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The School of Music at Western Illinois University will host their 23rd ANNUAL SHOWCASE OF BANDS on
February 25-27, 2010. This event is a forum for the promotion of serious wind music and high school concert
band performance.
Each year, three high school bands with proven concert success are invited as SHOWCASE BANDS to spend
two days immersed in music, sharing their dedication, their talent, and their energy. The track record of these
chosen bands represents the very finest musical example of high school music in Illinois. The bands attend
master classes with Western's acclaimed wind and percussion faculty, rehearse with university and guest personnel,
and achieve an esprit de corps that only living and working together can bring. Past bands have gone on to
outstanding performance in many other arenas, including invitations to appear at Carnegie Hall, the Bands of
America Concert Festival, the Mid-West Band and Orchestra Clinic, Music Educators Regional and National
Conferences, and Superstate at the University of Illinois. School size is no criteria for the determination of musical
excellence, and schools of all sizes in Illinois have participated.
The guest conductor for the 2010 SHOWCASE BANDS will be Michael Haithcock, Director of Bands at the
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The Showcase Bands performing at the 2010 Showcase of Bands are —
- Wheaton North High School, Wheaton, IL (Director - Jon Noworyta)
- Lockport Community High School Lockport, IL (Director - Brian Covey)
- New Trier High School Winnetka, IL (Director - Matt Temple)
In addition, WIU Bands will host the 2010 HONOR BAND on the same weekend, February 25-26, 2010. For this
ensemble of talented musicians, band directors are invited to nominate their students to attend and participate in
rehearsals, master classes with WIU School of Music faculty, and a final performance. Students attend from
throughout Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri. This is an enriching musical experience for young people, and the 2010
Honor Band will be given the opportunity to learn from Diane Koutsulis, Director of Bands and Arts Department
Chair at Green Valley High School, Henderson, Nevada.
On Friday evening, February 26, the WIU Symphonic Wind Ensemble will perform in concert at 7:30 PM in the
College of Fine Arts and Communication Recital Hall. Final performance of the three SHOWCASE BANDS will be
at 1:00 p.m. followed by the WIU Concert Band and HONOR BAND at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 27, 2010,
in the College of Fine Arts and Communication Recital Hall. Admission is free.
Showcase Bands are selected approximately one year in advance. We encourage directors to apply early to be
a Showcase Band, so please contact Mike Fansler by e-mail (MJ-Fansler@wiu.edu) or call Western
Illinois University Bands at 309-298-1505. If you would like your students to be a part of our HONOR BAND,
nominate them by selecting the Honors Band info links.
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