07/02/14
Students, faculty and guest musicians of the High Plains Music Camp (HPMC) will hold professional-quality concerts each evening of the camp, Monday through Saturday, July 14-19, in the Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center on the Fort Hays State University campus.

For 67 years, FHSU has brought middle and high school musicians to campus to work with professional clinicians from around the country through the camp.

"The camp today has student band, jazz band, orchestra and vocal ensembles for nearly 300 students," said Dr. Ivalah Allen, assistant professor of music and theatre and HPMC director.

Concerts Monday through Thursday night will begin at 7 p.m. in Beach/Schmidt. On Friday, four separate concerts are scheduled: Selections from Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella" will start at 6 p.m., followed by the faculty string chamber concert at 6:30 in Felten-Start Theatre in Malloy Hall. Student jazz bands will also perform at 6:30 in Beach/Schmidt, followed by the faculty jazz band at 7:30 and the student alternative strings at 8:30.

The students will have the opportunity to work with clinicians from Kansas, Colorado, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas. "The clinicians often reserve this third full week of July each year to come to Hays and work with these young instrumentalists and singers," said Allen.

New clinicians this year include Johnny Matlock, choral director at Hays High School; Brittany Peterson, an alternative strings specialist from Dallas, Texas; Michele Fiala, oboe professor at Ohio University; Mac Mayer, orchestra director with Olathe USD 233; Peter Cain, clarinetist with the Dayton, Ohio, Philharmonic Orchestra; and Heather Henning, oboist with the Wichita Symphony Orchestra.

Two guest clinicians, Dr. Timothy Mahr, band director at St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn., and Ken Peplowski, a professional jazz clarinetist in the style of Benny Goodman, have also been invited to "bring inspiration to the campers," said Allen.

Monday and Tuesday evening will highlight many of the professional specialists who come to Hays for this camp.

"This years' recitals look to be especially entertaining with a variety of classical, jazz and new works with electronic additions to the traditional instruments," said Allen.

"Wednesday evening is a special time for our honor camper recitalists, who each auditioned for a chance to perform on this recital," said Allen, "Thursday is the first faculty ensemble event with the High Plains Faculty Band under the joint direction of Dr. Timothy Mahr and our own professor of music and theatre, Dr. Jeff Jordan."

Saturday, the camp concludes with each student ensemble performing the works they have rehearsed throughout the week with their ensemble directors. Performances are scheduled from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

For more information, contact the Department of Music and Theatre at 785-628-4533 or at www.fhsu.edu/musiccamp.