Kansas State University

MANHATTAN -- Take a bye, football. It's a day just for bands as Kansas State University hosts the 27th Central States Marching Festival on Saturday, Oct. 19, at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

The university's Central States Marching Festival has grown into the premier marching band festival in the state of Kansas and the region, according to Frank Tracz, professor of music and director of bands at Kansas State University.

"This is the largest Central States Marching Festival that K-State has ever had with 42 bands performing, 22 bands taking part in a special clinic, and all the bands being adjudicated and critiqued by nationally recognized band directors," Tracz said. "This is a tremendously positive event for all attending, including band directors, staff and students from all over Kansas."

Performances will start at 11:15 a.m. and end at 9:15 p.m. with an exhibition performance of "Les Mis" from the Kansas State University Marching Band before closing ceremonies. Each high school will take the field and perform for 15 minutes. Individual mini-clinics by members of the video critique panel will immediately follow each performance. A videotape of performances will be used to assist in the review of each band's show. Emphasis will be on the positive aspects of each performance with suggestions for improvement.

Judges for the 2013 Central States Marching Festival are Larry Blocher, director of the School of Music at Troy University; Jim Oliver, a Kansas City music educator; Phil Payne, assistant professor of music education at Kansas State University; Keith Bearden, band director emeritus at Texas Tech University; Brian Silvey, associate director of bands at the University of Missouri, Columbia; Andrew Feyes, interim director of bands at the University of Nebraska, Omaha; Michelle Williams, color guard director at Kansas State University; and Ben Yancey, percussion graduate assistant at Kansas State University.

"The festival is unique in that is does not rank bands, but instead evaluates them according to a national standard rubric as either superior, excellent or good," Tracz said. "It is an extremely strong musical and educational event for all. Our K-State students are a major component in running the event and, in turn, get an amazing experience. About 70 percent of the band directors and staffs at high schools in Kansas are K-State graduates."

Bands also have an optional opportunity for an additional one-hour clinic in the morning with members of the Kansas State University Marching Band staff. Benefits include the opportunity to perform on the university's Wagner Field and/or Memorial Field and the chance to perform before dozens of other peer organizations.

Admission for the day is $5; the festival is free to Kansas State University students with their student ID.

High schools taking part in the festival include:

Andover High School, Andover; Arkansas City High School, Arkansas City; Bonner Springs High School, Bonner Springs; Buhler High School, Buhler; Clay Center Community High School, Clay Center; De Soto High School, De Soto; Derby High School, Derby; Dodge City High School, Dodge City; Emporia High School, Emporia; Eudora High School, Eudora; Garden City High School, Garden City; Eisenhower High School and Goddard High School, Goddard; Southeast of Saline High School, Gypsum; Junction City High School, Junction City; Lansing High School, Lansing; Lawrence Free State High School, Lawrence; Leavenworth High School, Leavenworth; Maize High School, Maize; Marysville High School, Marysville; McPherson High School, McPherson; Olathe Northwest High School, Olathe; Blue Valley North Combined, Blue Valley North upperclassmen, Blue Valley Northwest and Saint Thomas Aquinas High School, all from Overland Park; Shawnee Mission East High School, Prairie Village; Rose Hill High School, Rose Hill; Salina South High School, Salina; Silver Lake High School, Silver Lake; Seaman High School, Shawnee Heights High School and Washburn Rural High School, all from Topeka; Valley Center High School, Valley Center; Wamego High School, Wamego; and Bishop Carroll Catholic High School, Wichita East High School, Wichita High School North and Wichita Southeast High School, all from Wichita.

From out of state: Belton High School, Belton, Mo.