Twenty-seven years and counting.
That’s the number of years that the All-State Masonic Band has come together to entertain fans and add color and excitement to the Kansas Shrine Bowl, itself celebrating its 37th year during the 2010 edition to be played at Pittsburg State University on July 31st.
“Football and bands just go together”, says Kansas Shrine Bowl Executive Director Dave Mize. “It’s hard to imagine being at a college or high school game without the band setting the stage before the game, entertaining the crowd at halftime, and providing a backdrop during the game itself. It’s an integral part of the entire football package, and we are thankful to all of the terrific band directors and bandsmen who have made the Masonic All-State Marching Band such a big part of our game for 27 years.”
The All-State Masonic band was developed in the mid-80s because no other bands were available to add color and excitement to the Kansas Shrine Bowl. Regulations of both the NCAA and the Kansas State High School Activities Association, and the expense of getting high school bands together in the summer, prohibited bands from being organized when their schools were not in session.
The 2010 band will be one of the largest, with over 200 band members from high school and junior high programs from all over Kansas converging on Pittsburg State, They report on Tuesday, July 27, to begin several days of intense practice prior to Shrine Bowl weekend. The band will provide music at the annual Shrine Bowl Banquet on Friday evening, July 30, a traditional event for players, their families, and Shriners that will be held at Pittsburg High School. The Band will also get the annual Shrine Bowl Parade off to a rousing start, leading the 10 am parade through downtown Pittsburg on game day, and will perform during pregame festivities prior to kickoff that night. And, of course, there will be the traditional half-time show, which will feature both the band’s musical and marching skills.
How do you take 200 musicians who come from some 90 programs across the state and bring them together to present a polished program in three days? Obviously, it takes a lot of
planning and efficiency. The Director of Bands at Pittsburg State, A. Douglas Whitten, who will direct this year’s Masonic Band, says he uses the same format that he uses for his college bands. “I’ll have music to them before they get here”, he says. “We’ll start off with a large music rehearsal, and it won’t go great, but that’s ok. When they have an idea of what we’re trying to get out of them, we’ll send them off to sectionals. I’ll have a staff of 10 people that will work with small groups. For example, all of the flutes will go off with one of my students who is an expert flute player who will help them learn the music quickly. Then we’ll come back together, and we’ll start sounding like a band.”
Whitten will use a mix of PSU music students, along with a couple of music educators, as assistants. “I’ll use my three college drum leaders, who are people with great integrity and are strong leaders as well as strong musicians. They’re the core of the group. I’ll be bringing in one brass teacher from the University of Idaho and another college instructor to help with other instruments.”
The band members are not only required to play together, they’ll also need to master the marching formations. All of this needs to happen quickly. “We teach the marching separate from the music”, says Whitten. “I’ve found it’s really efficient in our long days to go out in the morning to march, to work on music in the afternoon, and in the evening to put it all together.” Band members report on Tuesday, then will have two very long days of work (Wednesday and Thursday) and a part of Friday to prepare before their first performance Friday evening at the banquet.
This year’s music will include both patriotic themes during pregame and lighter fare at halftime. “We’ll be playing the ‘Ceremony of Allegiance’ and a salute to our armed forces during the pregame show”, he says. “At halftime, we’ll be doing all Blues Brother’s music, which will be in contrast, real light and upbeat.”
The Kansas Shrine Bowl All-Star Football Game is an annual event featuring two football teams composed of 68 of the best graduated high school players from the East and West. Kickoff for this year's game at Carnie Smith Stadium in Pittsburg is scheduled for 7 PM on Saturday, July 31. Proceeds from all Shrine Bowl events support the Shriners Hospitals for Children, a network of 22 hospitals that provide expert, no-cost orthopedic, burn, and spinal care to children under 18. Children are admitted free to Shriners Hospitals for Children without regard for race, religion, nationality, creed, or relationship to a Shriner.
Advance reserved chair back tickets for the game are $20.00. Adult general admission tickets are $12.00 in advance. Student tickets (K-12) are $6.00 in advance. Game day tickets, if available, are $1 more at the gate. Other Shrine Bowl events scheduled in Pittsburg on July 31st include an open 2-Mile Road Race that includes 60 Cross Country All-Star Runners, a giant Shrine Parade, a Kids Fair, and a High School Combine. Additional information and tickets can be purchased through the Shrine Bowl office by calling 1-800-530-5524. The Shrine Bowl web site address is ksshrine.com and the e-mail address is ksshrine@kansas.com. Online ticket orders are located at http://www.pittstate.edu/office/tickets/athletics/index.dot.