Sunflower Music Festival

The Blanche Bryden Institute remains one of the most important pillars of the Sunflower Music Festival, providing young musicians with the opportunity to engage high level repertoire, coached and taught by internationally acclaimed musicians from the festival orchestra and the Washburn music faculty. Support for the Sunflower Music Festival ensures this program remains to train the next generation of musicians!

Mark your calendars for the 40th rendition of Sunflower: June 17-26, 2027! Our website and social media will reflect repertoire in the coming months; in the meantime, plan to share in this momentous anniversary next summer!

We are saddened at the news of the passing of James Rivers, a longtime Professor of Music at Washburn University and one of the founding members of the Sunflower Music Festival. An internationally traveled soloist, he could be heard on both piano and harpsichord during his time as a member of the festival in its early years. His contributions and support created the foundation that is allowed for Sunflower to be where it is at today 40 years later. We are eternally grateful for his work with our festival, Washburn, and the greater Topeka community at large.

Those who wish to make memorial contributions are encouraged to send them to the Sunflower Music Festival or the Washburn Department of Music. Please see the attached obituary for more details, and to also read more about James and his commitment to music education and excellence.

https://www.penwellgabeltopeka.com/obituaries/james-rivers

James C. Rivers Obituary Jul 4, 2026 - Penwell-Gabel Topeka View James C. Rivers's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

All buildings are cleaned up, supplies are back in storage, and the musicians are headed on to their next adventures. Thank you to Washburn University and its staff, our donors, board members, staff, musicians, and our wonderful audience members who made the 39th Sunflower Music Festival a success!

As we approach the 40th year of the festival, we want to hear from anyone who’d like to share a testimonial or memory from Sunflower over the years. Click the link below to learn more!

https://forms.gle/3D7qmcFEzroTswUy5

🌻 Meet Our Musicians 🌻

In our final edition of this series, get to know our festival Timpanist Charles Lampert! Charles comes to us by way of Pittsburg and has played in several regional ensembles on both percussion and timpani. Learn even more about him on our website, and come and hear him tonight at the festival finale: Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony!

Some highlights from Tuesday evening’s chamber ensembles concert 🙌🏻 you won’t want to miss tonight’s third and final chamber ensemble concert of the 2026 Sunflower Music Festival!

Thank you all who joined us last night for our second chamber orchestra concert of the festival! Along with James Thatcher’s stunning rendition of Mozart’s Horn Concerto no. 4 in E-Flat major, audience members were treated to Brandenburg no. 2 and Mozart’s 40th Symphony.

There are still 4 more concerts of the Sunflower Music Festival:
June 25: Blanche Bryden Collegiate Ensemble
June 26: Chamber Ensembles
June 27, 3pm: Blanche Bryden High School Ensembles
June 27, 7:30pm: Chamber Orchestra - Festival Finale

🌻 Meet Our Musicians 🌻

A familiar face to the music scene of Northeast Kansas, Nicholas Good serves as an organist, choir director, and harpsichordist. If you didn’t have a chance to hear him on harpsichord last Friday for Brandenburg No. 1, you’ve still got two more opportunities to do so for Brandenburg No. 2 and 3!

Last night with the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra was a swingin’ good time! An additional thank you to Kansas Public Radio and Topeka Jazz Workshop for coming out to table and join us for a truly special evening.

A reminder that the festival artwork by Kim Scott is up for auction, as well as 3 additional pieces by Rita Etzel! There’s still time to throw your name in the hat, either in person at the concerts or online on the 2026 festival artwork page. Join us this evening at the second chamber ensembles concert to see these pieces and many other items for purchase at the tables in the lobby!

https://sunflowermusicfestival.org/sunflower-music-festival-program-schedule/2025-artwork/