June 5, 2014
K-State Bands host the Kansas Lions Band, Boys State Band
K-State Bands are playing host to several high school band students this week with the Boys State Band and the Kansas Lions Band. In all, about 290 high school students from all across Kansas will be working with the K-State Band staff, including Frank Tracz, Don Linn and graduate students in the band program.
The Boys State Band is under the direction of graduate students Emily Roth and Chris Johnson. This is a jazz/big band that will be performing for the Boys State large assembly Thursday night in McCain Auditorium.
The Kansas Lions Band is a concert band of 240 students nominated from all across Kansas by the students' local Lions clubs. The band camp began on Tuesday and will finish on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. with a concert in Manhattan's City Auditorium. The students participating in this camp will live the K-State life on campus while learning and performing with K-State Band staff and alumni.
The K-State Bands also are hosting the annual music camp starting on Sunday, which attracts talented band students in grades 5-12 from Kansas and the surrounding states. The camp features 150 students directed by special guest artists and educators Jay Gilbert from Doane College in Crete, Nebraska, and Larry Blocher from Troy University in Troy, Alabama.