Series of events marks Wheeling High School band accomplishments
It's only fitting that Wheeling High School band members will play Thursday, May 19, at the school's spring concert and awards ceremony.
They already are coming off winning one of the biggest honors in the state earlier this month when the wind symphony - Wheeling's highest band - won the Class AAA title University of Illinois Superstate Concert Band Festival.
That championship title came during the same semester as Wheeling's top jazz band being named grand champions at Jazz in the Meadows in February. "We have a very special group of students," said Band Director Brian Logan, "whose brand of excellence is truly remarkable."
Logan is retiring after a 25-year run of directing bands at Wheeling High School and a prime indication of the quality of the program is the number of graduates who go on to pursue music in college - or continue to play for enjoyment.
A sample of his graduates' passion will be on full display at the school's Night of Jazz at 7:30 p.m. May 27 in the school's Sang Theater. For the first time, the evening will feature an alumni jazz band, with an estimated 25 returning players.
Members include private instructors, professionals, band directors, music teachers and college music majors, says Assistant Band Director J.T. Teichert.
"Typically we invite a guest artist to perform a few tunes," Teichert says, "but since this is Mr. Logan's last year, we thought we would change it up a bit and invite alumni to share the stage for his final jazz concert."
In this year's graduating class of seniors, six of 26 band students are planning to pursue or play music in college at University of Illinois' Champaign and Chicago campuses, the VanderCook College of Music, Northwestern and DePaul. Three are pursuing majors in music, including music education and jazz studies.
Logan credits his staff of instructors, as well Wheeling's feeder school programs - London Middle and Holmes middle schools in Wheeling, MacArthur Middle School in Prospect Heights, and River Trails Middle School in Mount Prospect.
As the winning band in its class at Superstate, Wheeling gets an automatic performance spot as the honor band at next year's contest on the campus of the University of Illinois. Teichert says it will be a fitting legacy to Logan's years.
And look for the Wildcat Marching Band to be featured May 30 in the village's Memorial Day parade, serving as a patriotic send off to their longtime director.