University News

Showcase of Bands Friday-Saturday at WIU

February 18, 2020

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MACOMB, IL -- The 33nd annual Western Illinois University School of Music Showcase of Bands will be held Friday-Saturday, Feb. 21-22 in the College of Fine Arts and Communication (COFAC) Recital Hall.

The Showcase of Bands gives high school musicians the opportunity to participate in and learn from nationally-recognized wind band conductors and WIU's applied and conducting faculty.

Three high school bands have been invited to attend masterclasses: Carl Sandburg Wind Symphony, Stewart Bailey and Brian Hillhouse, directors; South East Polk Wind Ensemble, Jacquelyn Meunier, director; and United Township Wind Symphony, Mike Wawrzynski, director. An honor band, made up of high school student musicians from Illinois, Iowa and Missouri, will also perform.

This year's event will also include the following guest conductors: 2020 Honor Band Conductor Robert Meunier, director of bands at Drake University; and 2020 Showcase Band Conductor, Michael Haithcock, director of bands at the University of Michigan, and James Stephenson, internationally-renowned composer from Chicago, IL. 

The 2020 Showcase of Bands performances include:

• Friday, Feb. 21 – 7:30 p.m. – COFAC Recital Hall, WIU Wind Ensemble performance, conducted by WIU's Professor of Music Mike Fansler. Guests include Haithcock, guest conductor and Stephenson, guest composer and conductor. 

• Saturday, Feb. 22 – 1 p.m. – COFAC Recital Hall, Showcase of Bands – high school musicians directed by Haithcock.

• Saturday, Feb. 22 – 4 p.m. – COFAC Recital Hall, WIU Concert Band performance, conducted by WIU's Associate Professor of Music Matt Thomas, with Meunier guest conducting.

• Saturday, Feb. 23 – 4:30 p.m. – COFAC Recital Hall, Showcase Honor Band, guest conducted by Meunier.

All events are open free to the public.

For more information, visit bit.ly/324rGJP.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing