Changes announced for KU Band Day

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas School of Music will stage the 66th annual Band Day, which will take place Saturday, Sept. 21. Seventeen high school bands from Kansas and Missouri will participate in the event.

For the halftime show, the KU bands will join the visiting high school bands to perform songs including: “I’m a Jayhawk,” “Stand Up and Cheer,” “Kansas Song,” “Fighting Jayhawk” and “One Day More” from "Les Misérables."

The halftime performance will be conducted by Paul Popiel, director of bands; Matthew O. Smith, associate director of bands and director of the Marching Jayhawks; and Sharon Toulouse, assistant director of bands. The performance also will feature guest conductors and former KU Band directors Robert Foster and Thomas Stidham.

Due to the 11 a.m. kickoff time for the KU vs. Louisiana Tech football game, the traditional parade down Massachusetts Street will not take place this year. As per NCAA rules, the playing field must be cleared by a certain time prior to kickoff to allow teams to warm up. The combination of this time and the massed band rehearsal prior to the game does not allow for a practical window of time to hold the parade.

Officials and members of KU Bands understand that many members of the community will miss the parade this year but look forward to hosting it again next year.

As of press time, school bands from the following high schools in Kansas and Missouri plan to participate:

Atchison County High School; Baldwin High School; Central Heights; Chanute High School; Cherryvale High School; Crest High School; Kingman/Norwich High Schools; Labette County High School; Lincoln High School; Nemaha Valley High School; Garnett-Anderson County High School; Ottawa High School; Perry-Lecompton High School; Rolla High School; Ruskin High School; Tarkio High School and Valley Falls High School.

For more information, contact the KU School of Music at 785-864-3436 or visit School of Music.