NAfME Northwest Division Conference

19410 Hwy 99, Ste A #133  Lynnwood, Washington 98036

800-324-9632  425-712-9632  FAX 425-776-1795  studentevents@wmea.org

TEACHER: Please reproduce and distribute one copy to each

NAfME All-Northwest student, keep one copy for yourself
. . . AND . . . E-mail a copy of this to each accepted student
and their parents or guardians

2023 NAfME All-Northwest Band, Wind Symphony,

Mixed Choir, Treble Choir, Orchestra,
Jazz Band and Jazz Choir
Bellevue, Washington

Congratulations! As a result of your outstanding audition, you have been selected to participate
in one of our NAfME All-Northwest honor groups in Bellevue. As a member of one of our
groups, there are several steps you must take. Please go over this information very carefully with your parents
and teacher, with particular attention to deadlines for registration and payment of fees. If for any reason you
determine you must cancel your participation, your teacher should immediately email studentevents@wmea.org
so that the next most deserving student may be invited.

Registration and Payment of Fees

NEW procedures this year: Carefully complete the registration form sent to parents/guardians by email and
obtain all required signatures. Signatures will be collected via an online link provided by email.
Payment of all fees must come from one of two sources:
1. Processed through your school or district by Check, PO, or purchasing card, or
2. Paid by credit card through a link provided to parents/guardians directly via the Opus notification sys-
tem
If you are expected to personally fund part of your participation expense, you will need to pay the school,
which will then pay WMEA--no partial or split payments will be accepted. Many schools assist students with
the cost of participation. ASBs, booster clubs, and other local organizations may be willing to help you. Regis-
tration and payment of $400 must be postmarked by December 14. Late registrations will be charged an addi-
tional $10 each.

Cancellation Policy: During December after registering, $255 refunded

During January, $135 refunded. No refunds in February for any reason.

Music

Music will be mailed to your school music teacher beginning January 5.

Note: We will not mail your music until your registration has been received and all fees paid.

Once your music has arrived, label all loose pages in pencil with your name and school. If you believe you have
received the wrong music or parts, contact your school music teacher immediately. Finally---practice, practice,
practice.
Contact information
If a problem arises prior to the weekend of the event, or should you have questions or concerns, our
management team is ready to assist.

Todd Giltner, NAfME All-Northwest General Manager, allstate@wmea.org

John M. Wetherington, NAfMENW Student Events Coordinator, studentevents@wmea.org
Nicholas Budge, All-Northwest Band Manager, nbudge@corbett.k12.or.us
Vern Fosket, All-Northwest Wind Symphony Manager, vlfosket@olypen.com
Jaci Cummings, All-Northwest Mixed Choir Manager, jaci.cummings@gmail.com
Joellen Santos, All-Northwest Treble Choir Manager, SantosJ@issaquah.wednet.edu
Dan Wing, All-Northwest Orchestra Manager, dan.wing@comcast.net
Shawn Weis, All-Northwest Jazz Band Manager, Shawn_Weis@natronaschools.org
Quinn Van Paepeghem, All-Northwest Jazz Choir Manager, avanpaepeghem@nnu.edu

If you need to reach a member of our staff once we are in Bellevue, phone Mr. Giltner at 253-569-6780

More informtion including rehearsal and performance venues, addresses, detailed rehearsal schedules,
and concert ticket information will be provided as they are finalized. Group photos, recordings and memo-
rabelia such as individualized shirts, plaques, and patches will be available for pre-order. Order forms will be
distributed in the next information packet.

WMEA’s Honor Group Policy for Pricing, Refunds, and Payment can be found here: https://wmea.org/wp-con-
tent/uploads/2022/08/2023-Honor-Group-Payment-Policies-UPDATED.pdf

NAfME NW Ensemble Conductors

Band---Dr. John Bell, Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville

Wind Symphony---Dr. Emily Moss, California State University, Los Angeles
Orchestra---Dr. Lois Ferrari, Southwestern University
Mixed Choir---Dr. Marques L. A. Garrett, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Treble Choir---Dr. Sharon Hansen, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
Jazz Band---Erica von Kleist, Professional Performer
Jazz Choir---Darmon Meader, New York Voices
Registration and Check In

All groups check in between 8:30-9:30 am on Friday, 2/17. First rehearsals begin at 10:00 am. Registration and
Check in is at your rehearsal site.

Make arrangements with your school music teacher to arrive at your rehearsal site at the appropriate time.
Students are not allowed to drive to, or during their time in Bellevue. If you do, you will be sent home and
not allowed to participate. You need to arrive and return by commercial transportation, school transportation, or
with your music teacher or parents.

More informtion including rehearsal and performance venues, addresses, detailed rehearsal schedules,
and concert ticket information will be provided as they are finalized.

NAfME High School All-NW Chronological Logistics & Schedule Overview:

Friday: *Under school/district supervision, students are fed breakfast and then delivered to their
rehearsal site. If students have not already checked in to their hotel, school chaperones/parents
will need to keep student luggage with them.
*WMEA will provide lunch and dinner on day one.
*Upon conclusion of rehearsal, WMEA will transport all students to their hotel where they will be
released to school approved supervision until the following morning.
Saturday: *School chaperones will make sure that students are up, checked out of hotel rooms, and arrive to
buses on time.
*Students will need to make sure that they have everything with them to rehearse and perform. Students
will likely want to have a backpack or small dress/suit bag to contain their concert uniform until it is
time to change.
*Chaperones will take responsibility of luggage upon student check out from hotels.
*WMEA will pick up students from their hotel and transport them to rehearsal site. Breakfast will be
provided at the hotel or on route to rehearsal.
*Lunch will be provided by WMEA. Dinner will also be provided for Jazz Band & Choir.
*WMEA provides transportation to concert sites. Upon conclusion of the concert, all students will be
released to their school director or chaperone for safe transport home.

Concerts:

All-Northwest Band, Wind Symphony and Orchestra

NAfME All-Northwest Instrumental Concert, 4:30 pm, Saturday, February 18

All-Northwest Mixed Choir and Treble Choir
NAfME All-Northwest Choral Concert, 4:30 pm, Saturday, February 18

All-Northwest Jazz Band and Jazz Choir
NAfME All-Northwest Jazz Concert, 7:30 pm Saturday, February 18
Housing

Please download and familiarize yourself with WMEA’a new Housing Policy and Process which can be found
here: https://wmea.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/2023-Housing-Policy-and-Process.FINAL_.pdf

WMEA’s housing policy reads as follows:

In light of liability and safety concerns, WMEA will discontinue housing and chaperoning for participants in
high school honor ensembles, including All-State and All-Northwest. Under the new protocol, WMEA will take
responsibility for supervising students from the time they report for the first rehearsal of the first day until the
conclusion of the evening rehearsal or event, at which point they will be released to the supervision of their
school director or chaperone. School directors are responsible for following all guidelines established by their
schools and districts to ensure that their students are appropriately supervised at all WMEA events.

Schools will now be responsible for arranging lodging for their participating students, and provide a school/
district approved adult chaperone(s) to supervise their students while they are at their hotel. WMEA will offer a
block of hotel rooms for schools to choose from and all students must stay in one of the hotels within that block.
There will be no exceptions. WMEA will provide transportation from those designated hotels to rehearsal sites
each morning and return transportation to hotels at the conclusion of each evening’s activities. WMEA will con-
tinue to assume full responsibility for high school participants during all rehearsals and AllNW/All-State related
activities.

WMEA has negotiated discounted student room blocks at the following hotels:

Hilton Bellevue
300 112th Ave SE
Bellevue, WA 98004
WMEA block student room rate from $159/night
https://www.hilton.com/en/book/reservation/deeplink/?ctyhocn=LION-HF&groupCode=WMEA23&arrivalda
te=2023-02-17&departuredate=2023-02-19&cid=OM,WW,HILTONLINK,EN,DirectLink&fromId=HILTONLI
NKDIRECT

Hyatt Regency of Bellevue

900 Bellevue Way
Bellevue WA 98004
WMEA block student room rate from $169/night
https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/group-booking/BELLE/G-NDBC/STUDENT

The Courtyard by Marriott Bellevue/Downtown

11010 NE 8th St
Bellevue, WA 98004
WMEA block student room rate from $139/night
https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1660763645506&key=GRP&app=resvlink

Seattle Marriott of Bellevue

200 110th Ave NE
Bellevue, WA 98004
WMEA block student room rate from $169/night
https://www.marriott.com/events/start.mi?id=1659737042709&key=GRP
Special accommodations

The safety and well-being of all students is our highest priority. If special accommodations are needed for your student
(accommodations that are also in place at school) please contact studentevents@wmea.org.

For needs that arise during the conference, we encourage students to contact their site managers or chaperones
immediately.

Clothing, instruments, luggage, other information

 Comfortable, school appropriate clothing for rehearsals and meals.

 Concert attire as appropriate for a formal school concert. (Dark shoes and socks please.)

 Your instrument, in good working order, well labeled with your name and contact information.

 Accessories—strings, rosin, rock stop, mutes, reeds, valve oil, etc.

 A folding music stand, labeled with your name/section (instrumentalists only.)

 Luggage, labeled. Personal spending money.

Percussionists: Only larger instruments will be provided (timpani, bass drum, mallet instruments, chimes.) You must
furnish all other percussion equipment, including sticks, mallets and beaters. Review your part/instrument assignments
and bring all items you will need.

Tuba players---no sousaphones, please.

Attendance, participation and behavior

With the number of students and adults involved in making a weekend like this possible, we must all work together in a
respectful, positive manner. Students whose behavior is unacceptable to supervising adults, chaperones, hotel or facility
staff, will be sent home at their own expense at the first reasonable opportunity.

All students are expected to participate in all rehearsals and scheduled activities. By electing to participate in our honor
groups, you agree that you will not leave rehearsals or other activities during the time involved. Doing so will result in
your removal from the group and an immediate trip home. If you are in a school group that has been invited to perform at
the conference, your teacher is expected to make arrangements with Todd Giltner at least two weeks prior. Students will
be allowed to be picked up 45 minutes before the scheduled performance and must be returned within 45 minutes of the
conclusion of the performance.

Following is the official NAfME NW policy regarding attendance:

In the interest of student safety and group management, students will be required to remain with honor group activities
for the duration, from check-in until the concert is concluded. Students will not be released for school, church, family or
personal reasons barring an emergency or another unique, extraordinary and unexpected circumstance. If students have
conflicts arise after registration and choose to not participate in their honor group, they will be subject to the published
refund policy. Students missing rehearsal without prior clearance from the All-Northwest General Manager will be subject
to immediate return home. This includes, but is not limited to, emergencies and the school music group’s participation at
the concurrent music educators conference.

rev. 11.15.22