YBA Member Information

Open to students in 8th - 12th grade of Huntsville area schools.

  1. Open to students on the following instruments

    • Trumpet

    • French Horn

    • Euphonium/Baritone

    • Trombone

    • Tuba

    • Percussion

  2. Audition and Seating Placement Information: Please click on the following link to access your perspective instrument’s solo piece:  https://auditionsolos.com/ Select “Brass”, then scroll down the page and find the “high school” level solos and corresponding solo number. These solos are free to download (blue tab).

    Trumpet: 3F, ending a

    Horn: TBD

    Trombone: 3D, ending b

    Bass Trombone: 3A, ending b

    Baritone/Euphonium: 3A, ending b

    Tuba: 3A, ending a

    Seating is limited by section and on a first come first serve basis. Chair placement and part assignments are based on live auditions at the first rehearsal.

  3. Rehearsals begin on Sunday, October 19, 2025 and take place each Sunday afternoon from 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm at the Sandra Moon Center, 7901 Bailey Cove Road, Huntsville, AL 35803

  4. Tuition for the ensemble is $400 for the Academic Season; $200 per semester (Fall 2025, Winter/Spring 2026).

    Special Note: YBA is planning a trip to Fort Wayne , Indiana 9 - 12 April 2026 to compete in the North American Brass Band Association (NABBA) Championships to defend their 1st place finishes captured in the Youth Open Section of the 2024 and 2025 Championships. There will be an additional cost per student for this trip. More information will follow.

    Refer a Friend to YBA and receive a $25 discount on your YBA tuition (valid up to two (2) Referrals. Referred Friend must register and participate in YBA to qualify.

  5. Students will perform all concerts in Black pants and YBA Polo shirt. Students will also be required to purchase a “travel T-shirt” which will have our logo on the front and the YBA roster of members on the back. Students also will have the option of purchasing a black hooded sweatshirt with our YBA logo on the front and YBA on the sleeve. A link to purchase a YBA polo, travel T-shirt, and sweatshirt to follow.

  6. Students are allowed to miss two (2) rehearsals per concert cycle and still be allowed to participate in the performances. Students must participate in the dress rehearsal prior to the performance or may not be eligible to participate in that performance.

  7. Student ejection from the ensemble (for behavior or other such reasons) are at the discretion of the director and education committee. Any student who is removed from the ensemble will not be entitled to a refund.

  8. A check made out to Brass Band of Huntsville, (Youth Brass Academy) for tuition must be turned in at the first rehearsal. This year YBA Student tuition is $200 per Academic Semester or $400 per Academic Season. [There are a limited number of need-based YBA scholarships available. Applications will be emailed upon request]

  9. Students in the ensemble agree to have photos/videos of them taken and shared on the various social media accounts and websites of the Brass Band of Huntsville and/or Youth Brass Academy of Huntsville. 

Concert Dress:

Concert dress for YBA is all black with YBA member polo shirt. We will use this for all performances during the season. This includes black dress pants, long black socks and black dress shoes. No Jeans or leggings. This will be the uniform for males and females. Students will be directed to a specific vendor to purchase the polo shirts.

YBA Owned Instruments:

The YBA will eventually provide players with cornets, baritones and Eb tenor horns. There will not be a rental fee, but if damage to an instrument occurs members will be responsible for all repairs. Students and parents will be required to fill out and sign a YBA instrument loan form. The YBA Education Committee monitors the condition of the instruments, during the program year, and will contact you, if the instrument is damaged while in the student’s possession.

Music:

YBA Brass Band members will be supplied with a music folder. All music must be kept in this folder and may not be removed. Please do not put any other music in your folder; it is for YBA brass band music ONLY. You are responsible for maintaining all music in the folder. If you lose a part, let the director know so a replacement can be obtained.

Private Lessons:

Most of the students in the YBA already take lessons. We do not require it, but we STRONGLY recommend it. Individual attention from a professional teacher or player can be invaluable and will help improve your playing at a faster pace. If you need help finding a teacher, our directors can help you.

Equipment Responsibilities:

All members are required to help with set-up and break-down for rehearsals and concerts. Each section will have a specific responsibility. Volunteers are also expected to help with the load-in and load-out of equipment at our storage facility. Details will be provided the week of each concert.

Communication:

Since our members are spread out all over the region, we use e-mail and Remind to communicate important information. Prior to rehearsal on Sunday’s, members are required to check e-mail for weekly updates (Thursdays).

Attendance:

Attendance at all rehearsals and concerts is mandatory for members as some parts are only one student per part. Only your required school functions and illnesses are excused absences; all other absences are considered unexcused. ALL absences (except illness) must be cleared prior to, not after the event. Any conflicts with dress rehearsals and performances, must be brought to the attention of the YBA Conductor before accepting membership into the BBoH Youth Brass Academy.

While required school functions are excused, extra-curricular school functions such as musicals and plays are not. Members are expected to not add other activities on top of YBA scheduled events. If a member is chronically absent from rehearsals, they may be in jeopardy of dismissal from the program. To report and absence, please contact the director or a member of the education committee.