Tallgrass String Festival
& All-State Prep Day! Tuesday, September 22, 2026 w/ Guest Clinician, Soon Hee Newbold!

Tuesday, September 22, 2026 - 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

A fun event for all high school string musicians! Participants will have the opportunity to work with nationally acclaimed musicians, as well as share music with peers from across the region! Kansas All-State Orchestra preparatory sessions will be provided along with a number of alternate session options exploring a variety of musical and collegiate experiences. Bring a few students or an entire program - all high school string musicians welcome!

Registration will open on August 17, 2026!

The Tallgrass String Festival is open to all high school string musicians enrolled in an orchestra program. All registrations must be completed by the students' string teachers and submitted no later than September 15, 2026. (Each student should choose two different interest sessions before registering - see below for options.) The registration fee is $15 per student and covers all instruction throughout the day.

Tallgrass Registration

Music

Student musicians will participate in one of several large orchestras during the afternoon of the Festival. Repertoire for these ensembles will include:

Practice parts for these pieces will be made available to participants once they have registered for the festival. Click on the link below to access All-State excerpts that have been prepared with fingerings and bowings from the clinicians.

All-State Excerpts

Festival Schedule (Draft)a large concert hall stage completely filled with musicians seatted in chairs with their instruments.

8:30-9:00 - Registration - K-State Student Union
9:00 - Welcome
9:30 - Interest Session 1 (Choose one from the list below.)
10:30 - Break
10:45 - Interest Session 2 (Choose another from the list below.)
11:45 - Move Instruments to Mass Orchestra Rehearsal Location(s)
12:00 - Lunch (On Your Own)
1:30 - Mass Orchestra Experience (McCain Auditorium & K-State Union Ballroom)
* Conducted by Soon Hee Newbold, Dr. Rachel Dirks & Prof. Russell Clark
2:45 - Make Your Way to McCain Auditorium
3:00 - KSUSO Farewell Performance - McCain Auditorium
3:30 - Celebrate the Day on the Anderson Lawn!
4:00 - Come back soon!

Interest Session Options (Draft)

  • Kansas All-State Excerpt & Scale Preparatory Sessions at the Beginning ("I've never seen the excerpts before.") to Advanced ("I'm ready to dig deeper into the excerpts.")
    • Beginning or Advanced Violin with Dr. Kenya Patzer
    • Beginning or Advanced Viola with Dr. Blair Williams
    • Beginning or Advanced Cello with Dr. Syneva Colle
    • Beginning or Advanced Bass with Prof. Benjamin Beggs
  • "Composition 101" and Q&A with Soon Hee Newbold!
  • "How to Lead in Orchestra" with Dr. Rachel Dirks
  • Improvisation (Improv) for Beginners with Prof. Russell Clark
  • Music in College - All Majors Welcome! with KSUSO Student Leaders
  • Campus Tours with KSUSO Student Leaders

Parking

Please check the K-State Parking Services website for details regarding on-campus parking for the day. https://www.k-state.edu/parking/

Meet the Tallgrass Festival 2026 Faculty!

Soon Hee Newbold, Guest Clinician
Composer & Conductor

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Dr. Rachel Dirks
Director of Orchestral Studies
Kansas State University

Dr. Kenya Patzer, Violin
Guest Artist
Topeka Symphony

A woman in a grey blazer and jeans sits backlit by a window with vertical panes.

Dr. Blair Williams, Viola
American String Teachers Association

A woman in a black suite coat stands with her harms crossed in front of a black background.

 

 

 

 

 

 


Dr. Syneva Colle
Teaching Asst. Prof. of Cello
Kansas State University

BB

Benjamin Beggs
Instructor of Bass
Kansas State University

RC

Russell Clark
Instructor of Music
Kansas State University