Waukegan music festival:

Waukegan Public Schools hosts its annual Middle School Music Festival on Thursday, April 25 at the historic Genesee Theatre in downtown Waukegan. More than 800 choir, orchestra and band students in grades 6 through 8 will take the stage for the music festival, which is sponsored by Bravo Waukegan. The evening begins with choral concerts at 6 p.m., followed by band and orchestra performances beginning at 7 p.m. The Middle School Music Festival is the largest gathering of middle school-aged musicians in Waukegan. Short sets will be performed by two combined choirs, as well as the Festival (seventh and eighth grade) band and orchestra, and the Concert (sixth grade) band and orchestras. This year’s event is a tribute to former Waukegan Public Schools’ music instructor, Stan Ackerman. Ackerman was a renowned professional violinist who died in January.