West Virginia University will host its 27th annual Invitational High School Honor Bands event Thursday, Feb. 9, through Saturday, Feb. 11, at the Creative Arts Center .

Student musicians from high schools in West Virginia and several surrounding states will participate. They are recommended by their high school band directors and selected on the basis of their ability and accomplishments.

The students will audition Thursday evening and rehearse for two days before presenting the annual Honor Bands Concert at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Lyell B. Clay Concert Theatre of the Creative Arts Center. The concert is free and open to the public.

The Honor Bands event is hosted by WVU Director of Bands John Hendricks and Associate Director Jay Drury. This year more than 100 schools will participate in the Honor Bands weekend. Many of the high school band directors also accompany their students to the event, which serves as a workshop and observation opportunity for area music teachers.

Much of the success of our Honor Bands is due to the outstanding guest conductors who bring their talents to Morgantown each year,Hendricks said.

Conductors this year will be WVU Director of Bands Emeritus Don Wilcox; Kenneth Dye, director of bands at the University of Notre Dame; and Bob Scott, director of bands at Capital High School, the Magnet School for the Performing Arts in Charleston.

As part of the Honor Bands weekend activities, the WVU Wind Symphony will perform a concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10, in the Clay Concert Theatre. This concert, a ticketed event, will also feature the guest conductors for the WVU Invitational Honor Bands event.

For more information about the WVU Invitational High School Honor Bands concert or the Friday evening WVU Wind Symphony concert, contact the WVU Box Office at 304-293-SHOW.