The Sterling High School Band has been selected to perform at the 2026 Kansas Music Educators In-Service Workshop. Being chosen for this prestigious event is both an honor and a source of immense pride that reflects on Sterling’s long heritage of musical excellence. Every year, directors from across Kansas submit recordings of their groups to be considered. These recordings are then evaluated by a panel of judges; a small number of submissions are selected to perform at the annual KMEA convention. SHS is one of three high school bands that have been selected this year. This selection is a true reflection of the consistent hard work that the SHS band members have dedicated throughout the last several years.
The Sterling High School Band will play at the KMEA Convention on Friday, February 27th, at 10:20 a.m. in the Century II Concert Hall in downtown Wichita, Kansas. Performance Group Concerts are free and open to the public. Concert attendees are requested to obtain guest passes at the registration table in the Expo Hall of Century II. We invite you to support the high school band at this event next week!
On Monday, February 23rd, the Sterling High School Band will perform their KMEA concert selections in the Betsy Dutton Theater at 7 p.m. as part of their Winter Concert.
The Band opens their portion of the concert with “C-141 Starlifter” by Randall Standridge. This work was inspired by the Air Mobility Command Museum in Dover, Delaware, which houses a Starlifter aircraft for display. The piece is full of energy from the beginning, as you can imagine the plane speeding down the runway, before an exciting fanfare announces its ascent into the clouds. It is an engaging and inspiring concert opener.
“Midnight Ride” by Rossano Galante is a musical depiction of Paul Revere’s famous ride during the Revolutionary War. There are three main themes in the song. Paul Revere's motif is a romantic, heroic melody that captures his bravery and tenacity. The Brown Beauty theme (Paul Revere's horse) incorporates a slower, lush musical section that captures the strength and beauty of Revere’s steed. The ending programmatic material represents the ride with a soaring melody accompanied by fast and exciting rhythms, depictive of the urgency of Revere’s midnight ride.
The band’s third selection on the concert is “Phoenix Rekindled” by Grace Baugher Dunlap. Grace Baugher Dunlap (b. 1995) is a Kansas-born composer, horn player, and music educator. Phoenix Rekindled was written in recognition of those who deal with depression and burnout, especially in our music community. This piece is a beautiful ballad that showcases the musicality of the band.
The High School Band will close the concert with “Illumination” by David Maslanka. Illumination is a high-intensity, brassy, and bold piece. The composer said that he wrote this piece with the inspiration of “lighting up, or bringing light.” Maslanka says, “I am especially interested in composing music for young people that allows them a vibrant experience of their own creative energy.” This piece does just that, and it keeps the audience interested until the very end.
The Sterling Junior High Concert Band will also be featured on Monday night’s concert with three selections. On March 4th and 25th, the SJHS band will perform 2 of these selections at the St. John Junior High Music Festival and the HOA League Music Festival. Students will also be performing solos and ensembles at both festivals.
Their first selection, “Declaration In Blue,” is a big and attention-drawing piece whose harmonic and melodic function is built primarily upon the blues scale of jazz. Robert W. Smith, the composer, writes, “In these very trying times for our country, I thought it important to compose an uplifting true American statement–a statement of hope and certainty that will resonate through the performance of our most precious natural resource, our children.”
Based upon a long-beloved Irish folk song, “An Irish Legend (The Minstrel Boy)” packs inspiration and emotion into one heartfelt piece. The JW Pepper website describes this arrangement as a “beautiful melody with [a] sense of longing, loss, and triumph that [is] reflected in the somber and lyrical style of this lovely setting for young bands.” “An Irish Legend” is arranged by Joseph Eidson.
“Byzantine Dances,” written by Carol Brittin Chambers, is a highly energetic and exotic piece that portrays a set of Turkish dances. Combining driving rhythms and traditional Turkish-sounding harmonies, this composition brings to life the Byzantine Empire.
This is a concert you won’t want to miss! Join us on Monday, February 23rd, 2026, at 7 p.m., in the Betsy Dutton Theater at Sterling High School.