University of Kansas Bands

More coverage about our performance last week!

KU marching band welcomes Algeria’s World Cup team to Lawrence with country's national anthem The University of Kansas marching band welcomed Algeria's men's national team on Thursday to Lawrence by playing the team a familiar tune — their country's national anthem.

Congratulations to our very own Leslie O'Neil, KU Bands office manager, for being one of two recipients of KU's Employee of the Month for May, 2026! Anyone who has interacted with the band office knows how special she is. We love you, Leslie!

Employee of the Month Winners Employee of the Month Winners April 2026Matt MillerOnboarding CoordinatorHuman Resources Read more about Matt Miller's work Click to expandMatt Miller is being recognized as an April 2026 University of Kansas Employee of the Month for his ability to welcome new employees and create a sense of belong...

We had a great time yesterday welcoming Algeria's team to Lawrence at Rock Chalk Park!

ATTENTION KU STUDENTS: The ensemble audition excerpts and audition schedule for Fall 2026 auditions have been posted online!

Any KU student, regardless of major, may audition for concert ensembles, including the Wind Orchestra and Wind Symphony. Membership in the University Band does not require an audition, but you may audition into the ensemble.

Audition time sign-ups will be posted later this summer in 124 Murphy Hall.

https://music.ku.edu/band/concert-band-auditions

We’re glad to support the Crossroads Wind Symphony on this special project!

Congratulations to KU Alum Brooke Johnson (DMA '18), Director of Athletic Bands at the University of Delaware, and Sharon Toulouse, our Director of Athletic Bands at the University of Kansas, on a wonderful presentation at the 2026 CBDNA Athletic Band Symposium. Their presentation, "Motherhood and the Marching Arts," discussed navigating being a mother and leading college bands.

Rock Chalk! 🔴🔵

Are you attending 2026 KU Orientation this Summer?

Stop by our table in the Big 12 Room on the 5th floor of the Kansas Union to learn more about making music at KU during your visit to the Opportunities Fair! There are endless opportunities at KU for you!

LESS THAN 7 DAYS remain to submit Brass and Woodwind new member audition videos for the 2026 Marching Jayhawks. Now is the perfect time to record and submit your brief audition video to join our brass and woodwind sections!

For more information about KUMJ and the new member audition processes, visit the links below:

Brass and Woodwinds: https://music.ku.edu/marching-jayhawks-audition-information

Drumline: https://music.ku.edu/marchingjayhawks/drumline

Color Guard: https://music.ku.edu/marchingjayhawks/colorguardtwirler

For questions about audition videos, email [email protected] or [email protected].

KU Bands welcomes Grace Baugher Dunlap to the wind conducting studio where she will pursue her Doctor of Musical Arts in Wind Band Conducting and serve as a Graduate Teaching Assistant in the Band area beginning in the Fall of 2026!

Grace holds a Master of Music in Composition and a Graduate Certificate in Music Theory Pedagogy from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a Bachelor of Music in Composition and Horn Performance from Kansas State University. An active educator and clinician, she teaches a private brass studio and frequently appears as a guest composer and clinician.

Rock Chalk, Grace!

Join us TONIGHT (May 20th) via Zoom for an information session covering new member auditions, band camp, the Fall 2026 calendar, and more with our KUMJ directors!

Registration Link: https://kansas.zoom.us/meeting/register/Ouwv8yptQLGnA27LKMkwyQ?fbclid=IwY2xjawR6lptleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFYdUk0NjEyMEJrcWc5SEV6c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHmTUGhTrMQfGoyVupGX2OL-AsKOP9DeTnTDMrsJkMw3xwdce377Z4aP-iU6Y_aem_SH9OGiFz9nzP7hDGF_BoMQ #/registration