Battle of the band leaders at Buffalo Grove Symphonic Band concert
The Buffalo Grove Symphonic Band will sport a new look at its upcoming concert.
Founding conductor Howard Green no longer holds the baton.
Instead, the leader’s duties will be shared by a trio of conductors who will bring their talents to the stage for a concert taking place at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at Vernon Hills High School.
The three are finalists for the music director position. They were chosen by a search committee and are seasoned performers.
“We’ve had rehearsals with each one of them, and personally, we’re going to have a hard time deciding, because they’re all excellent band directors,” said Keith Miller, who plays piano, keyboards and percussion in the band.
Daniel Brame has been conducting bands for more than 40 years, spending most of his career at Deerfield High School, where he directed concert, jazz and marching bands and taught music theory and composition. He retired from full-time teaching in 2019 and now directs woodwind sectionals at Lake Forest College and supervises student teachers from Northwestern University. He also plays in the Waukegan Band, the North Suburban Wind Ensemble and the Brame Brothers Jazz Quintet.
Sheldon Frazier previously served on the band faculty at North Cobb High School in Cobb County, Georgia, where he led a comprehensive performing arts program serving more than 350 students and directed the school’s 230-member competitive marching band. In 2024 he was named a national finalist for the Ernst Bacon Memorial Award for the Performance of American Music. He was also selected as a fellow for the United States Air Force Band in 2023.
David Hutter is the band director at Maine South High School in Park Ridge. He teaches the wind ensemble, concert band, symphonic band and two percussion technique classes. He also directs the marching band and musical pit orchestra. His bands have been selected to perform at the Illinois Superstate Concert Band Festival every year since 2022 and one was named the 2A Honor Band for 2024. He recently was named a Music Teacher of Excellence by the CMA Foundation.
“Each one has a unique background in the music that they chose, and they have their own unique interpretation of the pieces,” Miller said.
Green will still be on hand, playing in the first clarinet section, while wife Shari will play timpani.
The theme of this year’s concert is “Landscapes in Motion.” The concert celebrates the power of music to tell stories, honor memories and connect generations.
It features such pieces as “Vesuvius,” “Shenandoah” and “Machu Picchu.”
The Buffalo Grove Symphonic Band runs under the auspices of the Village of Buffalo Grove and is funded by the village as well as by ticket sales, sponsorships and advertising.
szalusky@dailyherald.com
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“Landscapes in Motion”
Buffalo Grove Symphonic Band
When: 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14
Where: Vernon Hills High School, 145 Lakeview Pkwy., Vernon Hills
Tickets: General admission: $10 in advance, $12 at the door; seniors and students: $8. See vbg.org/bgsbtickets.