The next festival is Thursday, February 12, 2026.
Click below to let us know you are coming!
The Cavalier Band Festival is a non-competitive, educational opportunity for your ensemble(s) to attend. Your band will perform in front of an outstanding panel of adjudicators in our auditorium. You will receive taped comments as well as a clinic from one of the clinicians.
Meet the Clinicians
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Joseph (Joe) Pappas. 1950 - Joe has written over four hundred compositions for various types of ensembles from beginning bands to college wind ensembles to municipal bands. He is most known for his compositions for young bands and musicians. His works have been performed in the United States, Canada, China and throughout Europe.
Mr. Pappas actively serves as a clinician and adjudicator throughout the Midwest. His professional memberships include National Association for Music Education, Missouri Music Educators Association, East Central Music Educators Association, American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, Phi Mu Alpha professional music fraternity, Phi Beta Mu honorary music fraternity, an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi honorary band fraternity, Missouri Bandmasters Association. |
Joe Pappas
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Dr. Jennifer Hawkinson
In August of 2023, Myron Peterson began his appointment at Boise State University as Assistant Professor of Music, Director of Bands and Instrumental Music Education, where his responsibilities include leadership of the Boise State Symphonic Winds, instruction of courses supporting the instrumental music education sequence in methodology and conducting. Since his arrival to Boise State, the Symphonic Winds has toured northern Idaho and eastern Washington, performed at the Idaho Music Educators Association 2025 Professional Development Conference, and will tour to Reno, Nevada in March of 2026 culminating in a performance at the College Band Directors National Associations Western/Northwestern Division Biennial Conference.
Peterson is active as guest conductor for honor bands, adult wind bands, and collegiate concert bands. He serves as a clinician or judge extensively in the areas of concert band, jazz band, and marching band. His scholarly activity |
Jennifer K. Hawkinson is a music educator, conductor, researcher, and leader whose wide-ranging career has focused on a central purpose: developing musicianship, pedagogy, scholarship, and leadership among musicians and educators. She is Associate Professor of Music Education and Director of the Master of Music in Music Education program at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN where she teaches undergraduate and graduate students in music education, advises graduate research, and conducts the Symphonic Band. Dr. Hawkinson previously taught at the University of Central Arkansas, where she led the instrumental, graduate, and music education areas, taught undergraduate and graduate students, and supervised student teachers. Before her career in higher education, Dr. Hawkinson taught students in elementary general and instrumental music (band) for 18 years in South Dakota, working in schools from small to large and rural to suburban, ending her public school career as Director of Bands at Sioux Falls Washington High School. She maintained a private studio for nearly 25 years and taught flute students at the University of Sioux Falls for six years. She also served two terms as President of the South Dakota Music Educators Association. Dr. Hawkinson enjoys her work as an active guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator for students of all ages.
Dr. Myron Peterson
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includes conference presentations at Iowa Bandmasters Association Conferences, the Idaho Music Educators Association Conference, and published articles which primarily focus on topics of classroom methodology, wind band repertoire and performance, and organizational leadership and mission focus. His master’s and doctoral theses are analyses of living composers and their major compositions for wind band.
Peterson completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Iowa as a student of Dr. Mark Heidel. He earned a Master of Music degree in Wind Conducting at Colorado State University with Dr. Rebecca Phillips, and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Northern Iowa. The majority of Peterson’s professional career was spent at Urbandale High School (Iowa) for 21 years, where he established a record of excellence across the United States, presenting concerts and collaborating with bands in Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, Indiana, New Jersey, Connecticut, Hawaii, and Missouri. The Urbandale Wind Symphony performed at the Iowa Bandmasters Association Conference as the feature performer, and as a clinic session band. Peterson’s initial teaching position was the Associate Director of Bands at Oskaloosa High School (Iowa) for two years.
From 2016–2019, Peterson served on the Iowa Bandmasters Association Board of Directors, and as its President during the 2017–2018 term. He was the founding treasurer of the Jazz Educators of Iowa, and a Past-President of the South Central Iowa Bandmasters Association. He is further affiliated with the National Band Association, the College Band Directors National Association, National Association for Music Educators, Idaho Music Educators Association, Iowa Bandmasters Association, and Jazz Educators of Iowa.
Peterson completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Iowa as a student of Dr. Mark Heidel. He earned a Master of Music degree in Wind Conducting at Colorado State University with Dr. Rebecca Phillips, and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Northern Iowa. The majority of Peterson’s professional career was spent at Urbandale High School (Iowa) for 21 years, where he established a record of excellence across the United States, presenting concerts and collaborating with bands in Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, Indiana, New Jersey, Connecticut, Hawaii, and Missouri. The Urbandale Wind Symphony performed at the Iowa Bandmasters Association Conference as the feature performer, and as a clinic session band. Peterson’s initial teaching position was the Associate Director of Bands at Oskaloosa High School (Iowa) for two years.
From 2016–2019, Peterson served on the Iowa Bandmasters Association Board of Directors, and as its President during the 2017–2018 term. He was the founding treasurer of the Jazz Educators of Iowa, and a Past-President of the South Central Iowa Bandmasters Association. He is further affiliated with the National Band Association, the College Band Directors National Association, National Association for Music Educators, Idaho Music Educators Association, Iowa Bandmasters Association, and Jazz Educators of Iowa.
