FAQs

Do I need an audition recording?

A recording is MANDATORY for all individual participants. This is critical as it helps properly place you in an ensemble of similar playing level. NOTE: Pre-formed groups and auditors are encouraged but not required to submit an audition recording.

When is my audition recording due?

All audition recordings are due by May 31, 2026. We highly encourage you to apply early and submit your audition recording at the same time as your application form. We will not finalize your registration and scholarship award until we receive all application materials: application form, fee, and audition recording.

NOTE: For applicants who submit recordings after May 15, 2026, we will do our best to process your application within 24-48 hours. However, be mindful that you must also submit your tuition and/or housing payments by May 31.

What kind of file format should my audition recording be in?

Your audition recording must be submitted as an .mp3 file or a YouTube link. Recordings not submitted in these formats may result in your application being denied.

Is there a list of excerpts or pre-selected audition material that I need to play from?

No, we do not have a list of audition material for your application. We simply request 2 contrasting styles of music not exceeding 5 total minutes in length. You may use orchestral excerpts or selections from your repertoire you have learned or are currently working on. You may submit selections from your most recent recital, jury, boards, or performance test.

When do I find out what chamber group I’m in?

You will learn your chamber group assignment when you check into the institute on Sunday, July 19. Chamber group assignments are printed in the institute program booklet. You will learn what kind of group you are in, your faculty coach, when you rehearse, and when you perform as a group upon check-in.

Can I be in a chamber group with a friend?

You can make a request to be in the same group as a friend, and we will do our best to honor that. However, the institute reserves the right to have the final decision on chamber group assignments, based on instrumentation and submitted audition recordings.

Do I get music to prepare in advance?

No. Your faculty coach will be bringing music for your group to read to the institute. You will sight-read through several pieces on Monday, and settle on a few that you would like to work on during the week. You will be able to perform these pieces as a group at the Participant Recitals on Saturday.

Can I request a coach?

We do not accept coach requests from participants. If there is a particular faculty that you are interested in working with during the week, then we recommend that you reach out to that individual for a lesson.

When are the recitals?

Participant Recitals are scheduled for Saturday, the last day of the institute. All the chamber groups will be split into two different recitals. There will be a morning recital and afternoon recital. All participants will perform.

What if I can’t be there on Saturday to perform in the Participant Recital?

We recommend that you attend the institute as an auditor. (Auditors are not placed in chamber ensembles.) It is not fair to the rest of the members of your chamber group for you to miss the recital after all the practice and rehearsing your group put in during the week.

How do I reserve a dorm?

You can reserve a dorm through our website www.mendezbrassinstitute.com/payments/housing. You can also go there by clicking the Payments option at the far right of the top menu bar. On the Products Page, click Housing. There you can click Single Dorm Reservation or Double Dorm Reservation. Click Add To Cart. The shopping cart shows up in the sidebar on the right side of the page. If you are done with payments, click Check Out. You can reserve a dorm and make a tuition payment at the same time if you need to do so.

How much are the dorms?

2025 Prices:
A double dorm is $515.00 for the week.
A single dorm is $605.00 for the week.
Check-in begins on Sunday, July 19 at 3pm. Check-out is on Sunday, July 26 between 7-9am.

Breakfast is included between Monday, July 19 and Sunday, July 26 for all participants staying in the dorms.

Can I request a roommate?

Yes, you can. When you go to reserve a double dorm on the payments page, you will see a “Personalize Your Product” box, where you can list your roommate request. We will try our best to accommodate your request.
Please note: due to the housing guidelines set forth by the University of Denver, we cannot assign male/female or adult/minor roommate requests. The only exceptions would be married couples and a parent/guardian who is traveling with a minor and would like to stay in the dorm with their child.

How far are the dorms from the music school?

The dorms are about an 8 minute walk to the music school. The address of Nelson Hall is 2222 S High St, Denver, CO 80210.

How safe are the dorms?

The dorms have a 24-hour front desk attendant. You can only access the dorm if you have a valid dorm keycard, or if you are let in by the front desk attendant. Additionally, there are institute personnel staying in the dorms to help participants with any problems that might arise. Historically, the dorms have been a safe, quiet place.

Do I need to bring my own sheets?

You do not need to bring your own sheets. The university provides a basic linen package for guests in the dorms, which includes: sheets, pillow, pillow case, blanket, and towel. However, if you are a particular sleeper (and have the room to pack it), you are more than welcome to bring to your own sheet set and pillow. The beds in the dorms are Twin XL.

What is the dorm cancellation policy?

Dorm plan payments must be canceled by May 31, 2026 in order to receive a refund. There is no refund or credit given for canceled dorm plan reservations after May 31.

Are there scholarships or financial assistance available for the dorms?

The institute does not have any scholarships or financial assistance available for staying in the dorms. If you need financial assistance for housing, we recommend that you look to see what is available in your community or at your school. We have seen past participants secure additional outside funding through: university career development funds; university travel opportunity funds; performance competitions; local community service organizations, such as Rotary Clubs, Key Clubs, Elks Lodges, etc.

Can I check out Saturday night after the Summit Brass Finale Concert?

Yes, you can do that. Just make sure you complete the required tasks for check out and go through the checkout process with the dorm front desk attendant.

What should I bring?

Here are some basic items you may want to pack:
Instrument, Pencils, Mutes & Practice mutes, Tuner/metronome, Audition excerpts, Solo pieces you’ve been working on (for master classes), Chapstick, Sunscreen, Water bottle, Concert clothing, Comfortable walking shoes, Notebook, Spending money for lunch, dinners, private lessons, and exhibits.

What should I wear?

During the Day
Colorado is known for its laid back attitude and casual style. During the week, we hope you embrace this style as well. Wear what is comfortable for you during the day. Colorado is also known for its rapidly changing weather. Be prepared for anything by dressing in layers you can put on or take off during the day.

Performances
There will be participant recitals at the end of the week. Please be sure to bring your best concert black attire.
Men: Black button up shirt, black pants, dark socks, black shoes
Women: Dressy black slacks/skirts, black top/blouse, dark hose/socks, black shoes.

Are meals provided?

Participants staying in the dorm are provided breakfast. All participants are on their own for lunch and dinner. There are many affordable dining options surrounding the university. The institute will provide light refreshments for the Sunday opening reception, a buffet-style lunch between the Participant Chamber Recitals on Saturday, and a closing reception after the Summit Brass Finale Concert.

How do I schedule a lesson with a faculty member?

If you are interested in scheduling lessons during the week, it is your responsibility to reach out to the faculty. We have all faculty emails on the website. Faculty emails can be found www.mendezbrassinstitute.com/private-lessons/

There is a limited amount of free time for faculty members, so their schedules are likely to fill up quickly.
An accompanist is available if you would like to play an accompanied piece during your lesson or during a master class. Please contact our piano faculty to make arrangements; they will want to have music in advance in order to be prepared for your performance.

How much are lessons?

Lessons are a flat rate of $100/hour. This is a unique rate just for RMBI!

Do I pay the institute for the lesson?

No, the institute does not handle lesson fees. Payment is arranged between you and the faculty member. We recommend you bring your checkbook or cash.

What is the Mock Audition Competition?

The Mock Audition Competition is an evening performance event designed to give participants the experience of an actual orchestral audition. Each brass section (trumpets, horns, trombones, euphoniums, tubas) has a separate audition where participants play a list of orchestral excerpts to a panel of judges. The auditions are blind to ensure the fairness of the competition. Winners and/or honorable mentions are selected by section.

How does it work?

The competition is comprised of one or two rounds “behind the screen.” The participant will not see the judging panel, and the judging panel will not see the participant. Auditions will be monitored by an audition proctor. Proctors will assign numbers to those competing in order to determine the audition order and to keep the performers anonymous to the judging panel. Judges may award a first place winner and an honorable mention for each section. Some sections may not have a clear first place winner, in which event only honorable mentions are named.

What things should I consider for the competition?

Altitude and Climate: Denver has a semi-arid climate with low humidity at 5,280 feet above sea level. The mock audition competition is held early in the week of the institute, so be advised that the altitude and dryness of Denver may have an effect on your acclamation. Be drinking plenty of water at least 2-3 days before you travel to Denver, and remain hydrated upon your arrival.

Excerpt Preparation: While you will likely not play all the excerpts in your packet during the mock audition, we HIGHLY recommend you to prepare the entire excerpt list prior to arriving to the Institute. As in most professional auditions, excerpts will be selected immediately before the mock audition to ensure fairness and evaluate each participant’s preparedness for the audition.

Is it mandatory?

No, it is not required for participants to compete in the mock audition competition. However, we do highly encourage everyone to participate! It is a valuable learning experience where you can get real audition experience with constructive feedback without the stakes of an actual audition. If you have performance anxiety, this audition is safe place to try to overcome those issues. There is nothing you can lose by participating!

When are the excerpts posted?

Excerpts will be posted by June 1, 2026.
You can find the selected excerpts by section on our website at: https://www.mendezbrassinstitute.com/competition/.

When do I sign up to compete?

Participants interested in competing can sign up after check-in on Sunday, July 6. (The order you sign up on the sheet is NOT the order you will audition.) Auditions will be monitored by an audition proctor. Participants will draw numbers right before the competition and proctors will keep the participants anonymous to the judging panel.

Do winners receive anything?

Judges may award a first place winner and an honorable mention for each section. Some sections may not have a clear first place winner, in which event only honorable mentions are named. Winners and honorable mentions both receive cash prizes. Each section has a $300 prize pot that will be divided among the winners and honorable mentions as determined by the faculty.

Can I watch the auditions?

In the past, non-auditioning participants and auditors have been allowed sit and watch the auditions.

I don’t want to audition, but how else can I be involved?

You can participate in the competition without auditioning by being an audition proctor! Proctors help run the audition room. They are the voice between the person auditioning and the judges. Proctors keep track of the performers and help keep them anonymous to the judging panel.

If you are interested in being a proctor, you can sign up on Sunday, July 19. There will be a proctor orientation meeting immediately before the competition to run you through your role and responsibilities. It’s fun and you get to view how the audition process works.

When are my payments due?

Application fees are due at the time of applying. Please make sure you provide a valid credit card number when applying. Applications with cards that are declined or invalid will be held until we receive valid payment.

All payments (application fee, tuition, and housing) are due by May 31, 2026. We would appreciate a 50% tuition deposit within 15 days of accepting your position at the institute. The remaining tuition balance must be submitted by May 31. You can pay your tuition in full within 15 days, or you can make smaller payment installments between your date of acceptance and May 31.

NOTE: For applicants accepted after May 15, we still appreciate a 50% tuition deposit within 15 days of acceptance. Final tuition and/or housing payment deadlines may be extended after May 31 on a case-by-case basis.

What happens if I can’t pay my balance in full by the due date?

We understand that life happens and things can change rapidly with one’s personal financial situation. If you are having trouble meeting the deadlines, please reach out to us at mendezbrassinstitute@gmail.com or rmbi@denverbrass.org to discuss what alternatives there may be available for you.

What if I accepted my position, paid a deposit, but I can no longer attend the institute?

Cancellations prior to May 31 will receive a refund of your deposit. Cancellations made after May 31 may receive a credit that may only be applied towards the following year’s Rafael Méndez Brass Institute held at the Lamont School of Music.

Do you accept credit cards?

We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. If you are an international applicant, please notify your credit card company that you are planning to make international transactions. You can use a credit card to pay for your tuition and/or dorm online through our website, or by calling 303-832-4676 between 11am – 4 pm MT.

Do you accept personal checks?

Yes. You can send a personal check for your tuition and/or dorm payment. Make all checks payable to The Denver Brass. Checks should be sent to:
The Denver Brass
ATTN: RMBI Admin
2253 N Downing St
Denver, CO 80205

My university is paying a portion of my tuition/my group’s tuition, and they need an invoice – can you do that?

Yes. We can provide you the invoice or you can have the funding party reach us directly for an invoice.

Where do I apply?

To apply for the institute, visit us online at www.mendezbrassinstitute.com/apply-now. This can be found on our website by going to the top menu navigation and clicking on the Apply Now option. Your application form is submitted through a Google Form.

How much is the application fee?

All applicants applying to the institute must pay an application fee. The application fee is $35 for individual attendees. Pre-formed groups and past RMBI attendees get a discounted application fee of $30. All application fees are non-refundable.

When will I receive my notice of acceptance?

The Institute generally processes applications once a week. If your application is 100% complete (all required materials submitted), you should receive your official notice of acceptance and scholarship award within 1-2 weeks of applying. During high-volume application periods, processing times may vary, although in most instances you will hear from the Institute within a week of applying.

There have been occasions in the past when submitted items fail to upload correctly. This may mean that we either receive an incomplete application or no application at all. If you submitted all your materials and did not receive a response from the Institute after 3 weeks of applying, please email us at mendezbrassinstitute@gmail.com or rmbi@denverbrass.org so we may work on processing your application accordingly.

There’s a group of us from my school who want to come to the Institute together. Can we do that?

Yes! If you have a chamber group you performed with during the school year, you can come and attend the Institute as a pre-formed group. By attending as a pre-formed group, you only need to submit one application and pay one application fee, and everyone in your group will automatically receive our top $500 scholarship. Since you would be attending as a group, you do not need to submit an audition recording (recordings are used for group placements). You could bring repertoire that you have been working on, or you can learn something new that your faculty coach will provide you.

Don’t have the right instrumentation for a standard ensemble? That’s ok, too. We can take a trio and fill it out to a quintet if you want to play together during the week. If you are staying in the dorms, you can room with someone you know. And at the very least, coming to the Institute with a group from your school will help make travel better, safer, and more fun! Talk to your whole section or department into coming to the Institute—we won’t mind at all.

What is the age range for the Institute?

We have had participants as young as 8 years old and participants who are in their 50s and beyond. The vast majority of the Institute is college-aged, 18-23 years old. We recommend the Institute to high school juniors and older. Younger applicants who have a private teacher and are serious about their playing are welcome to apply. It is a great opportunity for younger applicants to test and see if advanced education or career in music is right for them.

What airport do I fly in to?

You will fly into Denver International Airport (DIA), airport code DEN.

I’m looking at flights and wanted to know when would be the best time to fly in to Denver.

Institute begins Sunday, July 19, 2026
Institute check-in: 1-5pm
Dorm check-in: 3-5pm
Welcome Reception: 4:15-5pm
Orientation: 5:15pm

Institute concludes evening of July 25, 2026
Summit Brass Finale concert is the final institute event
Dorm check-out is Sunday, July 26, 7-9 am
All participants must stay through the completion of Saturday’s events
This is a draft schedule, and all times are subject to change at the discretion of the institute.

Is there a shuttle?

There is no institute-sponsored shuttle between the airport and the university. It is the participant’s responsibility to make travel arrangements to the institute.

How do I get from the airport to the university?

There are a couple different transportation options. If you are old enough, renting a car may be the easiest. In Colorado, you can rent a car if you are 21 or older, but there are additional vehicle restrictions and fees if you are between 21-24 years old. Check with each individual rental car company to learn about their age restrictions and rental policies.

Denver also has an extensive public transportation system with buses and light rail. There are multiple buses that run to and from the airport, and there is a light rail line that connects the airport to downtown. The University of Denver has its own light rail stop at the north end of campus, which provides easy access to and from downtown. The light rail stop is about a 15-minute walk to the Lamont School of Music building (on the south end of the campus). Information on the RTD bus schedule, the A-Line airport light rail schedule, and other public transportation tips can be found at https://www.rtd-denver.com/.

Other travel options include Uber and Lyft. Learn more about those services on your mobile devices. You will need to create an account and download a mobile app. This would be better suited for those traveling with smaller instruments.

What is the address of the airport?

The Denver International Airport is located at 8500 Peña Blvd, Denver, CO 80249.

What is the address of the university?

The Lamont School of Music/Newman Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Denver is located at 2344 E Iliff Ave, Denver, CO, 80210.

What is the address of the dorm?

Nelson Hall is located at 2222 S High St, Denver, CO 80210

How much is tuition?

2025 Tuition for the week is $985.

What is included in my tuition?

Your tuition includes: access to all institute events (seminars, master classes, concerts); daily small or large ensemble coaching sessions; commemorative RMBI t-shirt.

What is not included in my tuition?

Lodging and travel expenses are not covered by tuition. Meals are also not covered by tuition fees. Each individual applicant is responsible for these expenses.

How do I apply for a scholarship?

When completing your application, you will be asked if you are in need of a scholarship. If you would like scholarship assistance, check the box that says “Yes.” It’s that easy! There are no additional forms or stipulations to be eligible for a scholarship.

When do I find out about my scholarship award?

You will find out about your scholarship award in your official acceptance notification, which you will receive within 1-2 weeks of submitting a complete application to the institute.

How much will my scholarship be?

Scholarships are available in amounts up to $500, and awarded based on merit. The amounts can vary from $200 to $500, and are awarded in increments of $100. Pre-formed groups will automatically be considered for top scholarship awards.

Are there additional scholarships available besides the one advertised?

The institute only has the one tuition scholarship (awarded up to $500/person) available. If you need financial assistance beyond the institute provided scholarship, we recommend that you look to see what is available in your community or at your school. We have seen past participants secure additional outside funding through: university career development funds; university travel opportunity funds; performance competitions; GoFundMe fundraisers; local community service organizations, such as Rotary Clubs, Key Clubs, Elks Lodges, etc.

We also plan on offering work study positions to a limited amount of applicants who would like to serve in some capacity during the institute. Work studies are eligible for further reduction of their tuition and/or housing costs. Information regarding these work study opportunities will become available at a later time; please stay posted for further updates!