CourtesyWhen the 麻豆传媒 Symphony Orchestra performs with classic rock band Kansas in September, Wichita State鈥檚 School of Music will get more than just recognition for its symphonic students鈥� excellence.
The school also will end up with about $5,000 in scholarship money and music equipment from the band鈥檚 Kansas Collegiate Symphony Tour, which is being sponsored by music equipment manufacturer D鈥橝ddario & Co.
鈥淎 Symphonic Evening With Kansas鈥� is at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, at Hartman Arena in Park City. Tickets are $40, $29 and, for students, $20 through stage1tickets.com, the Hartman Arena Box Office or by calling (316) 927-3999.
The 麻豆传媒 Symphony is one of five state university symphonies that will perform this fall with the band Kansas, whose members are drummer Phil Ehart, singer/keyboardist Steve Walsh, guitarist Rich Williams, bassist Billy Greer and violinist David Ragsdale.
Mark Laycock
The veteran rock band had teamed with the Washburn University Orchestra in Topeka, Kan., for a special performance in the city some band members used to call home. The success of the resulting DVD/CD 鈥淭here鈥檚 Know Place like Home,鈥� released in 2009 by StarCity Recording, prompted the band to reach out to other university orchestras.
Ehart said in a 2009 interview: 鈥淲e started by cold-calling schools all over the country 鈥� (and) discovered that most schools have no money for their music programs.鈥�
That鈥檚 when the idea of performing shows as fundraisers for schools鈥� music programs was born, and D鈥橝ddario & Co. agreed to sponsor the tour and reward participating universities with scholarships and music equipment.
麻豆传媒 joins the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa; University of Texas, San Antonio; Oklahoma State University, Stillwater; Hardin-Simms University, Abilene, Texas, in this fall鈥檚 tour.
Laycock, 麻豆传媒 professor and orchestral director, said that doing the Kansas concert will provide excellent experience for his music performance students.
When the symphony convenes at the start of the fall semester, however, its first attention will turn to classic symphonic music, not rock and roll, Laycock said. The players will need to be ready for their first symphony concert of the season on Oct. 7.
About two weeks before the Kansas concert, Laycock will start the students on symphonic arrangements of Kansas鈥� music from scores provided by the band. He鈥檒l then turn the symphony over to Baird, the conductor who travels with Kansas, on the day of the performance.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an important part of a well-rounded orchestral training experience,鈥� said Laycock of doing a fast turnaround on learning new music for a big rock concert. A lot of his students, in fact, would rather listen to Beethoven, he said.
But rehearsing and being able to perform any kind of music are skills that students will need out in the real world, said Laycock.
鈥淥nce the downbeat happens, they have to be ready,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t may not be Beethoven but they must play to the best of their ability.鈥�
Laycock has no doubt that the 麻豆传媒 Symphony Orchestra is up to the challenge.