Wesleyan Middle School Honors Bands

Saturday, March 20

Middle School Honors Band Festival

Date: Saturday, March 20, 2027

We will have two ensembles:

Symphonic Band: Conducted by Chiyo Trauernicht
Concert Band: Conducted by Natalie Sears

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

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, February 5, 2026.

Download the director nomination form instructions.
Download the nomination spreadsheet.
Complete the “School Information” tab.
Complete the “Student Information” tab for all your students.
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

Chiyo Trauernicht

Chiyo Trauernicht, a native of Chiba, Japan, is currently the Instrumental Music Teacher at Omaha Central High School. She’s held this position since 2021, and she teaches Concert Band, Marching Band, Jazz Band, Orchestra, Guitar, and Piano classes. Prior to her appointment at CHS, Trauernicht was band director at Otte-Blair Middle School for 14 years. The story of how she decided to pursue a career in music is filled with many interesting twists and turns.

While growing up in Japan, it was clear to those around her that Trauernicht was a natural leader who had a love of teaching. She also cultivated a love of music, taking piano lessons and playing flute in middle school.

“Ever since I was a preschooler, I wanted to be a teacher, and my mom said that on parent observation days, I would just follow teachers around the class,” Trauernicht said. “My aunt is an art teacher and that was always an inspiration.”

Trauernicht pursued collegiate studies to become a high school English teacher, hoping she might find a job at a high school with a strong band program. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. It was also right around this time that Trauernicht suffered from a herniated disc, which became a key moment in her music career. While recovering from this injury, she started to ask herself what it was she really wanted to do.

“I really wanted to come back to the United States, and so I looked for a way to somehow do this for a year before I became an English teacher,” Trauernicht said. “It had been a while since I was in a native English-speaking country, and before I became a high school English teacher I really wanted to be confident up front of the classroom speaking English.” Trauernicht found an organization in Japan that sent Japanese people to English-speaking countries to volunteer in social welfare organizations. This program led Trauernicht to Beatrice, Nebraska to work in the Beatrice State Developmental Center, a 24-hour residential facility for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She was a paraeducator for special education classrooms for a year, but due to her music background, she was also asked to help a music therapist on site.

“That experience, really it changed my life and also my view of what music can do for people,” Trauernicht said. “Music therapy sessions – I can literally see at the beginning of the session this student coming in and his heart rate is like 180, running around, banging on the walls. And then after half an hour music session, he’s calmed down. Residents who were sometimes nonverbal would hum to the music. All of that observation and interaction made me feel like I cannot be satisfied with music being just my hobby.”

At 22 years old, Trauernicht decided she wanted music to be her career. She finished her degree program in Japan and then moved to Nebraska, where she completed the music teaching certification program at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. She also earned a Master of Music degree in Instrumental Conducting from the American Band College of Sam Houston State University.

Today, Trauernicht’s teaching philosophy is grounded in those early experiences at Beatrice.

“My philosophy in band is also the same as adaptive music. I want to equip students with the tools, skills, and experiences that will help them enjoy music for the rest of their lives.”

As an immigrant and a woman of color, Trauernicht recognizes her important role when it comes to guiding the next generation of female music educators.

“Find your journey, find your story, find what works for you,” Trauernicht said. “Follow your gut feeling and choose the path so that you will be responsible for your own happiness.”

Trauernicht works hard in her classroom to ensure students can pursue their goals, free of stereotypes.

Natalie Sears

Natalie Sears is a music educator and performer based in Michigan. She currently serves as the 5th and 6th grade band director at Kinawa 5–6 Middle School in Okemos Public Schools, where she leads a thriving and growing band program of approximately 250–300 students. Since joining the Okemos faculty in 2023, she has valued working alongside dedicated educators, talented students, and a supportive arts community.

Previously, Ms. Sears taught for nine years in Kentwood Public Schools in Kentwood, Michigan. She served as the 6th–8th grade band director at Pinewood Middle School, assistant band director at East Kentwood High School, and the district’s percussion specialist.

Ms. Sears earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Music Education from Michigan State University, where she studied with Prof. Gwendolyn Dease, Dr. Jon Weber, Dr. Kevin Sedatole, and Dr. Mitchell Robinson.

In addition to her public school teaching, Ms. Sears is active in the broader music education community. She directs one of the Adult Community Bands with the Michigan State University Community Music School and is one of the band directors for the Summer Middle School Band Camp. A member of the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association for 13 years, she regularly serves as a District and State Solo & Ensemble percussion adjudicator. She has also presented at state music education conferences in Michigan and Indiana and enjoys working as a clinician with bands and musicians across the state and around the country.

Ms. Sears has extensive experience performing and teaching classical, jazz, and marching percussion, as well as directing concert, jazz, and marching bands at multiple levels. Through her work as a teacher, clinician, adjudicator, and performer, she connects with musicians of all ages and enjoys sharing her expertise across a range of educational and musical settings.

Ms. Sears is passionate about fostering strong musicianship, creativity, confidence, and lifelong engagement in the arts.