Outstanding Bandmaster
The Outstanding Bandmaster award is presented annually by KBA to Kansas Band Directors who have distinguished themselves through their musical accomplishments, service to bands, and excellence in teaching.
Selection Considerations
- Kansas Bandmasters Association past membership
- Service and impact to the Kansas Bandmasters Association
- Nominations for Outstanding Bandmaster can include: Current or Retired KBA Members (award may be received posthumously)
- Service has helped “Build Better Bands for Kansas”
- Contributions to instrumental music education within the state of Kansas.
How to nominate a candidate:
- Please fill out your name, e-mail address, and phone number in the fields below.
- Click the “Add” button to enter your nominee’s information.
- Once you have entered the first candidate, you may enter additional candidates by repeating the process above.
- When you have finished adding candidates, click “Submit Nomination(s)”
2024 Outstanding Contributor – Jim Fuchs
Jim Fuchs was born and raised on a dairy farm in Concordia, MO. His introduction to music was as a clarinet player in grade school. He graduated from Central Missouri State University in 1963 with a degree in Music Education, following the lead of his older brother Gerald Fuchs (1995 KBA Outstanding Contributor and the father of college band instructors Jeff and Craig, deceased).
He began his education career in Mound City, Kansas, after learning of the opening from Ray King (1981 KBA Outstanding Contributor), an Education Rep for Bohart Music. This relationship introduced him to the important roles of Education Reps and would ultimately set the stage for the “second verse” of his career years later. He taught in Mound City from 1963 through 1968 before moving to Paola, Kansas where he raised his family and taught until 1984. Throughout his tenure in Paola, he led the entire instrumental program from 5th grade through high school, often leading over 350 students per year spread over four different buildings and was awarded the USD #368 Master Teacher Award. He also was a member of the Kansas Lions International Band Staff for 9 years and a Charter member of the Eastern Kansas Band Directors Association. A lifelong Lutheran, he also served First Lutheran Church in Paola as choir and music director for 33 years.
Mr. Fuchs joined Hume Music in 1984 as an Education Rep, focusing on bands throughout Eastern Kansas. He later performed the same role for Meyer Music for 12 years, retiring in 2022. He viewed the career transition as a natural progression from serving one band to many and he valued the many relationships he formed over those year as a “Road Man”. He has always enjoyed nurturing those relationships by attending and exhibiting at the KBA convention for 40 years.
Jim found his lifelong education philosophy in the words of Martin Luther: “Next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise. The gift of language combined with the gift of song was given to man that he should proclaim the Word of God through Music.” He has sought to share this gift for over 60 years and measures his career not in terms of individual accomplishments but the relationships he’s built and accomplishments of the thousands of students whose lives he has touched throughout his career.
Past Recipients
2024 Jim Fuchs
2023 Bob Bitter
2022 Randy Fillmore
2021 Craig Manteuffel
2020 Jim Mareda
2019 Ed Bartley & Gary Fletcher
2018 Lori Supinie
2017 Craig Johnson
2016 Becky Manning
2015 Reggie Romine
2014 Andy Clark
2013 Richard Fruhauf
2012 Harold Willis
2011 J. Bradley Bone
2010 Ron Allen
2009 Bob Marshall
2008 Paul Rimovsky
2007 Ken Fruhauf
2006 Larry Blocher
2005 Clyde Bysom
2004 Chuck Rouse
2003 Jacquelyn Dillon-Krass
2002 Bill Johnson
2001 Don Corbett
2000 Dee Starkey
1999 Clyde Phillips
1998 James Barnes
1997 Bill Funk
1997 Arch Martin
1996 Denny Senseney
1995 Gerald W. Fuchs
1994 Max Green
1993 Chuck Blackrim
1992 Bob Laushman
1991 Bob Cunningham
1990 Jim Starkey
1989 Leon Hale
1988 Frank Fendorf
1987 Charlie Molina
1986 Bueford T. Roper
1985 Joe Hume, Hume Music
1984 Alton Foster
1983 Cecil Knight
1982 George Johnson
1981 Ray King
1980 Merrill Jones
1979 “Viv” Meckel
1979 Lou Fruhauf
1977 “Cal” Calavan
1976 Lloyd Muir