Batavia Wind Symphony selected to play at Illinois SuperState Concert Band Festival

The Batavia Wind Symphony, the highest-performing curricular band at Batavia High School, was recently accepted into the 2017 Illinois SuperState Concert Band Festival at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

According to the University of Illinois Bands website, the Illinois SuperState Concert Band Festival invites only the finest wind band programs in the state of Illinois based on competitive application.

"This is the premier band festival in Illinois and amounts to the state championship for concert bands," said Chris Owen, Batavia High School band director.

It is the fourth time Batavia High School has been selected for the Illinois SuperState Concert Band Festival, and the first time since 2000. Only six schools were selected in the Class AAA school size.

This year, the record was set for applications at more than 110.

The BHS Batavia Wind Symphony will be performing a concert for national clinicians in the Foellinger Great Hall at the University of Illinois Krannert Center for the Performing Arts at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 6. This performance will be lived-streamed at banddirector.com.

Based on this performance, the Batavia Wind Symphony has a chance of being selected as an "Honor Band." Honor Bands automatically return the following year for a feature concert.

"We're incredibly proud of our students' hard work to prepare for the audition process and are looking forward to representing Batavia and Batavia High School at this prestigious festival," Owen said.