Buffalo Grove H.S.'s band director Ed Jacobi to retire

Deep Roots in Music: Ed Jacobi comes from a musical family. His dad was a professional violinist, his mom was an accomplished pianist, his four younger siblings played instruments throughout college (two also are school band directors) and his two sons graduated with music education degrees from University of Illinois.

A History of Orange & Blue: Before he wore orange and blue at Buffalo Grove, Jacobi donned the colors as a member of University of Illinois' marching band from 1975-79. The Marching Illini's featured soloist his senior year, Jacobi also received his master's degree in music education from Illinois in 1983.

Fortuitous Snowstorm: When Jacobi was working as an assistant band director in Clinton, Iowa, he befriended a foreign language teacher who came for an interview but got stranded during a snowstorm. She got the job, and two years later, they got married. His wife, Robin, also is retiring this year after 31 years as a French and Spanish teacher at Hoffman Estates High School.

"Wow" Moments: They include performing at Vienna's famed Musikverein concert hall, the Chicago Symphony Center and the Illinois Music Education Association's all-state concert. He also established the District 214 Honors Band, now in its 30th year, and brought the University of Illinois marching band to perform on the Buffalo Grove field in 2009.

What's Next? There will be more family time and a regular gig as master of ceremonies and trumpeter at Rosemont's Hofbrauhaus.