibility to return the stage to its original setup. This MUST occur within your time allotment.

Clinic:

Following your performance, a volunteer guide will lead each band to the clinic room for a 25 minute clinic session with an adjudicator. Scores will be retrieved by the volunteer guides during this session and returned to the director at the end. All written adjudication forms and recordings will be accessible online this year. A note indicating how to access your information will be included when your scores are returned to you.

Please note that if your ensemble did not use all of their performance time on stage, they may be asked to remain on stage or in the hallway until the clinic room is available.

Storage Room:

Following your clinic, a volunteer guide will lead your ensemble back to their storage room. At this point, students will be asked to put away their instruments and collect their belongings.

NEW CHANGE: Performers will exit out the of the Rozsa Centre through the breezeway by the Reeve Theatre to meet their buses along the north side of University Way NW. (Just past the +15 to the Art Parkade.)

Groups who are staying to listen to other ensembles perform will need to make alternate arrangements for storing equipment, as our space is extremely limited.

The Jazz Bands portion of the Alberta International Band Festival will be taking place at the Polaris Centre for the Performing Arts. The address is 261051 Wagon Wheel View #8.

Buses will be able to drop off groups off in front of Polaris Centre.

We encourage bands to eat either before they arrive at the festival or afterwards.

To double-check what equipment is provided in the Warm-Up space, the Performance Area, and the Clinic Room, please refer to our Equipment List.

Registration:

While students unload, band directors can enter the building and register their ensemble at the Registration Desk.

Band Directors at the Polaris Centre will need to provide:

• 3 scores for each piece you plan to perform (no photocopies please; eprint is okay)
• 3 Background Information Forms (1 for each adjudicator)
• (MC forms are not required anymore)

A volunteer will then take you and your ensemble to a storage area where you may leave your coats, belongings, and instruments cases. These areas will not be locked, so please encourage band members to leave valuables at home.

Warm-Up:

Each group will be assigned a specific space for warm-up. You will 25 minutes in your warm-up space.

Performance Area:

All the groups in your pod will come together in the performance space. Each group will have up to 30 minutes on stage to perform.

Once you take the stage and get settled, an Emcee will introduce your group. Afterwards you can begin your performance. Please note that you should pause briefly between pieces to allow adjudicators to finish with their comments. They will acknowledge when you may begin the next piece. Your entire performance, including getting on and off the stage should fit within the 30 minute timeslot.

Each group in the pod will have the opportunity to perform for the other groups within the pod. If your group is not on stage performing, they are part of the audience and supporting the ensemble on stage.

Clinic:

After your performance, each group will move back to your warm-up space for your clinic. This is where one of the adjudicators will come and work with your group. If your group finishes performing early, this means you will have more opportunity to work with your adjudicator in clinic. Your scores will be returned to you at the end of this session.

All audio recordings and scores will be available through Competition Suite. Be sure that you've signed up for your account. (Please refer to our section on Scoring & Evaluation if you need additional information on this.)

Evaluations & Scoring:

All evaluations including scoring and recordings have been moved online this year using Competition Suite. While audio recordings were available right away, marks were verified and usually within 60 minutes of the last band of the day completing their clinic.

Please refer to the section in our website for details (Festival Menu tab --> Scoring & Evaluation), including the rubric that will help make it all make sense. (Numbers ranges are provided to see whether your fit in the Superior, Excellent, Good or Fair categories that many of you are familiar with in years past.)

*** IMPORTANT NOTE *** - If you are using a smartphone, you will only have access to the audio recordings. To actually see your scores and marks, you must be on a laptop or tower computer. (Limitation of the app that we have no control over.)

Any questions or concerns regarding your evaluations should be sent to Mike Jewitt ([email protected]) or Trish Howe ([email protected]).

A reminder to everyone that if you have concerns, the best way to move forward and improve the situation is to talk to the people that have the ability to implement change.

Gold Awards:
For groups that earn a Gold Award, you can pick them up the following day while the Jazz Festival is operating at the Polaris Centre (address above) for the Performing Arts Wednesday, March 6th rom 8:30 AM - 8:30 PM (Tuesday winners) and Thursday, March 7th from 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM (Tuesday or Wednesday winners). Thursday winners will be emailed after the festival with information on how they can pick up their Gold Award.

No bands will be scheduled until payment has been received.

A schedule of the performance times for each ensemble will be shared on our website and with directors by email on December 15th, 2023.

There will be a non-refundable administration fee of $50.00. Bands that cancel on or before December 22nd, 2023 in writing with an email sent to [email protected] (a confirmation email will be sent back to confirm receipt of cancellation) will be eligible to receive a complete refund minus the $50 administration fee. After this date, no refunds (or carry over of fees) will be issued for bands withdrawing from the Alberta International Festival.

Registration is an online process. Access for all three components of the festival can be found on the home page in the right hand column. It is based on a first come, first served basis. Once categories are full, registration will be closed for that component. Our goal is to close registration by November 30, 2023 for the 2024 year.

Schedules will be released by December 15th, 2023 so band directors can begin making arrangements. Any groups wishing to cancel and be eligible for refund (minus a $50 administration fee) must inform the festival in writing by an email sent to [email protected] on or before December 22nd, 2023.

Costs per ensemble are as follows:

Concert Bands (Grades 1-6) - $625.00

Jazz Bands & Combos - $625.00

Band Guest Conductor Workshops - $400.00

2024 Calgary Festival Dates

Concert Band Schedule 2024 (Grades 1-6)

Wednesday, February 21st - Tuesday, February 28th, 2024 - Rozsa Centre (University of Calgary)

Schedule: AIBF Calgary Concerts Bands 2024 (February 4th, 2024 Version)

Jazz Band & Combos (All Levels)

Tuesday, March 5th through Friday, March 8th, 2024 at the Polaris Centre For The Performing Arts

Schedule: AIBF Calgary Jazz Bands 2024 (February 4th, 2024 Version)

Please note that we have had to implement a stricter refund policy. To be eligible for a complete refund (minus a $50 administration fee), the band director must send an email in writing to [email protected] on or before December 22nd, 2023. (A written email confirmation will be sent back to confirm receipt.) After this date, no refunds or carry over of fees will be issued for bands withdrawing from the Alberta International Band Festival.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your scheduled time, please contact Ryan Hancock at [email protected].

When booking transportation for your ensemble, we encourage you to use our bussing sponsor, National Motorcoach, who have proudly supported the Alberta International Band Festival for over 33 years now. They offer a preferred rate to our festival participants. Please ensure to identify yourself as an Alberta International Band Festival participant when making your travel arrangements. The phone number for National Motorcoach is 403-240-1992 and their email is [email protected].

BEGINNING iN 2024, ALL ADJUDICATIONS ARE ONLINE. (No more adjudication forms in your envelopes or emails with Dropbox Links.)

We are using a program called Competition Suit that allows for everything to be online - your marks, recordings with audio comments, and your archival recording. The audio files are usually accessible immediately after your performance, but the actual marks/evaluation will be accessible later during the same day.

All adjudicators are giving actual mark (based on the AIBF Concert Band Rubric - click HERE or the AIBF Jazz Band Rubric - click HERE) along with audio comments. You are also provided with an archival recording of your performance.

TO ACCESS YOUR ADJUDICATION:

Everyone was sent a email from Competition Suite to the email address you used to register your band over the past two weeks that will allow you to finish setting up your account. (It may be sitting in your Junkmail Folder).

When you open up the email, there is a an opportunity for you to create your own security password.

Once complete, you should be able to see your overall score, You can click for more details and see the breakdown from each adjudicator.

You can also click on Commentary to hear any of the three recordings.

If you cannot find that email, you can go to CompetitionSuite.com to set up your account.

• Click the "Sign Up (It's Free) in the center of the page.
• Enter the email that you used to register for AIBF. (It is critical that you use the same email that you used to register so it can find you in the system.)
• Once your account is set-up, you will have access to your adjudication. (It may require account verification from our end. If that is the case, please give it an hour or two and then check back.)

UNDERSTANDING YOUR MARKS:

Please refer to the following rubric to better understand your marks. To access, click HERE for the Concert Band Rubric and click HERE for the Jazz Band Rubric.
In the past you have been evaluated on a number of criteria as either SUPERIOR, EXCELLENT, GOOD or FAIR.

The evaluation is based on that same scale.
Superior = 4
Excellent = 3
Good = 2
Fair = 1

For example, one of the categories that each band is evaluated on is Quality of Sound.

• The adjudicator listens to your full performance and makes a final evaluated of your your ensemble did in this category. A number is assigned based on the performance description above.
• If a group did extremely well on that performance description, but aren't quite at the next level, the adjudicator may assign a decimal place to that number. For example, an EXCELLENT would get a 3, but an EXCELLENT + might get a 3.5 or even a 3.75.

Superior = overall score between 3.50 - 4.0 (This mark earns a Gold Award.)
Excellent = overall score between 2.50 - 3.499
Good = overall score between 1.50 - 2.449
Fair = overall score up to 1.499

The new system is not that different from the old system, although it is different enough that it requires a bit extra explanation.

WHY DID I GET ZEROS FROM ONE ADJUDICATOR (Concert Band Only):
Each group is evaluated by TWO adjudicators. However, we have three adjudicators that rotate through the process (as one is always in the clinic space.)

The program does not allow for the adjudicators to rotate so each one is assigned a specific profile. While it looks like your group is getting zeros from one adjudicator, that is simply the adjudicator who is in the clinic room during your performance. Their marks are not included as part of your overall evaluation.


GOLD AWARDS:
As we have to wait until the end of the morning or the end of the afternoon for the adjudicators to verify their scores, we can't always hand out Gold Awards immediately while you are still in the building.

For those of you who achieve a mark higher than 3.50 your ensemble earn a Gold Award. You are welcome to stop by the university anytime between 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM from now until February 27th, 2024 to pick up your award from Cathy in the Main AIBF Office (just inside the main doors of the Rozsa Centre). They will also be available at the President's Reception for band teachers on Tuesday, February 27th from 6 - 6:45 PM.


WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE HAVING PROBLEMS ACCESSING YOUR ADJUDICATION:

If you are having difficulty accessing your scores, please send an email to Mike Jewitt at [email protected] and he will get back to you as soon as possible.

If you are at the festival (from now until February 27th), and need help, swing by the AIBF Office and Cathy will be able to help.

In addition to the regular festival schedule happening each day, the Alberta International Band Festival will be holding a Showcase Concert and Awards Evenings to recognize some of our outstanding musicians in the Calgary community and surrounding area. These concerts feature guest performing ensembles, as well as one of our AIBF Honour Band ensemble.

AIBF Calgary Showcase Concert

Tuesday, February 27th, 2024 | 7:00 PM

Eckhardt-Grammatte Hall, Rozsa Centre | University of Calgary

Admission: $15.00 (Seating is limited)

President's Reception: A reception will be held in The Hub (Rozsa Centre) for band directors, sponsors and committee members at 6:00 PM. Light appetizers and drinks will be served.