WSU Shockers to share love of music
The Iola High School band will be amplified at Friday’s basketball games thanks to the addition of the Wichita State University Shocker Sound band. IHS BASKETBALL player and trombonist Olivia Bannister hopes working with the Shockers will bring more enthusiasm.
The WSU band will be visiting Iola middle and high school bands during school Friday and later perform alongside the high school band at the game.
Matt Kleopfer, IHS band director, was formerly the athletic band director for the Shockers.
Kleopfer said he asked some of his Wichita-based friends if they would be willing to dedicate a day of their winter break to teach his young band members. Kloepfer’s friends came through and 20 band members will be working with the students.
Kleopfer said he would like for the band to learn “how much of a role a good band can play in the school. The band keeps the momentum going.”
When Kleopfer was band director at WSU the band went to Madison Square Garden when the team played against the University of Alabama.
Alabama’s school is larger than Wichita and Kleopfer said they were able to play just as loud and tight as the other band.
“When I ran that band we were good and we knew it,” Kleopfer said.
But getting to that level of confidence wasn’t easy. Kleopfer said he had to work just as hard to get to that level in Wichita as he has worked with Iola students.
The Iola band is getting stronger.
“We have built our endurance, every game we play a little longer and stronger,” Kleopfer said.
“I think it will bring more sound. We are already loud but it’s going to feel homey. It’s going to feel like we are at home,” she said.
Playing with a bigger band will bring a sense of camaraderie amongst fellow instrument players.
“Getting to play with all the other trumpets will be a really good boost,” trumpet player Trey Wilson said. “It will be a good boost for everyone.”
For senior Jordan Strickler, who wants to play for the pep team at K-State next year, the opportunity will be educational.
“This will be the ultimate peak of my career,” Strickler said.
Strickler, who plays tenor sax, will pick band members’ brains for how to juggle his music life and school.
In addition to the experience and extra oomph this experience will bring, Kleopfer is also hopping it will bring more people out to cheer on the Mustangs and instill a sense of pride in the students and band members.
“We want to create an environment that the opposing team hates to play against,” Kleopfer said. “We want to be loud and get everyone cranked up to play the game.”
“A game is a three-part team,” Kleopfer said. “If you don’t have a band it’s just a game. If you don’t have a team, it’s a concert. And if you don’t have a student and cheering section, it’s awkward.”
