Wesleyan High School Honors Bands

High School Honors Band Festival 

Dates: Friday, February 19 and Saturday, February 20, 2027 

We will again have two high school bands: 

• Wind Ensemble: Students will audition for placement in this ensemble. 
• Symphonic Band: Students will be selected through teacher nomination. 

The audition and nomination processes will remain the same as last year. 

Conductors: 

• Ishba Cox – Wind Ensemble 
• Sebastian Buhts – Symphonic Band 

The nomination process will remain the same as last year, with teachers nominating students to participate in either ensemble.

Audition / Nomination Process

The Wesleyan Honor Bands will host two ensembles.

Our Symphonic Band is a nomination-based ensemble. Directors may nominate a student from their program. This process does not require an audition.

Symphonic Band nomination instructions

Please submit nominations by the end of Friday, December 4, 2026.

1. Download the director nomination form instructions.
2. Download the nomination spreadsheet.
3. Complete the “School Information” tab.
4. Complete the “Student Information” tab for all your students.
5. Upload your completed nomination spreadsheet.

Our Wind Ensemble is an audition-based ensemble which requires an audio or video submission.

Wind Ensemble audition instructions

Wind Ensemble auditions should include two contrasting excerpts of your choosing, which demonstrate your abilities as a musician in a wide range of categories. 

Submit audition files

Guest Conductors

Ishba Cox

Dr. Ishbah Cox is Associate Professor of Music and Director of Bands at Capital University, where he holds tenure and leads the university’s wind band program. A conductor, educator, and nationally recognized arranger, Dr. Cox brings more than two decades of experience in both university and public school settings, distinguished by artistic excellence, innovative programming, and a commitment to student-centered music-making. Prior to his appointment at Capital University, Dr. Cox served as Director of Bands at Olentangy Orange High School (Lewis Center, Ohio), where he led a comprehensive band program committed to musical growth and community engagement. He previously held the position of Associate Professor of Bands at Purdue University, conducting multiple concert ensembles and serving as assistant director of the Purdue “All-American” Marching Band. Across these appointments, he has built a reputation for expressive podium leadership, meticulous rehearsal technique, and the cultivation of high-level ensemble artistry.

Dr. Cox earned a Bachelor of Music Education from Auburn University, a Master of Music in Performance from the University of Alabama, and a Doctor of Arts in Wind Conducting from Ball State University, where he also completed a secondary specialization in Euphonium Performance. As an arranger, Dr. Cox is published with Hal Leonard and has written extensively for high school and collegiate marching bands across the country. His arrangements have been performed by major university programs, including Purdue University, Penn State University, The Ohio State University, Ohio University, and the University of Wisconsin. He has also collaborated with internationally recognized artists such as Papa Roach and Huntertones, adapting their music for large-scale marching band performances. A strong advocate for artistry in conducting, Dr. Cox has recently become a Signature Artist with PaGu Batons. Dr. Cox maintains active professional memberships in the Ohio Music Educators Association (OMEA), National Band Association (NBA), American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), Kappa Kappa Psi, and the Collegiate Band Directors National Association (CBDNA). He holds honorary memberships in the Gamma Pi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi and the Beta Sigma Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma at Purdue University. He is also a member of Phi Beta Mu (Mu Chapter), where he currently serves as President on the executive board. Through his work as conductor, educator, arranger, and clinician, Dr. Cox remains committed to advancing wind band artistry and empowering the next generation of music educators and performers.

Sebastian Buhts

Dr. Sebastian Buhts (pronounced boots) is a dynamic conductor, percussionist, and educator based in St. Louis, Missouri. He currently serves as Assistant Professor of Music and Director of the Meramec Orchestra at St. Louis Community College, teaches percussion and tabla at Washington University in St. Louis, and performs as Principal Timpanist with Union Avenue Opera. Previously, he was Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Bands at Lindenwood University.

Praised by Broadway World for his “astonishing virtuosity,” Buhts maintains an active performance schedule across North America and abroad. Recent conducting highlights include appearances at the National Taiwan University of Arts, guest conducting multiple St. Louis community orchestras, and directing “Meet Me In St. Louis” for the NHL’s St. Louis Blues. He often performs as an extra percussionist with ensembles such as the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Kansas City Symphony, and Opera Theatre of St. Louis. An avid champion of percussion repertoire, he has premiered chamber percussion works at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC), the Cortona New Music Sessions in Italy, and regularly performs as a solo marimba artist.

Buhts earned his Doctor of Musical Arts from Michigan State University, and holds Master and Bachelor of Music degrees from Belmont University. His advanced training includes orchestral studies at the Hochschule für Musik in Dresden, Germany, the Aspen Music Festival and School, and intensive North Indian tabla studies in Varanasi, India. Buhts is a proud artist endorser for Marimba One instruments. For more information and upcoming event listings, please visit www.sebastianbuhts.com.

Schedule

Friday February 19

• Registration starts at 9 a.m. 
• 10 a.m. Rehearsal (lunch and dinner included)
• 9:15 p.m. Dismissal

Saturday February 20

• 9:15 a.m. Rehearsal (brunch included)
• 4:30 p.m. Performance

Repertoire

To be announced after nomination and audition selection.