October 8, 2012
On the march: Central States Marching Festival features high school marching bands from across state
Submitted by Communications and Marketing
Bill Snyder Family Stadium will once again be filled with marching music as Kansas State University hosts the 26th annual Central States Marching Festival on Saturday, Oct. 13.
The festival has grown into the premier marching band affair in the state of Kansas and the region. This year, 36 high school marching bands will be participating. The event will be sponsored and aided by the Kansas State University Marching Band, the Pride of Wildcat Land.
Performances will begin at 11:45 a.m. and end at 9 p.m. General admission is $5 for non-students and free for Kansas State University students with their Wildcat ID.
Each high school band will take the field and perform in front of a panel of nationally recognized experts in band field performance. This year the judges are Larry Blocher, Troy University; Courtney Snyder, University of Nebraska-Omaha; and Kansas State University's Phillip Payne, assistant professor of music education; Julie Ladd, color guard coordinator; and Ben Yancey, percussion arranger and instructor.
"The Central States Marching Festival features the finest bands in the region," said Frank Tracz, professor of music and director of bands at K-State. "We are excited to have these guests on our campus and hope to show them a finely organized and administered event, as well as good ol' Kansas State hospitality. Also, of course, a great Kansas State University Marching Band."
Individual mini-clinics will follow each band's performance. A videotape of the performance will be shown to assist the review of each band by the critique panel. Both positive aspects and suggestions for improvement will be given to each group. Festival ratings also will be presented during the recaps. Ratings range from Superior, Excellent or Good by class, with accompanying awards.
Also, bands will have the opportunity for an additional one-hour clinic in the morning with members of the Kansas State University Marching Band staff and just prior to the closing ceremonies; the Kansas State University Marching Band will treat all students to an exhibition performance at 9:15 pm.
High school bands participating in the 2012 Central States Marching Festival and time of performance include:
Arkansas City High School, 6 p.m.; Augusta High School, 6:15 p.m.; Basehor-Linwood High School, Basehor, 5:15 p.m.; Bonner Springs High School, 1 p.m.; Clay Center Community High School, 1:15 p.m.; Field Kindley Memorial High School, Coffeyville, 2 p.m.; Derby High School, 8:45 p.m.; De Soto High School, 1:45 p.m.; Dodge City High School, 6:30 p.m.; Emporia High School, 2:45 p.m.; Mission Valley, Eskridge, 12:15 p.m.; Eudora High School, 12:30 p.m.; Goddard High School, 7:30 p.m.
From Greater Kansas City: Gardner-Edgerton High School, Gardner, 1:30 p.m.; Olathe Northwest High School, 3:30 p.m.; Blue Valley North High School, 4:15 p.m., St. Thomas Aquinas High School, 5:30 p.m.; and Shawnee Mission West High School 12:45 p.m., all in Overland Park; Shawnee Mission East High School, Prairie Village, 6:45 p.m.; Shawnee Mission Northwest High School, Shawnee, 7:45 p.m.
Southeast of Saline High School, Gypsum, 11:45 a.m.; Hutchinson High School, 5:45 p.m.; Independence High School, 3:45 p.m.; Junction City High School, 7:15 p.m.; Lansing High School, 2:15 p.m.; Leavenworth High School, 8 p.m.; Liberal High School, 5 p.m.; McPherson High School, 8:15 p.m.; Neodesha High School, 3 p.m.; Salina South High School, 4 p.m.; Scott Community High School, Scott City, in clinic only; Silver Lake High School, noon; Shawnee Heights High School, Tecumseh, 3:15 p.m.; and Seaman High School, 9 p.m., and Washburn Rural High School, 8:30 p.m., both in Topeka.
From out of state: Enid High School, 7 p.m., Enid, Okla.
A schedule of performances is available online at http://www.k-state.edu/band/csmf.html.