“Goin’ to Kansas City, Kansas City,
Here We Come!”
Kansas City Marriott Downtown
February 24–27, 2027
Schedule | Excursions | Performing Ensembles | Dining & Leisure
Hotel Registration | Convention Registration
Convention Registration Deadline: Friday, January 29, 2027
WELCOME TO KANSAS CITY!
from
Joe Parisi, Convention Host Co-Chair
Dear ABA Members, Significant Others, and Friends:
It is our great pleasure to welcome you to Kansas City, Missouri for the 2027 Convention of the American Bandmasters Association!
We have been looking forward to this gathering for a very long time, and we could not be more excited to share our city with our ABA family. Kansas City has an extraordinary musical history, a vibrant arts and cultural community, wonderful food, and a spirit of hospitality that we believe makes it a very special place to gather. Most importantly, this convention is about being together.
One of the great joys of the American Bandmasters Association is the friendship and fellowship that accompany our shared commitment to music and our profession. We have worked to create a convention that provides opportunities for outstanding music making, meaningful conversation, memorable experiences throughout Kansas City, and plenty of time to reconnect with longtime friends and welcome new ones.
Throughout the week, you will hear exceptional ensembles, experience some of the places and traditions that make Kansas City unique, and have opportunities to explore our city’s remarkable history—from jazz and barbecue to art, coffee, museums, and more.
We hope you will come ready to enjoy all of it. There is a famous song associated with our city that seems especially appropriate as we anticipate welcoming all of you:
“Goin’ to Kansas City, Kansas City, here we come!”
We cannot wait until you do. Safe travels, and we look forward to welcoming you personally to Kansas City in February!
Warmest regards,
Joe & Cheryl Parisi, Co-Hosts, 2027 ABA Convention
Steve & Michelle Davis, Co-Hosts, 2027 ABA Convention
President Dennis Fisher & Janet Fisher
John & Alisa Carmichael, 2027 ABA Convention Excursion/Event Coordinators
Kansas City Excursions (View the Excursion Digital Brochure)
Kansas City has much to explore! Optional excursions are available Thursday through Saturday and require advance registration. Note: You will register for excursions when you register for the convention.
THURSDAY EXCURSIONS
Thursday Option A — Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
$80 per person | Limited to 40 participants | Lunch included
Spend the afternoon at one of America’s premier encyclopedic art museums, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Explore collections spanning ancient to contemporary art, the museum’s sculpture park, and the iconic Shuttlecocks installation.
Nearby, guests can also experience Kansas City’s historic Country Club Plaza, a 15-block shopping and dining district known for its Spanish-inspired architecture, local boutiques, restaurants, and public art.
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Thursday Option B — The Roasterie & Boulevard Brewing Co.
$80 per person | Limited to 56 participants | Lunch on your own at the hotel
Begin the afternoon with a behind-the-scenes tour of The Roasterie, one of Kansas City’s best-known specialty coffee companies. Guests will learn about coffee sourcing and roasting, see the production facility, and enjoy tasting opportunities beneath the company’s distinctive rooftop DC-3 airplane.
The afternoon continues with a guided tour of Boulevard Brewing Company, one of the Midwest’s most celebrated craft breweries. Guests will explore the brewing facilities, learn about Boulevard’s history and production process, and enjoy tasting opportunities in the Beer Hall overlooking the Kansas City skyline
FRIDAY EXCURSIONS
Friday Option A — Jack Stack Barbecue & J. Rieger & Co.
$90 per person | Limited to 40 participants | Lunch included
Enjoy two quintessential Kansas City traditions: barbecue and locally produced spirits. The afternoon begins with Jack Stack’s celebrated Kansas City barbecue and famous carrot cake before continuing to the historic Electric Park District and J. Rieger & Co.
Originally founded in Kansas City in 1887 and revived in 2014, J. Rieger & Co. has become an important part of the city’s distilling renaissance. Guests will tour the historic distillery, learn about its remarkable story, explore the production facilities, and enjoy a guided tasting.
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Friday Option B — National WWI Museum & Memorial and Union Station Kansas City
$75 per person | Limited to 56 participants | Lunch included
Guests will experience one of the nation’s most acclaimed historical museums, the National WWI Museum & Memorial, featuring immersive exhibitions, significant artifacts, and panoramic views from the Liberty Memorial grounds.
Following the museum visit, attendees may explore beautifully restored Union Station Kansas City, located adjacent to the memorial.
SATURDAY EXCURSIONS
Saturday Option A — Kansas City Gangster Tour
$70 per person | Limited to 56 participants | Lunch on your own at the hotel
This guided experience explores Kansas City’s fascinating Prohibition-era history, jazz culture, political intrigue, and organized crime legacy during the Pendergast years.
The Gangster Tour has been a perennial favorite among Kansas City visitors for more than 20 years.
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Saturday Option B — 18th & Vine Historic Jazz District Experience
American Jazz Museum | Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
$70 per person | Limited to 56 participants | Lunch included
Guests will experience one of America’s most historically significant cultural districts—the birthplace of Kansas City jazz and a cornerstone of African American artistic and athletic history.
The afternoon includes admission to the American Jazz Museum, featuring exhibits honoring legendary artists including Charlie Parker and Count Basie, as well as the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, one of the nation’s premier museums dedicated to the history and legacy of Negro Leagues baseball.
Guests will also have time to explore the surrounding district and experience the rich musical heritage that continues to define Kansas City culture.
Performing Ensembles (View the Ensemble Digital Brochure)
We are delighted to welcome an outstanding collection of musicians and conductors to
Kansas City for the 2027 ABA Convention.
Wednesday, February 24
COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY WIND SYMPHONY
Rebecca Phillips, Conductor
OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY WIND ENSEMBLE
Bradley Genevro, Conductor
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Thursday, February 25
LOUISVILLE WINDS
Nan Moore, Conductor
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY CONSERVATORY WIND SYMPHONY
Steven D. Davis, Conductor
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Friday, February 26
FOUNTAIN CITY BRASS BAND
Joseph Parisi, Conductor
Dining & Leisure (View the Dining and Leisure Digital Brochure)
Kansas City is known nationally for its barbecue, but our city’s dining scene extends far beyond it. From
celebrated restaurants and local institutions to coffee shops, breweries, jazz clubs, museums, shopping,
and distinctive neighborhoods, we hope you will leave yourself some time to explore.
Our Dining & Leisure Guide includes recommendations for restaurants and
other things to see and do during your time in Kansas City.
Make your Hotel Reservation (Click here)
The Kansas City Marriott Downtown will serve as the headquarters hotel for the 2027
American Bandmasters Association Convention. Its downtown location provides convenient access
to restaurants, entertainment, cultural attractions, and the KC Streetcar.
Start Date: Tuesday, February 23, 2027 | End Date: Saturday, February 27, 2027
Kansas City Marriott Downtown
3200 W 12th Street
Kansas City, MO 64105
Phone: (816) 421-6800
Click here to Register for the 2027 ABA Convention & Excursions!
Convention Registration Deadline is Friday, January 29, 2027
“Goin’ to Kansas City, Kansas City, here we come!”
We look forward to welcoming the American Bandmasters Association to Kansas City
for four days of extraordinary music, friendship, fellowship,
and everything our city has to offer!
Kansas City, Missouri
February 24–27, 2027
Kansas City Marriott Downtown
Joe Parisi & Steve Davis
Co-Hosts, 2027 American Bandmasters Association Convention
Questions? Email Joe Parisi at jparisi@umkc.edu