The Kent State All-Star Band is an annual high School honor band opportunity hosted by the kent state band program

Thank you to everyone to a successful 2019 Festival! Complete Information for our 2020 Festival will be out in early fall.

We are excited to host the 2020 Kent State All-Star Band! Held on January 10-11, this honor band opportunity brings over 175 high school students to campus for a fun and intense two days of music-making. Band directors nominate students using the form below, and students are selected to participate in either the seventy-five member Honors Wind Symphony, or the 100-piece Honors Symphony Band. Optional accommodations for overnight student housing is available for an additional fee.

Guest Conductor

Our 2020 guest conductor will be announced soon!

Nominate your students

• Nomination forms for the 2020 All-Star Band will be emailed to local band directors Fall 2019 and will be available by following the link below.
• Nominations will be due on December 1, 2019.
• 2020 All-Star Band Nomination Form (check back in Fall 2019). 

Fees

• $35 participant fee

• Optional: $35 overnight housing fee

Forms and Schedule

2019 Schedule

Pay for All-Star Band fees

Emergency Medical Form

Frequently Asked Questions

The KSU All-Star Choir Festival is a two-day choral leadership workshop.

The 2019 All-Star Choir Festival, Oct. 6-7

Many of Ohio's finest high school singers and directors will come together and enjoy two days of intensive choral rehearsals,  sectionals, panel discussions and performances. The festival is held both in beautiful downtown Kent at the KSU Hotel & Conference Center and at Kent State University music performance venues. There is no advanced preparation necessary—singers will receive music upon arrival! Private vocal coaching sessions with KSU voice faculty are available. Come be a part of this amazing choral/vocal experience at KSU!

Featured Choir

Northwest High School
Director: Doug Beery

ELIGIBILITY

Participation in the All-Star Choir Festival is open to high school students of sophomore, junior, or senior standing with proven excellence in choral experience. High School Choral Directors can nominate up to 10 students from their program based on vocal ability, character, and leadership potential. Acceptance will be based on available space—an acceptable balance between sections is preferred.

All directors are welcome to attend and encouraged to participate in festival events!

COSTS

• $45 registration fee per student (includes t-shirt, music packet with folder, transportation,  accompanist fees, and snacks).
• $5 per student for optional vocal coaching sessions (Juniors & Seniors only - see Nomination Form).
• $30 per student for optional overnight housing.

Participants who require overnight housing must include an additional $30 to cover room expense. Do not contact the hotel directly! Four participants will be placed in each room. A continental breakfast will be provided. 

Send no fees now! Participants will be notified of acceptance. Fees must be paid in full before arrival in order to participate.

IMPORTANT: Each school must abide by their own district's policies on chaperoning for the overnight stay! Chaperones will be responsible for booking their own rooms. Kent State University and the All-Star Choir Festival do not accept responsibility for students staying overnight. All students staying at the KSU Hotel must have a Chaperone PRESENT at the time of check-in. Students without a responsible adult will not be allowed to check in. No exceptions.

Nomination Form instructions

1. Download and fill out the nomination form on Excel. Due Sept. 13!

• You may nominate a maximum of ten students.
• Carefully consider vocal ability, character, leadership potential, and sight-reading ability. Please do not nominate students with little or no sight-reading ability.
• Help us balance the All-Star Choir by nominating students from all voice types if possible.
• IMPORTANT: Please rank all nominees in order of overall ability. Please rank students carefully, as all nominees may not necessarily be selected to participate.
• Please inform nominees of the following and indicate interest on the nomination form:

Optional Vocal Coaching Session* (JUNIORS & SENIORS ONLY): Students must come prepared with an art song appropriate for solo and ensemble contest. If the piece is memorized, the student may be selected to perform on the final concert. *There is an additional $5 fee for the 15-minute vocal coaching sessions.

2. Registration information will be available in July/August.

download the nomination Form  

*Schedule: Coming soon*

*Attire for the final concert is your ASCF t-shirt and nice blue jeans. No holey jeans or leggings, please!

Rehearsal Breaks: "The Vocal Professional"
10-minute talks on vocal/choral careers by KSU faculty members

Contact

Primary
Mr. Jesse Reed
Kent State Choirs Graduate Assistant
P: 330-672-2271
Email: jreed63@kent.edu

Dr. Scott MacPherson
Director of Choral Activities
P: 330-672-2909
Email: smacpher@kent.edu 

Kent State Brass Day welcomes students from across Ohio for a day of intensive Brass ensemble rehearsals, clinics, and performance demonstrations.

Participants will work with School of Music brass faculty and guest artists. There will also be vendor displays with instruments, music and more.

Date: 

• Saturday | Nov. 23 | 2019

Artists:

Click here for more information about the Kent Brass Quintet

Sample Schedule:

Morning

8:30 Registration/Sign In (Ludwig Recital Hall Lobby)

9:00 Welcome/Kent Brass Quintet Performance (Ludwig Recital Hall)

9:30 Individual Instrument Clinics/Warm- Up (Kent Brass Faculty)

• Trumpets (Ludwig Recital Hall)
• Horns (E103)
• Trombones (E202)
• Tubas/Euphoniums (D105)

10:30 Brass Ensemble Rehearsal (Ludwig Recital Hall)

11:30 Visiting Exhibitor Displays (Woodsy's Music, Kent) and Lunch

Afternoon

1:30 Return for Brass Ensemble Rehearsal (Ludwig Recital Hall)

2:30 Barclay Brass Joins Rehearsal

3:45 Individual Instrument Clinics (Barclay Brass Members)

4:45 Dinner Break

6:30 Performance Demonstrations (Participants family and friends are invited)

• Participant Brass Ensemble
• Side-by-Side

Register:

Click here to let us know you're interested, we'll email you when the official form is live.

Pay the $10 registration fee here

*Once you click the payment link, click on "Recruitment Events."

For more information, contact:

Kent Larmee | Brass Division Coordinator, Horn | 330-672-6278, klarmee@kent.edu

Michael Chunn | Professor, Trumpet | 330-672-9234, mchunn@kent.edu

David Mitchell | Assistant Professor, Trombone/Euphonium | 330-672-5255, demitche@kent.edu

The Kent State University Clarinet Day, held Saturday, November 9, 2019, is a day-long educational event for clarinetists of all levels. It will include workshops, clinics, master classes, performances, clarinet choir and vendors.

The event will feature a soon to be announced guest artist and Kent State University’s Assistant Professor of Clarinet, Amitai Vardi.

Participation in Clarinet Day includes:

• Welcome packet with clarinet swag
• Full access to all clinics and workshops
• Access to masterclasses and guest recital
• Full access to vendor exhibits
• Participation in the clarinet choir rehearsals and performance

For more information, please contact:
Amitai Vardi, Assistant Professor of Music 
avardi@kent.edu

Registration

Click here to let us know you're interested, we'll email you when the official form is live.

Fee Payment

$25 (all inclusive)

Please click on this link and then "Recruitment Events"

2018 Schedule

8:30 a.m. - REGISTRATION

9:00 a.m. - WELCOME/GROUP WARM-UP

9:30 a.m. - MASTER CLASS WITH KSU FACULTY - AMITAI VARDI

10:30 a.m. - CLARINET CHOIR REHEARSAL WITH DR. JESSE LEYVA

11:30 a.m. - LUNCH AND VENDORS

1:00 p.m. - GUY YEHUDA RECITAL

2:15 p.m. - GUY YEHUDA MASTER CLASS AND Q&A

4:30 p.m. - CLARINET CHOIR DRESS REHEARSAL

5:15 p.m. - CLARINET CHOIR PERFORMANCE

Bring your middle or high school band, choir, or orchestra to Kent State!

Spend a fabulous Friday at Kent State University! Fab Friday is a program of our Music Education Division and School of Music Ensembles which welcomes young ensembles from across Northeast Ohio for a morning of rehearsals, sectionals, and clinics.

We're currently accepting ensembles for the 2019-2020 academic year!

Sample Schedule

8:30 AM Arrive at the School of Music

9:00 AM Packing Your Toolbox: Ensemble warm-up/rehearsal led by visiting Director who also shares their best rehearsal strategies with current Kent State Music Education students. 

9:30 AM Sectional work with Kent State faculty and Music Education students

10:30 AM Kent State chamber music ensemble performance

10:45 AM Kent State Music Education students work with the visiting ensemble

11:15 AM Kent State faculty member works with the visiting ensemble

12:00 PM Departure

Mentorship

Not only is this a great experience for your students to work with our faculty and students, it's also an opportunity for the visiting Director to share their knowledge and insights as an educator with our currently enrolled Music Education students. In addition to "Packing Your Toolbox" session, there is also the opportunity available to meet with Kent State Music Education majors for a more in-depth conversation. 

Let us know you're interested!

Fill out the inquiry form here

The Kent state Jazz Invitational is a day-long event of workshops, rehearsals and clinics for Northeast Ohio high school Jazz students!

When?

Friday, March 13, 2020

The Hugh A. Glauser School of Music at Kent State University invites you to participate in the Kent Wind Band Conductor’s Symposium on November 1-2, 2019.

Featured Guest Conductor

• The 2019 featured guest will be Dr. Emily Threinen, Associate Professor of Music and Director of Bands at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.
• Click here for more information about Dr. Threinen.

Kent State Clinicians

• Dr. Jesse Leyva, Director of Bands
• Dr. Wendy Matthews, Associate Professor of Music Education and Conductor

Who can participate?

• Conductors of all levels are encouraged to participate in this transformative workshop!
• Participant Slots
  • Work directly with the clinicians
  • Limited number: first come, first served
  • Fee: $225
• Auditor slots
  • Observe all clinics
  • Free

Register

• Email Dr. Jesse Leyva at jleyva@kent.edu to start the registration process. 

Symposium Payment

Repertoire/Schedule (Coming Soon!)

Housing and Transportation 

Kent State's Nova Jazz Singers Vocal Jazz Invitational 

The Second Annual Invitational will be held April 13, 2020.

More details soon!

Experience Kent State's School of Music for yourself!

Discover what makes the Kent State School of Music unique with a day dedicated to prospective students!

Save the date for Tuesday, November 5, 2019!

High school students, transfer students, parents and teachers are encouraged to attend.

• Meet our faculty
• Attend classes
• Experience ensemble rehearsals
• Enjoy performances
• Interact with current students and more!

Schedule

2018 Open House Schedule with Optional Parent Track

How to join us

Registration is now live!

Register for the day here!

Learn more about how to join us for the Kent State Saxophone Day

Save the date for Sunday, November 24, 2019! Registration will open in early September. 

who can attend?

• The event is open to all saxophonists, regardless of age or ability level.
• Classical and Jazz players 
• Music Educators are welcome to attend.

What you'll experience:

• Performances
• Masterclasses
• Saxophone Ensembles
• Select vendors and Woodsy’s Music will be selling instruments, reeds, and other equipment!

Who you'll work with:

Noa Even, Assistant Professor of Saxophone
Kent State University
Read more here. 

Bobby Selvaggio, Director of Jazz Studies
Kent State University 
Read more here. 

Featured Guest Artist: Kenneth Tse, Professor of Saxophone
University of Iowa
Read more here. 

Other Kent State Faculty Include:

• Chris Coles, Theron Brown, Aidan Plank, Dustin May.

Schedule

Morning

• 8:30 Check-in | Vendors open
• 9:00 Improvisation and Conduction Workshop
• 10:00  Welcome and Clinic
• 11:00 Ensemble Rehearsal

Afternoon

• 12:30 Lunch | Vendors open
• 1:45 Faculty and Guest Artist Recital
• 3:00 Masterclasses
• 5:15 Ensemble Rehearsal
• 6:15 Closing Concert: Saxophone and Jazz Ensembles 

Registration

Click here to let us know you're interested, we'll email you when the official form is live.

• Fee: $25 plus option $8 for lunch
  • Pay online here
  • Click on "RECRUITMENT EVENTS"
  • The registration fee is non-refundable unless the event is cancelled by the University.
• Registration and Fee will be due NOVEMBER 4, 2019. 

Questions?

For questions or more information please contact Noa Even at neven@kent.edu.

Kent State will host its String Audition Clinic on Saturday, May 4.

Kent State will host its String Audition Clinic in the 2020 Spring Semester. Participants will work with Kent State's esteemed string and orchestra faculty, which includes members of The Cleveland Orchestra and Miami String Quartet. We will use the 2020 OMEA Regional/All-State Orchestra audition materials as a basis for all participants. Whether you're a high school student who wants to refine their OMEA Regional/All-State audition recording or you want help with you overall audition skills, this event is for you!

When and where

2020 date will be announced soon!
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Center for the Performing Arts at 1325 Theatre Drive, Kent Campus

Who can attend?

Open to ALL high school string students interested in refining their audition skills.

Faculty

• Jung-Min Amy Lee, violin | The Cleveland Orchestra
• Cathy Meng Robinson, violin | Miami String Quartet
• Joanna Patterson Zakany, viola | The Cleveland Orchestra
• Keith Robinson, cello | Miami String Quartet
• Bryan Thomas, double bass | Educator and Performer
• Dr. Jungho Kim | Director of Orchestra

Tentative Schedule

• 9:30 am: Sign-in for participants
• 10 am: Greeting from Dr. Jungho Kim (E112)
• 10:15 am: Session 1-Orchestral Sight-Reading with Dr. Kim (E112)
• 11:05 am: Break/Transition to new rooms
• 11:15 am Session 2-Excerpt work
  • Violin: D106
  • Viola: D105
  • Cello: D104
• 12:05 pm: Break and snacks (E112)
• 12:30 pm: Session 3-Etude Work
  • Violin: D106
  • Viola: D105
  • Cello: D104
• 1:30 pm: Q & A Session (E112)
• 1:55 pm: Closing remarks and dismissal

Registration

Click here to let us know you're interested, we'll email you when the official form is live.

Materials

We'll be using the Regional Orchestra Audition excerpt and etude as a common base for all participants.

Click here to download your copy with suggestions from our faculty