Four District 214 bands selected to perform at SuperState

Only the finest symphonic bands in the state are selected to perform at the 2014 Illinois SuperState Concert Band Festival, and four High School District 214 bands are among them. The John Hersey, Prospect, Wheeling, and Elk Grove high school symphonic bands will be performing on May 9-10, at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the Foellinger Great Hall at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.

Seventy-two bands applied for this competitive and prestigious opportunity, but only 11 Class AAA (1,600-2,500 student enrollment) bands were selected to perform.

The experience will be nothing new for most Hersey band members, since the Symphonic Band has proved its elite status by performing at this festival for the past 14 consecutive years.

Under the direction of Scott Casagrande, the band will play Passacaglia and Fugue, J.S. Bach, arr.; "Falcone" and "Profanation" from Symphony No. 1, Leonard Bernstein, arr. Bencriscutto. Only one other band in the state has consecutively achieved at this level.

This is the Wheeling High School Wind Symphony's ninth consecutive year performing at SuperState. Under Brian Logan's direction, the band will be performing "Flight of Apollo" by Christopher Salerno and Finale from Third Symphony by James Barnes.

Directed by Chris Barnum, the Prospect Symphonic Band will perform "Celebrations" by John Zdechlik and Concertino for Four Percussion and Wind Ensemble by David Gillingham. The band has been selected to perform 16 times, and this is the second consecutive year.

The last time the Elk Grove High School Symphonic Band performed at this event was in 2003. It will be performing "Night on Fire" by John Mackey and "La Fiesta Mexicana" mvt. II Mass, and mvt. III "Carnival" by H. Owen Reed under the direction of Ron Fiorito.