Year of changes for Lake County high school bands

Sweltering temperatures didn't stop the streamlined Grayslake Central High School marching band from another pre-season tune-up Thursday.

One year after Grayslake Central and its young sister school, Grayslake North, combined to form one large marching band, the District 127 schools will field separate bands this year.

The combined squad had about 100 members, and performed at each school's home football games. With the split, each band is now expected to have about 50 members.

There are some differences between the two groups, said Grayslake Central band director Dominic Bertino.

Grayslake Central will continue as a competitive, volunteer band. The members had another full day of practice Thursday at Central Park in downtown Grayslake.

Students in Grayslake North's band classes will make up that school's ensemble.

Bertino said formations and other staples of a competitive marching band will remain at Grayslake Central, even with fewer members.

"We've got good instrumentation," he said. "It's just a smaller group of kids to work with."

Bertino said he expects the Grayslake Elementary District 46 band pipeline to feed more students into the high school system. That should happen, he said, because of District 46's decision to bring back its own band and chorus programs.

Chorus and band were among a batch of program cuts made in past years at District 46. The district started seeking to restore some programs in 2005.