The Pride Bands Alliance Conference is an annual event where hundreds of musicians from our 36 member organizations come together to celebrate and cultivate the unique art form of community bands. Pride Bands Conferences serve primarily as our Annual Assembly of Delegates; the Pride Bands Board meets with representatives from all Pride Bands Alliance member bands, bands-in-formation and affiliate members to review financial reports, hold elections for Pride Bands board positions and vote on issues affecting the organization. Delegate meetings can also serve as an opportunity for open dialogue between the board and member bands. This can be a great way for leadership in different band to meet each other and form bonds that serve to strengthen our Pride Bands family.

All Pride Bands Alliance conferences present major performance experiences, whether it be concert band performance, marching band performance or both. Local and pick-up chambers groups often play during social events. Sitting on stage with musicians as part of the massed Pride Bands concert band is an experience that could never truly be put into words. Wind band legends Alfred Reed and Frank Ticheli both stood on the podium to lead our massed band in previous conferences, and the work City Trees by composer Michael Markowski was commissioned and performed at our 2012 conference to commemorate our 30th year of music, visibility and pride. Pride Bands Alliance has marched in the New Orleans Southern Decadence, New York City’s Halloween Parade and performed pep music as a part of the Drum Corps International World Championships.

Pride Bands Alliance is blessed to count dozens of talented and award-winning conductors amongst our ranks, many of whom teach at the collegiate level. Pride Bands conferences afford opportunities to perform under the baton of a diverse roster of maestros. And these conductors are able to come together to share program ideas, rehearsal techniques and talk shop during social and workshop events such as our Conductor Round Tables.

An extra highlight of the conferences is getting to experience the music and culture of major U.S. cities, from New York to Seattle, Atlanta to Palm Springs. Conferences offer opportunities for members to perform in some of the finest concert venues in the country, and many conferences program music with tie-ins to their city or state. Host cities often prepare itineraries of historic and popular attractions in their cities which members can visit in between rehearsals and meetings. Conferences can also coincide with a host city’s Pride Parade, allowing members to experience other Pride events outside of their home city.

A Pride Bands Alliance Conference is an event that must be experienced firsthand to be believed. It is a celebration of music, of the LGBTQ+ community, a celebration of comradery and a celebration of the love of performing. It is where fellow band nerds who came together as strangers quickly become friends and leave as family.