UMKC Bands at the Conservatory

🎉 CONGRATULATIONS, CONNOR! 🎉

We are thrilled to congratulate current Ph.D. candidate Connor Fetting on his new appointment at Sam Houston State University as Visiting Assistant Professor of Music and Assistant Director of Bands! We are so proud to celebrate this exciting next chapter and can’t wait to see the impact Professor Fetting will make as a conductor, educator, and musician. Congratulations on this well-deserved achievement! 💙💛🦘

Looking for a place to make music and meet new people? The UMKC Campus Band brings students, faculty, staff, and community members together each week to create a fun and enriching musical experience. We rehearse every Monday evening from 7:30–9:30 p.m.. Performances are at 7:30pm on Monday, October 12th and Monday, December 7th.

Campus Band is open to all UMKC students, faculty, staff, and community members with prior experience playing a woodwind, brass, or percussion instrument. There is no audition or limitation on instrumentation. Whether you’re looking to keep playing your instrument, meet other musicians, or simply make music for fun, we’d love to have you join us!

Interested in playing with Campus Band in the fall? Rehearsals begin August 31st! Find registration info at the link below or email [email protected] with any questions.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/10ofC6fp3jslZq__rVOFw-iQLpzz9qlQA/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=103824150823476424279&rtpof=true&sd=true

🗣️ Auditions for The Mob are now OPEN! Be a part of Kansas City’s premier pep band!

Audition requirements/instructions can be found in the link below and close at 11:59 PM on Friday, August 7th.

https://umkc.box.com/s/s9p2yctfprfta1d7u8kf9zy42wrd59ug

Membership is open to all UMKC students, undergraduate and graduate! Instrumentation and other details can be found on the audition information page.

We’re looking forward to another great year supporting UMKC’s athletics!

Roo Up! 🦘

That's a wrap on KCCS 2026!

Participants engaged with inspiring presentations from Dr. Joseph Parisi, UMKC musicology faculty members Dr. Andrew Granade and Dr. Jane Sylvester, and former NAfME President Deborah Confredo. Their expertise and insights challenged us to think deeply about music, teaching, and leadership.

Most of all, we were inspired by the conductors, who led with musicianship and vulnerability. Their willingness to take risks, share their artistry, and grow alongside one another made this week truly special!

Thank you to everyone who helped make KCCS a memorable experience. Roo Up!!!

KCCS is officially underway! We’re thrilled to welcome participants from 16 different states to the UMKC campus for a week of music-making, collaboration, and growth.

We’re especially excited to have Dr. Kevin Sedatole serving as our guest conducting clinician and Dr. Chen Yi sharing insights on her band music in a featured lecture. Here’s to an inspiring week of learning from these remarkable artists and educators!

Carol Jantsch is in the house!!! 🎶

We’re excited to welcome Carol Jantsch, principal tubist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, as a guest artist with the Conservatory Wind Symphony for the Midwest Regional Tuba and Euphonium Conference here at UMKC. She’ll perform Giancarlo Castro D’Addona’s Tuba Concerto at tonight’s headline concert along with Professor Jarrett McCourt performing Kevin Day’s Metallic Figures. Catch them both at 7:30PM CT in White Recital Hall!

Congratulations to UMKC conducting graduate student David Alesco on his acceptance into the 11th Annual U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” Conductors Workshop! 🇺🇸🎶
Hosted by the premier musical organization of the United States Army, this highly selective workshop accepts only five active participants from across the country and provides the opportunity to conduct the renowned U.S. Army Concert Band. Over the course of the intensive five-day program, participants receive mentorship and coaching in score study, rehearsal technique, and conducting from leading professionals in the field, culminating in a public concert performance.
We are incredibly proud of David for this outstanding achievement and excited to see him represent UMKC at this prestigious national workshop this summer!

Congratulations to the Harmony Project KC Band Program on a spectacular spring concert! 🎶❤️

We are so proud of the incredible students and grateful for the dedicated educators and administrators who make this program possible. UMKC conducting graduate students David Alesco, Steven Collins, Avery Southard, Blake Hordé, Benjamin Gerrard, and Cooper Haywood, along with UMKC percussionist David Oosse, teach and support this outstanding program, expanding access to meaningful music education opportunities for students and families throughout the Kansas City community.

Bravo to everyone involved on a fantastic performance and a wonderful semester of music-making!

From the first downbeat to the final take, the Conservatory Wind Symphony teamed up with tuba soloist Professor Jarrett McCourt to record Metallic Figures by Kevin Day!

An exciting and high-level collaboration filled with energy, precision, and great music-making. Projects like this showcase what happens when artistry and collaboration come together. 🎶✨

A huge thank you to Professor McCourt and Kevin Day for sharing your incredible musicianship and time with us!

RooUp! 💙💛🦘