In this article, you will find information for Vance Music students about the 2026 Tabor College Festival:
- Teacher Attendance
- 2026 Tabor College Bach Festival Date
- Location & Google Map Links
- Who Can Attend
- Festival Etiquette
- Festival Timeline & Performance Schedule
Special Notes Regarding Teacher Attendance
On March 28th, Vance Music teachers will be attending multiple festivals located in Wichita, Kansas, as well as the 2026 Tabor College Bach Festival. Your teacher may not be at the festival when you perform, and may not be available to help you check in or warm up. Please read this article carefully so you are prepared! Parents, if it is possible for you to video record your student’s performance to share with your student’s teacher, please plan to do so.
2026 Tabor College Bach Festival Basics
Saturday, March 28th, 2026
Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kansas
- Shari Flaming Center for the Arts Building
- Parking is available in the lot on the North side of the building
- 311 East B Street, Hillsboro, KS 672063
- Google Map – Parking Lot Entrance
If you have questions after reading this page about the 2026 Tabor College Bach Festival, please contact Marissa
Who Can Attend The 2026 Tabor College Bach Festival
Students are welcome to invite family and friends to the 2026 Tabor College Bach Festival. Preliminary rounds have been located in classrooms in the past, allowing room for other students, teachers, family, and guests. The Richert Auditorium, used for the festival opening, masterclass, organ demonstration, and finals round, has plentiful seating.
Vance Music students are encouraged to allow parents, teachers, and students to view their performance, so that everyone can learn from one another! We feel confident that our students have enough previous experience performing in front of a live audience to know how to perform well, and how to deal with performance nerves. However, during preliminary rounds, students are allowed to request that no audience be present; please remember to be respectful and encouraging towards other students who may feel less comfortable performing.
2026 Tabor College Bach Festival Etiquette
- Prior to the festival, prepare your music:
- Write your contact information inside the front cover of your book (name and phone number or email).
- Use red ink to number each measure in your song.
- Erase any practice marks you do not wish the judge to see.
- No photocopies are allowed at festival.
- Audience members should not talk while students are warming up, performing, or while judges are talking.
- Talk softly, especially in hallways close to the performance rooms. If you need to have a louder conversation, step outside or move to the lobby.
- No running in the building.
- Children should be accompanied by an adult in the building.
- Show your respect and support for others by giving your attention to anyone on stage. Other activities should be kept outside performance rooms.
- Turn off phones and devices before entering the auditorium and performance rooms.
- Refrain from flash photography during events. Turn off any sound effects on your camera prior to entering the performance rooms.
- Parents are welcome to video record their student’s performance. Make sure the recording device is silent and will not distract performers, judges, or audience members.
- Only enter/exit performance rooms during applause or while students are moving on/off the stage. (Exception: masterclass, as explained in that section below.)
- Be courteous, helpful, and encouraging to all students, families, and teachers at the festival.
- Thank festival staff and judges for their help and time!
2026 Tabor College Bach Festival Timeline
8:00 – 8:25 AM
Arrival & Registration
Arrive at the 2026 Tabor College Bach Festival in Hillsboro, Kansas. Parking is available in the lot north of the Shari Flaming Center for the Arts building.
Enter the building and check in at the registration desk in the Regier Atrium.
If you have time, familiarize yourself with the building by finding the practice rooms and your assigned performance room. If you have enough time to use a practice room during this time period, remember to vacate each room every 6 minutes so all festival students have the opportunity to warm up. However, if multiple empty rooms are available, you may use a second practice room; switch rooms to warm up on a different instrument.
8:30 AM
Vance Music Group Photo & Practicing
Meet in the Regier Atrium near the registration table with a Vance Music staff member for a group picture.
After the picture, Vance Music students will go to practice rooms and take turns announcing, performing, and bowing for each other. Each room should be vacated every 5-6 minutes so all festival students have a chance to warm up.
8:50 AM
Festival Welcome & Opening
Proceed to the Richert Auditorium near the registration table for the 2026 Tabor College Bach Festival welcome and opening.
9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
2026 Tabor College Bach Festival: Preliminary Rounds
** Please Note: The preliminary round time frame overlaps with the masterclass. Please read the masterclass section below so you are prepared to enjoy the entire festival!
- 20 minutes before you perform, find a warm-up room. You may need to wait for an available room. Limit your warm-up to 5 minutes so the piano is available for other students! Prepare physically and mentally for your performance.
- 10 minutes before you are scheduled to perform, go to your performance room.
- Check in with the performance room monitor. Let them know whether you will allow others to watch your performance.
- Have your music opened to the correct page for the judge. The room monitor will likely deliver your music to the judge.
- When it is your turn, go to the piano and adjust your bench.
- If the judge invites you to warm up, play a scale and/or cadence. This time should be used to familiarize yourself with the sound and touch of the instrument you will perform on. Do not warm up by playing your song.
- When the judge is ready for you to perform, stand to announce. Announce your name, song title, and composer. Smile!
- Be seated, re-check your position, breathe, and perform your song.
- Smile again, and bow (first to the judge, then to the audience if they are not seated in the same area).
- Wait for the door monitor to return your music. If you are not staying in the room to listen to another student, wait in the hall. Do not leave without your music!
Photo Credit: The Aston Family
10:00 AM
Masterclass with Dr. Sheila Litke
** Please Note **
The masterclass overlaps with the preliminary round. Please review your performance time and plan adequate warm-up time before you perform so you do not feel rushed or miss your time slot.
What is a masterclass? Select students take a lesson over a prepared piece from a master teacher. The lesson is public, allowing the audience to learn with the student. Being selected to perform for a masterclass is an honor, and can be listed on music-specific résumés & scholarship applications.
As the masterclass will be taking place during the preliminary round, you may need to enter or exit the auditorium during the masterclass. Please observe this special etiquette:
- Try to enter/exit noiselessly.
- Try to enter/exit as students move on or off stage.
- Try not distract others, obstruct others’ view, or obstruct camera recordings when you move.
- Try to sit close to the back of the auditorium, where you will be less distracting when you have to move.
- Each student usually begins their portion of the masterclass by playing their entire song by memory for the teacher. Do not exit during this this time. If you find you have entered the room during this time, please remain standing still at the entrance until the student finishes their performance, then sit down quietly.
Providing it is not your time to warm up or perform in the preliminary round, please proceed to the Richert Auditorium to view the masterclass with Dr. Litke. You can read about Dr. Litke on the Tabor College website.
If you have been selected to perform in the masterclass, please take your music to Dr. Sheila Litke when it is your turn to perform.
12:30 – 1:00 PM
Lunch Break
Time will be limited, on the day of the 2026 Tabor Bach Festival, so we highly recommend planning ahead by packing a lunch or deciding upon a fast food option in Hillsboro, Kansas ahead of time.
1:00 PM
Organ Demonstration with Mr. Tyler Breneman of the
Wichita Area American Guild of Organists
At 1pm, students should head to the Richert Auditorium for the organ demonstration with Mr. Tyler Breneman. You can read more about Mr. Breneman on the Tabor College website.
2:00 PM
Finalists Announced
In the Richert Auditorium at 2:00pm, the 2026 Tabor College Bach Festival finalists will be announced.
2:15 PM
Finalists Round
Students who accept a place as a finalist must perform in the finalist round. If you are announced as a finalist:
- Go onstage with your music. Festival staff will take you backstage and give you more instructions.
- When it is your turn to perform, go to the piano. You will not announce or warm up (unless instructed otherwise by festival staff).
- Bow to the audience after walking on stage.
- Check your bench position.
- Take time to breathe.
- Perform your piece.
- Bow with a smile.
Awards Ceremony
After all of the finalists have performed, the judges will deliberate and make their selections for the awards ceremony. Students who remain for the awards ceremony may also be lucky enough to win a door prize!
Post Festival
Collect Your Comments Sheet
After the festival closes, collect your comments sheet at the registration table. Bring it to your next lesson so your teacher can talk through it with you. Your teacher will also add a copy of your sheet to your Vance Music file.
Pictures & Celebration Pictures
Take a celebratory picture or two of your student(s) and email them to Marissa. In the past, students have found good picture locations on stage, in front of the wall of music notes in the southern half of the lobby, and at the walkway music mural on the east side of the building. Celebrate your student’s hard work, bravery, dedication, and achievements!
Enjoy performing at the 2026 Tabor College Bach Festival!
