UCO Partners with Local High Schools to Spotlight Musical Excellence

An Honor Band Festival will be held Feb. 13 and 14, at The University of Central Oklahoma, allowing high school students from around the area to learn from professors at the school, participate in rehearsals, and play in a final performance at the ballroom in the Nigh University Center.

Seventy-five local high school students who were nominated by their band directors, private music instructors, or members of the UCO faculty will attend the two-day festival. The event is being organized by Dr. Dawn Lindblade-Evans, Assistant Director of the School of Music and Professor of Clarinet, and Mr. Jeff Kidwell, Assistant Director of the Jazz Area and Instructor of Trombone.

“We’re hoping that we’ll be able to provide an experience for them where they get to come together with very talented high school musicians from other schools and have a really wonderful experience,” said Dr. Lindblade. 

After checking in on Friday, students will have full band rehearsals with Dr. Brian Lamb, the UCO School of Music director of bands, and Dr. Marty Marks, the director of UCO’s Stampede of Sound marching band. Students will be able to participate in sectionals with instrumental faculty at the School of Music building.

These sectionals will be led by:

• Dr. Emily Butterfield (flute)
• Dr. Scott Erickson (oboe)
• Mr. Tyler VanZuiden (bassoon)
• Mr. Brian Gorrell (saxophone)
• Dr. Juli Buxbaum (horn)
• Mr. Jeff Kidwell (trombone)
• Mr. Roger Nunn (euphonium and tuba)
• Mr. Bill Repavich (percussion)
• Dr. Michael Geib (bass)

On Saturday afternoon, students will attend educational presentations from the School of Music faculty on music education, jazz, conducting, and music theory/oral skills. 

This will all culminate in a concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, in the ballroom at the Nigh University Center.

“The final performance will be shared by Valery Kuleshov, our Artist in Residence on piano, and the High School Honor Bands directed by Dr. Lamb and Dr. Marks,” Dr Lindblade said.

The concert will be free and open to the public and can be used for STLR credit by UCO students.

“It’s been a real effort on our part to get talented high school musicians on our campus early, before their senior year, and start recruiting and give them a positive music-making experience,” Dr. Brian Lamb said.

The School of Music recruiting office will keep in touch with the high school students following the festival to inform them of potential future events.

This event is something that the School of Music faculty, led by Dr. Lindblade, has tried to organize for years. “We’ve tried for years and had setback after setback,” Dr. Lamb said. 

Dr. Emily Butterfield, who will be teaching the flute sectional at the festival, expressed optimism that this event will become an annual occurrence.

“We’re hiring a new director of bands, so we hope that whoever we hire will be really enthusiastic and really be in charge of this event,” Dr. Butterfield said.

Dr. Butterfield pointed out that the participating students will get the chance to learn from professors with doctorate degrees, not just graduate students, which she says will give them a unique experience.