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Looking for the 2025 Northwest Jazz Festival
The Four-State Honor Bands provides an outstanding learning experience for area students. While all students will benefit from the opportunity, those with strong musical backgrounds will find it especially rewarding.
Concerts begin at 4:30 p.m. with the Northwest Wind Symphony, then the Four State Symphonic Band followed by the Four State Wind Ensemble. Watch live »
Dr. Strickland joined the Northwest faculty in fall 2013 and was the University’s recipient of the 2018 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Education. She has played a significant role in the growth of the Bearcat Marching Band while incorporating technology and unique instruction methods into classes and rehearsals. She served as chair of Northwest’s Department of Fine and Performing Arts from 2017-2022 and selected to conduct the Wind Symphony in fall 2024.
Prior to joining Northwest, she taught for 13 years at public schools in rural southern Louisiana. She has served on the Louisiana Music Educators Association Board of Directors and as the Missouri chair for the National Band Association. Additionally, she is active as a guest conductor, adjudicator and clinician of marching bands, concert bands, and percussion groups of all ages.
Strickland earned a Ph.D. in music education, a Master of Music Education and a Bachelor of Music Education, all from Louisiana State University. Her academic interests include innovative technology for teaching intonation to instrumental musicians, participation in music across the lifespan, varied pedagogical approaches to the instrumental ensemble sight-reading experience, hearing loss among wind and percussion players, and quality teaching methods for young percussionists.
Dr. Sutton is currently Assistant Professor of Music at Northwest Missouri State University where he conducts the Northwest Concert Band and teaches trombone, euphonium, tuba, and music theory. He plays the Wilson 2900 TA euphonium and the 3400 FA-5 E-flat tuba and is a Willson Performing Artist.
Will has performed with the Kansas City Symphony, Grand Rapids Symphony, St. Joseph Symphony, Lansing Symphony, and Orchestra of Northern New York, Holland Symphony Orchestra, Capital City Brass Band, Mountain Town Brass Band, and Mid-Michigan Brass Band. He has been invited to perform at the Regional and International Tuba and Euphonium Conferences and as a soloist with many college and university ensembles.
Dr. Sutton’s teachers include Phillip Sinder, Ava Ordman, Charles Guy, Mark Hartman, Michael Wilkinson, and Michael Meidenbauer. He holds Degrees from Michigan State University, The State University of New York at Potsdam, and Schenectady County Community College. His solo playing can be heard under the Kendor Music, Inc. label.
Four-State Honor Band Coordinator
nwbands@nwmissouri.edu
Friday, November 15, 2024
Grades 9 – 12
Band directors are requested to nominate their most deserving students for participation in the Four-State Honor Bands. Final selections will be based on the following:
Students with known conflicts should not be nominated by their respective directors.
No.
Yes. There will be a fee of $10.00 for each student selected for the Honor Band Ensembles. This non-refundable fee will be due as soon as possible after selection notification.
Once nominated and selected a link for payment will be sent to band directors and students.
ABSOLUTELY, in fact they are encouraged to do so! There is no charge for audience members…this is a FREE concert, open to the general public!
