Hillsboro High School band is going to college, specifically McPherson College, where they will perform with the college band and guest artist trombonist Irvin Wagner on March 7.

The performance will be 7:30 p.m. in Brown Auditorium at McPherson College. Admission is free.

Hillsboro’s band was selected last spring to perform with the McPherson band, and Hillsboro director Bruce Major said he is looking forward to the performance.

“It should be a great experience for students to go work with McPherson students and Dr. Wagner,” Major said. “It’s a pretty unique opportunity to do concerts with college bands and actually play side-by-side with them.”

Wagner, who graduated from McPherson College in 1959, will be the guest soloist on trombone, and is professor of music at the University of Oklahoma.

McPherson College band director Kevin Hopkins has worked with the Hillsboro band during their practices, so students are familiar with him.

“The students have enjoyed having Hopkins come work with them,” Major said, “so they’re looking forward to the performance as well.”

The concert, which is open to the public, will open with the McPherson College Jazz Band and will be followed by the Hillsboro band. McPherson College Concert Band will then perform with Wagner, and the finale will include all the groups, including a special trombone ensemble.