{"id":190,"date":"2023-03-26T07:15:05","date_gmt":"2023-03-26T07:15:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kansasbandmasters.com\/?page_id=190"},"modified":"2026-07-20T02:49:50","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T02:49:50","slug":"outstanding-young-bandmaster","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kansasbandmasters.com\/?page_id=190","title":{"rendered":"Outstanding Young Bandmaster"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Outstanding Young Bandmaster Award is presented annually by Phi Beta Mu and KBA to young directors.&nbsp;<br><br>Selection Considerations<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Open to any director who is making a significant impact in their first years of teaching.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Eligible for nomination through seventh year of teaching.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Service has helped &#8220;Build Better Bands for Kansas&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">How to nominate a candidate:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Please fill out your name, e-mail address, and phone number in the fields below.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click the &#8220;Add&#8221; button to enter your nominee&#8217;s information.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Once you have entered the first candidate, you may enter additional candidates by repeating the process above.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When you have finished adding candidates, click &#8220;Submit Nomination(s)&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><div id=\"SFctr\" class=\"SF\" data-org=\"30130\" data-ini=\"!form\/OutstandingYoungBandmasterNominationForm\" data-fnd=\"Search\" data-scl=\"0\" data-out=\"https:\/\/kansasbandmasters.com\" data-sfi=\"1\" style=\"position:relative;height:auto\"><div id=\"SFpne\" style=\"position:relative\"><div class=\"SFpne\">Loading&#8230;<\/div><\/div><div id=\"SFfin\" style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">2026 Recipients <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Micah Bolton &amp; Abigail Lychee<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-top\" style=\"grid-template-columns:32% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1016\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/kansasbandmasters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Bolton_Micah_HeadshotRound-1016x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2998 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kansasbandmasters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Bolton_Micah_HeadshotRound-1016x1024.jpg 1016w, https:\/\/kansasbandmasters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Bolton_Micah_HeadshotRound-298x300.jpg 298w, https:\/\/kansasbandmasters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Bolton_Micah_HeadshotRound-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/kansasbandmasters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Bolton_Micah_HeadshotRound-768x774.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kansasbandmasters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Bolton_Micah_HeadshotRound.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1016px) 100vw, 1016px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Micah Bolton<\/strong> is a percussionist, educator, and conductor based in Wichita, Kansas. He currently serves on staff at Derby High School as a Percussion Instructor and will start as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at Wichita State University this fall, where he will study instrumental conducting under Dr. Timothy Shade. Previously, Micah served as Director of Bands at Goddard High School, where his ensembles consistently earned top ratings and were selected to perform at Kansas Percussive Arts Society and KMEA conferences. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Friends University, where he was recognized as a Kansas Teacher of Promise, and remains active as a performer, adjudicator, and clinician throughout the region. His teaching philosophy focuses on developing students from musicians into performers and artists.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-top\" style=\"grid-template-columns:auto 34%\"><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Abigail Lyche<\/strong> is beginning her fourth year as Assistant Band Director at Blue Valley West High School. In her role, she directs the Symphonic Band and co-directs the Concert Band, Marching Band, Jazz Band, and Pep Bands. She also assists with sixth grade beginning band at Lakewood Middle School and Pleasant Ridge Middle School as a woodwind specialist. In addition to her job, Abigail is the sponsor for Blue Valley West\u2019s Tri-M Music Honor Society. Prior to her work in Kansas, Abigail served as the Head Band and Orchestra Director at Patrick Henry Middle School in Alexandria, Virginia and as a K-6 General Music Teacher at Lake Highlands Elementary School in Richardson, Texas. She earned both her Bachelor\u2019s and Master\u2019s degrees in Music Education from the University of Kansas. Abigail continues her love for music by performing regularly with the Crossroads Wind Symphony on both flute and piccolo. Outside of music, she loves baking, fishing, and spending time with her husband and two sons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1016\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/kansasbandmasters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Lychee_Abigail_HeadshotRound-1016x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2999 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kansasbandmasters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Lychee_Abigail_HeadshotRound-1016x1024.jpg 1016w, https:\/\/kansasbandmasters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Lychee_Abigail_HeadshotRound-298x300.jpg 298w, https:\/\/kansasbandmasters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Lychee_Abigail_HeadshotRound-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/kansasbandmasters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Lychee_Abigail_HeadshotRound-768x774.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kansasbandmasters.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Lychee_Abigail_HeadshotRound.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1016px) 100vw, 1016px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Past Recipients<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2026 Micah Bolton &amp; Abigail Lychee<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2025 Mikayla Bauer &amp; Preston Thomas<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2024 Abigail Baeten &amp; Madison Hines Schmoll<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2023 Tristan Bartley &amp; Philip Kaul<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2022  Abby Giles &amp; Stephanie Bodley<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2021  Carl Rowles<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2020  Ashten Anderson<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2019   Christine Lovell &amp; Casey Hands<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2018  Robert Davis &amp; Ryan Partin<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2017  Erik R. Stone<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2016  Jamie Hayes &amp; Katie Topp<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2015  Jennifer Antonetti &amp; Matt Keopfer<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2014  Jordan Brown &amp; Michael Mapp<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2013  Daniel Freeman &amp; Daniel Kirk<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2012  Tim Shade &amp; Shawn Knopp<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2011  Sarah Bricker &amp; Courtney Williams<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2010  Darren Brooks<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2009  Leslie Barton &amp; Erin Shelton<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2008  Erika Clausing &amp; Shawn Henderson<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2007  Tremon Kizer &amp; Bryan Kirk<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2006  Quentin Breese &amp; Erica Lindberg<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2005  Jan Friesen &amp; Justin Love<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2004  Luke Chafee<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2003  Dan Wooge &amp; Ken Hakoda<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2002  Chris Reynolds<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2001  Mike Jones &amp; Eric Stambaugh<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">2000  Rochelle Goter &amp; Elton Armbrister<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">1999  Patrick Kelly &amp; Chris Richmond<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">1998  Benjamin Cary Stahly &amp; David Wiggins<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">1997  Janelle Brower<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">1996  Stuart A. Roegge<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">1995  Joel A. Gittle<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">1994  Katie Grose &amp; Bill Thomas<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">1993  David Rankin<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">1992  Robert E. Lee III<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">1991  Craig Manteuffel<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">1990  Steve Adams &amp; Chris Forssberg<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">1989  Ken Honas &amp; DeGaye Latta<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">1988  Jeff Pelischek &amp; Lynette Pelischek<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">1987  Marla Weber<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">1986  Steve Gordon<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">1985  Johannah Cox &amp; Connie Thompson<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">1984  Jeff Hodges<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">1983  Marc Webster<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Outstanding Young Bandmaster Award is presented annually by Phi Beta Mu and KBA to young directors.&nbsp; Selection Considerations How to nominate a candidate: Loading&#8230; 2026 Recipients Micah Bolton &amp; Abigail Lychee Micah Bolton is a percussionist, educator, and conductor based in Wichita, Kansas. He currently serves on staff at Derby High School as a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-190","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","post"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kansasbandmasters.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/190","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kansasbandmasters.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kansasbandmasters.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kansasbandmasters.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kansasbandmasters.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=190"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/kansasbandmasters.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/190\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3003,"href":"https:\/\/kansasbandmasters.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/190\/revisions\/3003"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kansasbandmasters.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=190"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}