The Bands at HutchCC are extremely active and provide students a variety of opportunities both on and off campus. The HutchCC Symphonic Band rehearses three times per week and performs at least twice a semester with at least one off-campus performance. Separate from the Symphonic Band, the Pep Band performs at home games for the Blue Dragon Football and Basketball teams.
Neal Allsup - Director of Choral Activities
BME, Music Education, Wartburg College
MM, Conducting, Kansas State University
Since 1988, Neal has been the Director of Choral Activities at Hutchinson Community College, where he directs the Concert Chorale and two Vocal Jazz Ensembles. Mr. Allsup has taught courses in conducting, music history, music appreciation, private voice, is a student advisor, and is a faculty mentor in the Honors Program. Professor Allsup has been named the “Outstanding College Level Teacher of the Year” by the Kansas Music Educators Association and a Federated Music Club of America’s “Conductor of the Year”. Under his direction, HutchCC choral and vocal jazz ensembles have given eight performances at Carnegie Hall and eight performances at the Kansas Music Educators State Convention. HutchCC choirs and ensembles have been frequent guests on concerts at major four-year colleges and universities.
For more information, e-mail allsupn@hutchcc.edu
Greg Weis - Music Instructor-Jazz Program Coordinator
Greg is a composer, arranger, trumpet player, and music educator from St. Louis, Missouri. Upon completing his Bachelor’s in Jazz Performance at Missouri State University, Greg completed his Master’s in Jazz Composition at the University of Northern Colorado. He served as a graduate teaching assistant for the jazz department and taught trumpet lessons, composition and arranging lessons, music theory, and large and small jazz ensembles.
As a student at UNC, Greg had the pleasure of studying jazz trumpet with former Buddy Rich Big Band member and current member of the Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra, Greg Gisbert. In addition, he studied jazz composition with David Caffey and Drew Zaremba and film scoring with Ludek Drizhal. He is currently writing his dissertation for his Doctor of Arts in Music – Jazz Studies with a secondary emphasis in Digital Media Composition.
As a composer, Greg has won several prestigious awards, including multiple Downbeat Magazine Student Music Awards, an ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award, two ASMAC Bill Conti Big Band Arranging and Composing Competition awards, and he was selected for the 2018 Jazz Education Network Young Composer Showcase. In 2019, Greg received the Grand Prize in the jazz division for the New York Youth Symphony First Music Commissions. His works have been performed by the United States Air Force Airmen of Note, Dave Pietro, Antonio Hart, Paul McKee, Clay Jenkins, Randy Brecker, the MSU Jazz Studies Ensemble, the Utah Valley University Jazz Band, and the 2019 Texas Music Educators Association All-State Jazz Ensemble II. In 2017, Greg recorded his first album as a composer and founding member of the All Angles Orchestra.
Greg also has a passion for film scoring and was selected in the summer of 2021 to work with some of the world’s best film and video game score composers in the Screen Music Program through the Conservatory of Milan. Finally, Greg is proud of his administrative work as the Registration Coordinator for the 2018 and 2019 UNC-Greeley Jazz Festival, which serves over 250 college, high school, and middle school big bands, combos, and vocal jazz groups from across the country.
Eric Stambaugh, Director of Hutchinson Community College Bands, is in his 24th year of teaching and 1st year directing HutchCC. His job duties include Symphonic Band, Pep Band, Music Appreciation, and Music Theory.
Prior to his appointment at the college, Eric was director of Bands at Buhler High School for 18 years. Under his direction, his bands were selected twice for the KMEA state convention and his marching bands won numerous marching band championships at the University of Kansas, KBA, Shawnee Mission, and the University of Central Missouri.
Eric is a graduate of Kansas State University where he received his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Music Education and Wind Conducting. Eric has won the KBA “Outstanding Young Band Director Award.” SCKMEA Outstanding Director, and was Semifinalist for Kansas Teacher of the Year. His professional memberships include Kansas Bandmasters Association, Kansas Music Educator’s Association, and MENC. He is married to his Wife Amanda of twenty years and has a son Ethan at Fort Hays State University
Separate from the Symphonic Band, Pep Band rehearses twice per week to have successful performances at home games for the Blue Dragon Football and Basketball Teams. Additionally, this ensemble will travel on occasion to events in Hutchinson, and for post-season sporting events as requested. Wind players do not audition for this ensemble; however, prospective members of the Blue Dragon Drumline will audition through a blind audition process in the Fall Semester.
This ensemble rehearses 3 times per week and performs at least twice a semester with at least one off-campus performance. Past off-campus performances have taken place at the Kansas Cosmosphere & Space Center, The Strataca Salt Mine Museum, and the Hutchinson Zoo. Repertoire for this ensemble spans a wide range of time periods, genres, and diverse composers.
The Symphonic Band holds chair placement auditions each semester through a blind audition process to ensure the players are best suited to the parts available. There is no audition to join the ensemble, simply ask your advisor to enroll you in the correct course.
The Concert Jazz Band rehearses 3 times per week, MWF 9:10 - 10:10 am. This is the top auditioned jazz band at HutchCC, and members can expect to perform in several concerts and festivals each year.
The Jazz Lab Band also rehearses 3 times each week, MWF 1:50-2:50 pm. This big band is not auditioned, and often members choose to learn secondary instruments in this group. Jazz Lab Band often shares concerts with Concert Jazz Band, and also performs in several festivals.
The Jazz Combo is a small group, typically 5 members. This ensemble rehearses on Tuesday evenings from 5-7pm. The Combo performs for a variety of functions on campus and around the city of Hutchinson.
To be eligible for Band Scholarships, students must first complete their Scholarship Questionnaire in DragonZone. They must also write a personal statement discussing their involvement in activities in high school, the instrument(s) they played in band or orchestra, and why they should be considered for scholarships. Students must then have their GPA sent into the Records office by a guidance counselor. Upon completion of those items, students should schedule an audition with the director of bands. If an in-person audition is not practical or possible, students may send in an unlisted YouTube video audition, but this is contingent on the director’s approval. Auditions for Instrumental Jazz Scholarships may be completed simultaneously with Band Scholarship auditions.
Audition Literature Guidelines: