By RORY MOORE
Tiger Media Network
The 78th High Plains Music Camp took place at Fort Hays State University last week. The camp enabled Middle and High School students to enhance their musical talents by engaging in various activities with FHSU Department of Music and Theater faculty through ensembles, rehearsals and concerts inside the Beach-Schmidt Performing Arts Center.
Monday, June 23 – Music Camp and Performance
Luke Helker offers a tip for playing percussion instruments. 
Helker observes James Adair. 
An Euphonium and Tuba ensemble with High Schoolers. 
A saxophone player swings to his tune. 
Practicing before a small Jazz ensemble. 
A piano rendition of On Green Dolphin Street. 
A High School orchestra performing “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele. 
Adama DeVault leads a small Jazz ensemble. 
DeVault conducts his band. 
Another Jazz ensemble for High Schoolers. 
Gerald Spaits helps a student play a correct note. 
Campers and school faculty of their respective schools perform side-by-side. 
Johannah Cox conducts a Middle School band. 
Whitney Kollhoff and Parker Ask perform beside each other. 
Allison Goertzen plays the flute. 
Peter Lillpopp conducts a High School band. 
The Hays City Band Concert kicks off the series a recitals for the week-long camp. 
The Hays City Band performs in the Beach-Schmidt Performing Arts Center.
Tuesday, June 24 – Music Camp and Faculty Recital
Christopher-Michael Johnson leads a trio of campers in a brass rehearsal. 
Johnson practices alongside students. 
Whitney Kollhoff has a laugh while practicing for an ensemble. 
Katie Bowden helps Parker Ask figure out the correct tune. 
Renetta Dawson, Brad Dawson and Tom Meagher open the Faculty Recital with a performance of “From the Deep” by Kevin McKee. 
Brad and Renetta Dawson perform the trumpet and horn. 
Performance at the faculty recital 
Luke Helker keeps his rhythm on percussion. 
Hilary Shepard provides harmony on flute while Helker plays percussion 
Robyn Steckel and Devin Blackwood harmonize their performance of “Adagio” by Johan Ernst Galliard. 
Shepard joins Kristin Pisano for “Three Airheads for Flute and B-flat Clarinet.” 
Rigo Murillo sways with his violin. 
Murillo performs alongside Pam McGowne on piano for “Czardas” by Vittorio Monti. 
Laurinda Lan harmonizes her solo performance of “Homeland” by Allison Loggins-Hull. 
Dan Brinkley, Darrell Cox. Adam Ward and Trae Gehring cover the Star Wars theme by John Williams. 
Ward leads McGowne in their performance of “Euphonium Concerto” by Vladimir Cosma. 
Dawson leads with a solo in the closing performance with Gerald Spaits, Victoria Griffitt and Alex Toepfer. 
Nash Ohlund takes over the piano for the performance of “Softly As In A Morning Sunrise” by Sigmund Romberg.
Wednesday, June 25 – Lyle Diller Student Honor Recital
Keats Johnson and Pam McGowne begin the Lyle Dilley Student Honor Recital with their rendition of “Largo and Allegro” by Benedetto Marcello. 
Johnson performs on a tuba. 
Elizabelle Kunz performs the melody in “Adagio” with her clarinet. 
Sarah Eckert displays her flute-playing skills with “Presto from Sonata in B minor.” 
Circae Hopkinson performs a solo with her horn. 
Hopkinson and McGowne perform “Reverie, Op. 24” by Alexander Glazunov. 
Kathryn Viera performs with her alto saxophone. 
Peter Lillpopp applauds each performer on their musical skills. 
Viera accepts a $250 scholarship for next year’s High Plains Music Camp after winning it for her video rehearsal.
Thursday, June 26 – Faculty Band Concert
The High Plains Music Camp concludes Thursday with the Faculty Band Concert. 
Peter Lillpopp conducts the faculty band. 
Lillpopp talks about the background of each piece between each performance. 
Hilary Shepard, Laurinda Lan and Mel Sauer harmonizes with their flutes. 
Luke Helker adds a metallic flavor to the band’s percussion. 
Kate Bowden stretches her drumming beats between instruments. 
Isaac Reed and Victoria Griffitt tap on their chimes. 
Eliot Whisenant leads the horn players with a solo. 
Lillpopp draws the applause to the band.
Friday, June 27 – Jazz Performance
The Jazz Band GOLD kicks off the Night of Jazz concert with a performance of “Ain’t Misbehavin’.” 
Trumpet players behind the rest of the band. 
Jacob Eckert harmonizes Beach-Schmidt with a trombone solo. 
Brad Dawson joins the band as Alex Toepfer conducts. 
Alex DeVault sways in his direction of the Jazz Band BLACK. 
Deacon Hurley performs a trumpet solo. 
DeVault pauses the show to reflect on his time attending and working at Fort Hays, and recognize Dawson for his contributions to the university as he retires. 
Guitar, bass and drums maintain the smooth tempo of the concert. 
Gerald Spaits, Nash Ohlund, Victoria Griffitt and Luke Helker keep the rhythm of the Faculty Band. 
Dawson performs a solo while conducting. 
Toepfer leads his bandmates with his que on the alto saxophone. 
Dawson stands with the Faculty Band for a standing ovation.