KANSAS MASONIC BAND CAMP
East-West Shrine Bowl Band Camp celebrates students, music and Shrine Bowl
The Kansas Masonic All-State High School Marching Band has been a continuous and beneficial element of the annual Kansas Shrine Bowl since 1984. The idea of the band – and its related camp – originally developed to fill a void at the summer Shrine Bowl when most high school bands were not available.
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The band camp is held in late July at the site of the Bowl. Annually, a total of 180 to 250 of Kansas’ best high school musicians are showcased in this event that includes pre-game and halftime performances. The band also performs before the Shrine Bowl Banquet on the Friday night prior to the game and at a downtown parade the next morning.
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Camp fees are sponsored by various Masonic Organizations throughout the state. Any proceeds are used to support the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Every year the Kansas Masonic Foundation also offers an Outstanding Musician Award ($1,500 Scholarship), a Jeff Atherly Inspirational Award ($1,000 Scholarship) and a Masonic Pride Award ($500 Scholarship) to a band camp student.
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During the first 10 years (1974-1983) of the Kansas Shrine Bowl High School All-Star games bands for the half-time show were hard to get. All activities had to take place during the summer because of regulations of the KSHSAA and the NCAA. When school was not in session organized high school bands were not available.
Following the 1983 game, Brad Bone, Director of Marching Bands at WSU, suggested to Dave Mize, Executive Director of the Kansas Shrine Bowl, that a state-wide selected band might solve the problem. Through research and study it was discovered that a similar idea had been suggested by Phil Hewit, Director of Bands at KSU.
With that professional support and the void of half-time entertainment at the Kansas Shrine Bowl game the Kansas Shrine Bowl began putting the Kansas Masonic All-State Marching Band together.
Band students would be selected and sponsored by the Masonic Lodge in their community. The camp fees provide each band member with a band shirt, housing, meals (including the gala player's banquet), transportation at the camp site, insurance, professional music and marching instruction, supervision, and social activities.
2014 Kansas Shrine Bowl Halftime Performance
The first Masonic All-State Band had 93 participants and was trained and directed by Stan Fink, Director of Marching Bands at Kansas State University. Now, nearly 230 high school band persons assemble each year for the Kansas Masonic All-State Marching Band. They start their band camp on Tuesday prior to the Saturday Kansas Shrine Bowl game. During the camp they practice almost non-stop during their waking hours. When not practicing they have organized social activities and enjoy 3-4 meals a day. The band performs at the KSB Players Banquet, lead and play in the parade Saturday morning and play during the televised game with features during the pre-game and half-time ceremonies of the game Saturday night.
Thousands of band students have participated in the Kansas Masonic All-State Marching Band since its inception in 1986. They have enjoyed the Kansas Shrine Bowl experience and the exposure to professional marching band instruction.
