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K-State Today

May 13, 2015

Frank Tracz, Don Linn present at national band conference

Submitted by Don Linn

Frank Tracz, director of bands at Kansas State University, and Don Linn, assistant director of bands, have been invited to present a session at the College Band Directors National Association Athletic Band Conference, May 27-30, at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Tracz and Linn will present "Building a College Band Program." The presentation will trace out the development of the K-State Athletic Band program over the past 25 years and will focus on topics including recruiting, retention, motivation, musical development, leadership structure and university/community relations.

Earlier this semester Linn, on behalf of Tracz and the Kansas State University Marching Band, presented a performance of the marching band at the College Band Directors National Association Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. The marching band's "2014/2015 Beatles Halftime Show" was selected by competitive process and peer review among more than 50 submissions for showcase at the national conference.

All of these honors and invitations for the band are coming at a great time in the program's history. The Kansas State University marching band was just awarded the nation's highest collegiate marching band honor in the Sudler Trophy in December 2014 at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago. This trophy is awarded to only one university marching band every two years. The formal trophy presentation by the Sudlers and the John Philip Sousa Foundation will take place at halftime of the Sept. 19 home football game.