Kansas State University

Dr. Frank Tracz Is Awarded Kansas State University’s Professorial Performance Award 

May 2, 2016

Dr. Frank Tracz, Professor of Music and Director of Bands in the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance, has just been awarded the University’s Professorial Performance Award. The award recognizes the significant achievements of Dr. Tracz over a sustained period of time with Kansas State University.

He is completing is 23^rd year at the university and has developed a nationally recognized, award-winning band program. The athletic band and concert band programs have enjoyed amazing growth and sustained success during his entire tenure and experienced noticeable increases in quality and recognition in the past few years. In 2015, the Pride of Wildcat Land marching band was recently singled out as one of the nation’s best marching bands by being awarded college marching’s highest honor, the Sudler Trophy. Marching shows from the KSUMB have been featured at both athletic CBDNA and national CBDNA conferences. The Wind Ensemble, the university’s top concert band under the direction of Dr. Tracz, has performed at Carnegie Hall, taken national concert tours, and has been selected to perform at prestigious wind band festivals and state and regional conferences. 

Dr. Tracz enjoys an international reputation as a musician, conductor, motivational speaker, and clinician. He regularly guest conducts ensembles around the nation, averaging over twenty guest conducting appearances per year, and leads close to fifty clinics for concert bands and marching bands each year. In the past six years, Tracz has made appearances in thirty states and has given clinics and concerts in Canada, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. As a speaker for the university, he presents close to twenty lectures each year as part of the Presidential Lecture Series in addition to many other private speaking engagements.

He is an active member of the Manhattan community, serves on multiple councils and committees, and serves as director of the Manhattan Municipal Band. He is a Lowell Mason Fellow through NAfME, member of Phi Kappa Phi, has been awarded Phi Beta Mu’s Outstanding Bandmaster Award through the Kansas Bandmaster’s Association, and most recently was inducted in the very prestigious American Bandmaster’s Association.

CBC XXIII Is in the Books

Thanks to everyone who made this year's Concert Band Clinic such a success!  We had 662 students participate representing over 75 schools from across the state of Kansas. 

Please join us next year from January 20th - 22nd for CBC XXIV!

KSUMB at the Liberty Bowl

The KSUMB had a successful trip to the Auto Zone Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tennessee to start the New Year. The band began their trip on December 30th by playing for a women’s basketball game and having a late-night rehearsal in the football indoor facility where they perfected the Bohemian Rhapsody halftime show after a month away from marching band. Nine buses and an equipment truck rolled out of Manhattan at midnight and on to the band’s first trip to Memphis. The students were busy once they got to town with rehearsals and numerous pep bands, parades, and pep rallies. Beale Street was a memorable experience for the band members, filled with sights, sounds, food, and blues. The battle of the bands and parade were memorable and a great experience for all the Wildcat fans in attendance. The KSUMB performed at the Liberty Bowl halftime show and brought one of their strongest performances of the entire year. The band experienced a wonderful end to its first Sudler Trophy season. 

Midwest Clinic - Chicago 

In December, the K-State band faculty, graduate assistants, and undergraduate staff traveled to the Midwest Clinic in Chicago, IL, to represent Kansas State University Bands, and to attend numerous clinics and concerts. The band staff provided a recruiting presence at the international conference that attracts musicians, educators, and top lecturers from the U.S. and abroad. 

"For the past 67 years, musicians and educators of all skill levels have gathered in Chicago for the largest music conference of its kind. The Midwest Clinic International Band, Orchestra and Music Conference offers guests an array of clinics and exhibits as well as access to music and teaching icons while also focusing on industry trends and future topics in music education and business. With more than 17,000 attendees from all 50 states and more than 30 countries, The Midwest Clinic offers musicians and educators an unmatched networking opportunity." - Midwest Clinic Website

Upcoming Concerts

KMEA Friday Performance in February

The Kansas State University Wind Ensemble has been invited to perform on Friday, February 26 at Century II in Wichita, Kansas at the KMEA In-Service Workshop. The KMEA In-Service Workshop is an important annual event where speakers, performers, and vendors gather together to represent the best of music education throughout the state. The Wind Ensemble will perform the following program:

Bright Gleams a Beacon – David Gillingham

American Concerto – Scott McAllister

Dr. Tod Kerstetter, Clarinet and Dr. Anna Marie Wytko, Saxophone

Desi – Michael Daugherty

Wildcat March – John Philip Sousa

CBDNA/TOUR

In March 2016, the Kansas State University Wind Ensemble will be embarking on a 9-day tour to the West Coast, Las Vegas, and Colorado. This tour is a result of the ensemble receiving two distinct and prestigious performance invitations. The first invitation was to be the premier college band at the Gala Concert at Lawrence Sutherland Wind Festival in Fresno, California. The other invitation was the College Band Directors National Association to perform at the Southwest divisional in Boulder, Colorado. Both invitations mark two significant achievements in the K-State Wind Ensemble's program history. During the tour, the Wind Ensemble will also be doing a recording session in Disneyland, participating in clinics in the Las Vegas area, and presenting a concert at Green Valley High School in Henderson, Nevada. The Lawrence Sutherland Wind Festival Concert will be on the evening of March 12th in Fresno, CA, the Green Valley High School Concert will be on the evening of March 14^th in Henderson, NV, and the CBDNA Southwest Regional Conference concert will be on the afternoon of March 18^th in Boulder, CO. 

K-State Students at the Conn-Selmer Institute

This past June, a group of graduate and undergraduate music education students attended the Conn-Selmer Institute in Mishawaka, Indiana on the campus of Bethel College. This event is a three and a half day workshop presented annually by the Conn-Selmer Division of Education. Students attended sessions, met with colleagues and teachers from around the country, and enjoyed a positive exchange of innovative ideas for music education and program development. The faculty at this institute represents leaders and the most sought-after names in music education. Dr. Tracz, Director of Bands at K-State, is one of the faculty members at this summer institute.

The KSU Music Camp and the Manhattan Municipal Band had a fantastic concert last night. Great job to all the campers and the members of the MMB!

June 17, 2015

K-State Bands with the Wichita Catbackers

June 11, 2015

It was great to see so many great Wildcat fans and band supporters at last night's Wichita Catbackers Powercat SummerFest. It was a pleasure hanging out with the coaches, the great people of Wichita, band alumni, band parents, Gib and Brenda Compton, and of course - Red Skelton!! We had two students at the event yesterday evening, so a special thanks goes out to Henry Law and Ashley Wilmoth. Henry and Ashley are amazing representatives for the band and did a great job last night meeting with people and answering their questions. A HUGE "thank you" also goes out to Gib and Brenda Compton, who did an amazing job with the leadership of the Catbackers and with the organization of last night's event. We are so fortunate to have great friends and supporters in Gib, Brenda, Red, and so many others we met with last night! Thanks, and GO CATS!

A Note to KSUMB Alumni from Dr. Tracz

Dear KSUMB Alumni, 

I am writing to invite you back this year for the September 19th Alumni Band Day, now known as “SUDLER DAY”! As you know, the “Pride” has been awarded the prestigious Sudler Trophy for 2015. This award acknowledges, recognizes, and awards outstanding contributions and the highest of standards and qualities in collegiate marching bands. The K-State Marching band is now in an elite status with 29 other outstanding bands from across the country. This is not a “we’re number 1” award; instead it is justification of literally decades of growth, development, and quality from the complete history of this marching band program. YOU are an integral and very important part of this award and we’d like you to share the glory and honor with us all on September 19th, 2015. The SUDLER family will be in attendance and will present the trophy to us at halftime. Many dignitaries from the past will be here to receive the Sudler Trophy along with 1500 high school band students (Band Day!!), 400 members of the 2015 KSU Marching band, and around 250 alumni band members. The past, present, and the future will be here to receive our award! 
We have a very special t-shirt and ball cap as part of the uniform for the day for you, as well as other special events and experiences. You can also purchase tickets for your family members using a special code from Athletics Director, John Currie, for $20 each. That special price will end, so you need to act quickly. I have 250 Alumni band seats/tickets, and a limited number of “family” tickets available.
Register now at http://ksualumniband.org and pass the word. We’d love to have you all back for this once in a lifetime award presentation! You’ve earned it!

Sincerely,
Director of the Pride
Dr. Frank Tracz

Questions? Call me at 785-532-3816 or e-mail at ftracz@ksu.edu

Congratulations to the K-State Wind Ensemble on being selected to perform at the 2016 CBDNA Southwest Regional Conference in Boulder, Colorado!

K-State Summer Graduate Study:

Practical, Affordable, Enriching, Life Changing! Come get your Master of Music with an Emphasis in Music Education Degree in just 3 summers at Kansas State University. We have tracks for Instrumental, Choral, and General Music. Get your degree in just three summers or take the classes that interest you in order to fulfill continuing education requirements.

In addition to studying with our fantastic, nationally-recognized K-State faculty such as Dr. Frank Tracz, Dr. Julie Yu, Dr. Fred Burrack, and Dr. Phil Payne, we have some special guests teaching this summer. Jay Gilbert from Doane College will be here this summer to talk about band literature, and John Benham from Save School Music will be here to talk about advocacy and fighting for your program. The marching band techniques class will be held at the same time as our Leadership and Auxiliary Camp, where directors will get a chance to interact with student leaders from all around Kansas. Larry Blocher, composer, arranger, conductor, and co-principal author of the Teaching Music Through Performance in Band Series, will also be a guest lecturer this summer. This program is practical and is designed to serve you and your immediate needs as an educator.

You can register today! For more information go to : http://www.k-state.edu/music/summergrad/index.html or email Dr. Fred Burrack at fburrack@k-state.edu. Increase your potential this summer at K-State!