All Activity

Olympia and Anna-Jonesboro are both open.

Taft high school on the northwest side of Chicago is looking for guard and battery instructors for the fall season. Camp is the last week in July and practices are Monday and Wednesday 4-8. This year we will be competing at 4 competitions throughout the greater Chicagoland area as well as going to the BOA grand nationals in November. If interested, contact Kevin Harriman at kjharriman@cps.edu

Congratulations to Philip Crews, band director at Rich Township on his retirement. Benjamin Bird will be taking over as the director, after previously serving as the assistant. https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/07/10/phillip-crews-rich-township-band/

Does anybody have any predictions for this year. Top 20 bands?

Bands of America has posted a ton of old recaps that haven't seen the light of day in years, including Summer Nationals, some forgotten about Illinois regionals, old Nationals results. All links posted had at least one Illinois group in attendance. 1976 Summer Nationals Prelims: https://marching.musicforall.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/06/1976-Summer-Prelims-Recap.pdf 1977: Summer Nationals Prelims: https://marching.musicforall.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/06/1977-Summer-Prelims-Recap.pdf Summer Nationals Finals: https://marching.musicforall.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/06/1977-Summer-Finals-Recap.pdf 1978: Summer Nationals Prelims: https://marching.musicforall.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/06/1978-Summer-Prelims-Recap.pdf Summer Nationals Finals: https://marching.musicforall.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/06/1978-Summer-Finals-Recap.pdf 1979: Summer Nationals Prelims: https://marching.musicforall.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/06/1979-Summer-Nationals-Prelims-Recap.pdf Summer Nationals Finals: https://marching.musicforall.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/06/1979-Summer-Nationals-Finals-Recap.pdf 1980: Summer Nationals Prelims: https://marching.musicforall.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/06/1980-Summer-Nationals-Prelims-Recap.pdf 1981: Summer Nationals Prelims: https://marching.musicforall.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/06/1981-Summer-Nationals-Prelims-Recap.pdf Summer Nationals Finals: https://marching.musicforall.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/06/1981-Summer-Nationals-Finals-Recap.pdf Grand Nationals (Plainfield attended): https://marching.musicforall.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/06/1981-Grand-Nationals-Prelims-Recap.pdf 1982: Indianapolis, IN Prelims: https://marching.musicforall.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/06/1982-Indianapolis-Regional-Prelims-Recap.pdf Indianapolis, IN Finals: https://marching.musicforall.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/06/1982-Indianapolis-Regional-Finals-Recap.pdf Grand National Prelims: https://marching.musicforall.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/06/1982-Grand-Nationals-Prelims-Recap.pdf 1984: Summer National Prelims: https://marching.musicforall.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/06/1984-Summer-Nationals-Prelims-Recap.pdf Summer National Finals: https://marching.musicforall.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/06/1984-Summer-Nationals-Finals-Recap.pdf Joliet, IL Finals: https://marching.musicforall.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/06/1984-Joliet-Regional-Finals-Recap.pdf Grand National Prelims: https://marching.musicforall.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/06/1984-Grand-Nationals-Prelims-Recap.pdf Grand National Finals: https://marching.musicforall.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/06/1984-Grand-Nationals-Finals-Recap.pdf

Wesclin has posted an opening for middle/high school. Luke Davis, who was the director there, has taken the job at Mascoutah.

I believe he took a job with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

Where did their director move to?

Waiting on BOA and ISU to post a list of attendees. There are a ton of Illinois groups that have outdated/nonexistent websites, so it makes it difficult to find anything.

Central Illinois bands are gonna be on fire this year

Things should be picking up soon! Post Fourth of July parades have finished so band camp is on the horizon. Some bands have started already!! Also - Fenton HS will be competitive this year after talk a few years off.

Any marching news?

Color Guard Coach - Sandwich High School JOB DESCRIPTION: A member of the Renegade Regiment Staff who instructs and supervises the Color Guard (auxiliary) section of the marching band. The Color Guard Coach takes responsibility for teaching choreography and color guard techniques to all members of the color guard and helps prepare this section for performances and competition. SPECIFIC DUTIES: Prepare/Design warm-up and practice routines to assist in color guard skill development Teach color guard section and individuals all aspects of the choreography for the competitive show Run color guard sectionals and practices when they are separate from the marching band Manages color guard equipment including but not limited to uniforms, uniform accessories, flags/silks, poles, props, etc. Assist other members of the Renegade Regiment Staff with instruction, incorporating color guard choreography into the large group drill/show design Be present at all rehearsals, sectionals, performances, and competitions or arrange a separate schedule with the Renegade Regiment Director Complete the required Sandwich CUSD #430 HR packet for coaches, instructors, and volunteers COMPENSATION: $1500-2000 CHOREOGRAPHY: This position does not require the Color Guard Coach to design the competitive show choreography. However, the Color Guard Coach can write the color guard choreography if they choose to. Additional compensation for writing choreography will be negotiated between the Renegade Regiment Director, Color Guard Coach, and the Sandwich Schools Music Association (booster organization). CONTACT/APPLY: Please send a cover letter along with a brief statement about your background/training in color guard to: Brett Harris - Renegade Regiment Band Director at bharris@sandwich430.org or 815-757-3124 PROGRAM INFO: The Renegade Regiment is a competitive marching band with a history of excellence in northern Illinois. They have competed throughout the state of Illinois, in Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, and Canada. They average 55 members. Renegade Regiment members are students of Sandwich High School, Sandwich, Illinois. There is currently no WinterGuard program. Color guard is part of the fall competitive marching band program.

Collinsville has hired former Mascoutah director Kyle Muskopf to fill their main director vacancy. Ryan Goetter is remaining as assistant director.

Carbondale is open.

Mascoutah is open

According to the school calendar, Marian will be attending the following: 9/6: Stagg 9/13: VJA 9/27: Providence Catholic 10/11: ISU 10/24-10/25: BOA Indianapolis 11/13-11/15: Grand Nationals

I..... officially don't understand LW not attending ISU anymore. There's a big ISU-sized gap in their schedule to my eyes, and for as much as I've heard fees are, and as annoying the logistics of putting 3 campuses together for one band must be... I just don't understand only going out for 3 competitive shows, (though 2 of them are BOA events, and they'll definitely play twice in Louisville.)

Naperville North will be competitive this year. Going to DGS, NCHS, and LW Source: Band Calendar

Kaneland HS schedule Septemeber 6th: Stagg Jamboree September 20th: Plainfield South October 4th: Downers Grove South October 18/19th: TBD (LW? Sandwich?) October 25th: U of I

Lincoln-Way schedule Septmeber 20th: Plainfield South September 26-28th: BOA Louisville, KY October 18th: Lincoln-Way Invitantional October 24-26th: BOA Indianapolis Super Regional No ISMBC.

Alton is open. Blake Korte is now the Director of Instrumental Music at DeSmet Jesuit High School in St. Louis. Chuck Willard is still there as assistant director.

Times are different. Some programs haven’t recovered from the pandemic while others have been thriving. Enrollment is low and kids aren’t interested in afterschool programs/clubs. Looking at some fees marching band isn’t affordable in some areas. There is a variable amount of reasons to go into.

An interesting choice to go non-competitive, but they're still one of the best overall band programs in Chicagoland and indeed the State as a whole.