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On Wednesday, June 18, the Kokomo Park Band will present its annual “Spotlight on Youth” concert directed by guest conductor Stephen Pratt, retired Director of Bands at the Jacobs School of Music, IU Bloomington.

Cone Palace is a sponsor of the free concert, which will showcase participants of the Youth Multicultural Rhythm Workshop led by percussionist Art Reiner. Also featured is Ayden Smith on marimba, winner of the 2025 KPB High School Solo Competition.

In recognition of Kokomo’s new residents, the band will perform “Variations on a Korean Folk Song” by John Barnes Chance. Activities begin with a demonstration by the workshop participants at 6:45 p.m., followed by the concert at 7:30 p.m. in Highland Park.

Although there was recent flooding in the park, it appears that the area has dried out and will be available for Wednesday night's event. In the event of more rain, the event will be moved to Kokomo High School’s auditorium. Decisions are made after 5 p.m. on the day of the event and will be posted on the Kokomo Park Band Facebook Site.

This program is part of the weekly KPB Summer Concert Series hosted by the Kokomo Parks Department with support from the Allen Whitehill Clowes Foundation, Center Township, Community Foundation of Howard County, and The Arts Federation in cooperation with the Indiana Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Stephen W. Pratt has guest conducted the KPB on numerous occasions, most recently in 2015 and 2018. He was a member of the IU Jacobs School of Music faculty from 1984 to 2018 and currently is Professor of Music Emeritus. At IU, he was Professor of Music (Wind Conducting) and Director of Bands, personally conducting the internationally renowned Indiana University Wind Ensemble.

His appearances with that group over the years included a showcase concert at the New York Wind Ensemble Festival in Carnegie Hall, the CBDNA national conventions in Nashville, Tennessee, and Ann Arbor, Michigan, as well as a CBDNA divisional convention in Normal, Illinois, the Music Educators National Conference national convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the American Bandmasters Association national convention in Indianapolis.

Ayden Smith is a 2025 graduate of Anderson High School and a student of KPB percussionist David Robbins. He will perform “Concerto for Marimba” by Emmanuel Sejourne. He is planning to attend Anderson University where he will pursue a degree in Cybersecurity with a minor in music. He has performed with the Indiana All-State Percussion Ensemble for three years, achieved four perfect scores at ISSMA Solo and Ensemble, and placed highly in the solo competition at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention.

The 30th Annual Multicultural Youth Rhythm Workshop is an activity sponsored by the Kokomo Park Band and has been under the direction of Art Reiner since its inception. The classes are held over three days at the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library. The library graciously handles the promotion and scheduling for the event. Mr. Reiner is an active professional musician and percussion instructor. He was a music clinician with Young Audiences of Indiana for more than 20 years.

Participants will perform on their own prior to the concert and will also join the band in the selection “Calypso Music” by Jerry Nowak. The concert will open and close with selections by composer Alfred Reed: “A Festival Prelude” and “Funiculi, Funicula.”

After a successful career as a composer and arranger for major networks like NBC and ABC, Reed became a professor at the University of Miami, establishing the first college-level music business curriculum in the country. He composed more than 200 published works for concert band, orchestra, chorus, and chamber ensembles.

"Variations on a Korean Folk Song" takes the simple, pentatonic melody of the song "Arirang" and transforms it through five distinct variations, showcasing different instrumental colors, rhythms, and emotional characters. It's celebrated for its skillful orchestration and evocative reinterpretation of the folk tune.

Other selections include "The Old Boatman" by Florence Price, "Coat of Arms Concert March" by George Kenny, "The Free Lance March" by John Philip Sousa, "Shenandoah" by Frank Ticheli, and "Bricusse and Newley on Broadway" by Warren Barker. This medley includes "On A Wonderful Day Like Today," "Who Can I Turn To?," "Gonna Build a Mountain," and "What Kind of Fool Am I?"

The majority of the band's funding depends on donations from individuals. Contributions should be sent to Kokomo Park Band; PO Box 6039; Kokomo, IN 46904-6039. More information can be found on Facebook and on the band's website: www.kokomoparkband.org.