Photo by Dolo Iglesias

Welcome to Kearney High School!

The Kearney High School Band Parents warmly welcome you to Kearney High School! We are thrilled to be hosting this important event and trust that you will have a good experience. We will do our best to make your day go smoothly. We know all of the time and hard work that has gone into the preparation for these performances. Good luck and enjoy the results of everyone’s efforts!

Kearney High School is located at 2702 W. 11th St. in Kearney, and the building will open at 7:00 a.m. Please refer to the parking map for the correct entrance for band buses, equipment trucks, and the general public.

General Admission

Spectators are welcome and encouraged to attend any performance throughout the day. Spectators should proceed to the west side of the school and enter off of 30th Ave. All spectators should enter at DOOR 27 (look for the sign) and will be instructed how to proceed to the Concert Hall and Theater (CHaT). Spectators are asked to park at the Berean Church Parking directly to the west of KHS.

Admission will be $5 for adults and $3 for children Children 5 and under are free. An ATM will be available on site each day. All seating is general admission on the main level of the Concert Hall.

Site Contacts

Kearney High Directors

Nathan LeFeber
Rick Mitchell

Site Hosts

Erika Krull
Shawna Knott
Mikaela Richmond
NSBA Events Contact Form

Judges

Dr. Paul Harr, UNL
Dr. Darren Pettit, UNO
Dr. Greg Simon, UNL

Clinicians

Dana Landry, Univ. of Northern Colorado
Dr. Eric Richards, Sheridan College

Concessions

Concessions will open all day in Room H100. We will have limited concessions available that will include snacks and beverages. All proceeds will go to support the KHS band. All food needs to be consumed in Room H100.

Drop-off and Parking Information

Bus and equipment vehicles should enter the south parking lot entrance on 30th Ave (the west side of KHS). Then proceed north along the side of the school. All buses should plan to drop off students at Door 33 and then proceed to park on either 16th Street or 27th Ave north of KHS.

The spectator parking will be at Berean Church directly to the west of KHS on Friday. On Saturday spectators can park in the north end of the KHS west lot.

Travel Times to Avoid: KHS will be in session on Friday for this event. Please try not to arrive between 7:40 – 8:15 a.m., or leave between 3:30 – 4:00 p.m. on that Friday.

Set up diagrams

Please email your setup diagrams (including the number of rows, stands, and chairs needed) to Nathan LeFeber by April 4 at the latest. For timing purposes all bands will be asked to have the rhythm section on the stage right side of the band. KHS will be providing two levels of risers – one for trombones and one for trumpets. Each section will be 4 feet deep and 16 feet long.

Dressing Rooms and Restrooms

We are not providing dressing rooms. There will be bathrooms right inside as you arrive at Door 33. We are asking that everyone stay in the music wing of the building.

No Play Zone

To ensure that the performance does not receive interference, the only place where students can play will be their warm-up area during their designated time. Thank you for your cooperation with this.

Performance Sequence

The sequence begins with your check-in on arrival at Door 33. There will be room monitors at each location throughout the day.

Check-in at Door 33
Volunteers will be available to answer questions and give directions. Students will be able to leave their cases and coats in the band room. The room monitor will direct your band to your storage area. You will be able to leave your stuff in the band room for the morning OR afternoon/evening session.
Assembly/Ready
In general we want everyone to be in the Concert Hall (CHaT) whenever possible. Listening to and encouraging each other is the spirit of this event.
Music Warm-up
At your warm up time, please proceed to the Black Box Theater (Room H102) for your warm up location. This time is for you to use how you wish. You will have 20 min in this station. There will be chairs, stands, drum-set, vibes, bass amp, guitar amp, and piano in your warm up room.
Performance
The warm up room monitor will tell you when it is time to move to the Concert Hall for your performance. The rhythm section should go first to ensure all instruments are there and set up properly. Chairs and stands will be set up prior to your arrival. You will have a total of 25 minutes in the performance area.
Clinic
Following your performance, you will be directed to the clinic room (Room G107) where you will have an opportunity to work with one of our fantastic clinicians. The same equipment will be available in the clinic room.
Exit
Following your clinic you will be directed to the band room to pack up your instruments. You may leave your things in the band room for the morning OR afternoon/evening session.

Presentation of Awards

School Classifications

Middle School Jazz Band class for all students in grades 6, 7 and 8th
High School Class C = 1 – 199 students enrolled grades 9-11
High School Class B = 200 – 599 students enrolled grades 9-11
High School Class A = 600 – 1099 students enrolled grades 9-11
High School Class A2 = 2nd, 3rd bands grades 9-11
High School Class AA = 1200+ grades 9-11
High School Class AA2 = 2nd, 3rd bands grades 9-11
High School Combo open enrollment grades 9-12

Awards

Division Awards – I = Superior, II = Excellent, III = Good
Placement Awards – top 3 ensembles in each classification – All High School 2nd and 3rd bands will be grouped together. Middle School 1st and 2nd bands will all compete in the same class (MS).
Certificates of Achievement – presented to soloists who perform in a commendable fashion
Outstanding Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Rhythm Section Soloist of the Festival
Overall Outstanding Soloist of the Festival
Best Wind Section of the Festival
Best Rhythm Section of the Festival Sweepstakes Trophy for the best performing group of the Festival

Documents

Friday & Saturday Schedule
Building Map
Parking Map
Band Information Form

Good Luck!

Nathan LeFeber

Hello Beautiful Bridal & Formal Wear

KW Elite Keller Williams

Yanda’s Music

Stonebridge Insurance & Wealth Management

Trius Federal Credit Union

Kearney Massage & Day Spa

Kearney Bearcat Boosters

Town & Country Bank

Baer Studios

Stelling Brass & Winds

When I hear people asking how do we fix the education system, I tell them we need to do the opposite of what is happening, cutting budgets by cutting music programs… Nothing could be stupider than removing the ability for the left and right brains to function. Ask a CEO what they are looking for in an employee and they say they need people who understand teamwork, people who are disciplined, people who understand the big picture. You know what they need? They need musicians.

Mike Huckabee

Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.

Albert Einstein

It is in Apple’s DNA that technology alone is not enough – it’s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields us the results that make our hearts sing.

Steve Jobs

In my own philanthropy and business endeavors, I have seen the critical role that the arts play in stimulating creativity and in developing vital communities… the arts have a crucial impact on our economy and are an important catalyst for learning, discovery, and achievement in our country.

Paul G. Allen

The life of the arts, far from being an interruption, a distraction, in the life of the nation, is close to the center of a nation’s purpose – and is a test to the quality of a nation’s civilization.

President John F. Kennedy

In every successful business…there is one budget line that never gets cut. It’s called ‘Product Development’ – and it’s the key to any company’s future growth. Music education is critical to the product development of this nation’s most important resource – our children.

John Sykes

During the Gulf War, the few opportunities I had for relaxation I always listened to music, and it brought me great peace of mind. I have shared my love of music with people throughout this world, while listening to the drums and special instruments of the Far East, Middle East, Africa, the Caribbean, and the Far North, and all of this started with the music appreciation course that I was taught in a third-grade elementary class in Princeton, New Jersey. What a tragedy it would be if we lived in a world where music was not taught to children.

General H. Norman Schwarzkopf

Music is exciting. It is thrilling to be sitting in a group of musicians playing the same piece of music. You are part of a great, powerful, vibrant entity. And nothing beats the feeling you get when you’ve practiced a difficult section over and over and finally get it right. Music is important. It says things your heart can’t say any other way, and in a language everyone speaks. Music crosses borders, turns smiles into frowns, and vice versa. These observations are shared with a hope: that, when schools cut back on music classes, they really think about what they’re doing – and don’t take music for granted.

Dan Rather

The things I learned from my experience in music in school are discipline, perseverance, dependability, composure, courage and pride in results… Not a bad preparation for the workforce!

Gregory Anrig

Music is an essential part of everything we do. Like puppetry, music has an abstract quality which speaks to a worldwide audience in a wonderful way that nourishes the soul.

Jim Henson

Should we not be putting all our emphasis on reading, writing and math? The ‘back-to-basics curricula,’ while it has merit, ignores the most urgent void in our present system – absence of self-discipline. The arts, inspiring – indeed requiring – self-discipline, may be more ‘basic’ to our nation’s survival than traditional credit courses. Presently, we are spending 29 times more on science than on the arts, and the result so far is worldwide intellectual embarrassment.

Paul Harvey

It [music education] is terribly important, extremely important — because when you are a child, you are in a receptive age… In high schools, public schools — that’s where they must have the best influence, the first influence, which will go through their whole life.

Eugene Ormandy

It is our job, as parents, educators, and friends, to see that our young people have the opportunity to attain the thorough education that will prepare them for the future. Much of that education takes place in the classroom. We must encourage our youngsters in such pursuits as music education. In addition to learning the valuable lesson that it takes hard work to achieve success, no matter what the arena, music education can provide students with a strong sense of determination, improved communication skills, and a host of other qualities essential for successful living.

Edward H. Rensi

A grounding in the arts will help our children to see; to bring a uniquely human perspective to science and technology. In short, it will help them as they grow smarter to also grow wiser.

Robert E. Allen

Some people think music education is a privilege, but I think it’s essential to being human.

Jewel

Arts Education aids students in skills needed in the workplace: flexibility, the ability to solve problems and communicate; the ability to learn new skills, to be creative and innovative, and to strive for excellence.

Joseph M. Calahan