By: Ryan Duey
The Clay Center Community High School Tiger Concert Band and the Middle School 7th and 8th grade Bands will perform their 2025 Winter Concert on Tuesday, January 28th in the Martyn Snodgrass Auditorium at 7:00 p.m.
The Winter Concert will feature a special guest conductor, Sharon Toulouse, Director of Athletic Bands at the University of Kansas, and a former Band Officer for the U.S. Army. Daniela Thrasher, Clay Center Schools Director of Bands, said Toulouse will be in Clay Center the Monday prior to the concert.
“On Monday night Toulouse will have a rehearsal with the Tiger Concert Band. We have worked on three pieces these past weeks and the Tiger Band has worked on them very diligently. So, she will help give the last polish and details on that Monday night and Tuesday morning.”
“Toulouse will then conduct the Tiger Concert Band at the concert that night.”
Toulouse will also be holding a Clinic for the 7th and 8th grade band members. Helping the Middle School band members grow as musicians.
Thrasher said the Tiger Concert Band will play of few different pieces of varying styles.
“We have a cool piece called “Haunted Carousel.” The song uses a synthesizer theremin that we replicate with an iPad, we don’t have a theremin, unfortunately. So, one of our percussionists will play the theremin on the IPAD for this piece, it sounds really cool.”
“We got a little bit of Bluegrass music. Then one of the big pieces is about the earth and different weather phenomena. It will be a really cool Program.”
Toulouse’s appearance is made possible due in part to the Clay County Arts Council. The concert is free and open to the public. Thrasher said they are excited to see as many community members as they can at Martyn Snodgrass Auditorium. Enjoy a great evening of music while supporting the local youth.
