Dan Balash

Add in Carl Sandburg to 6A, performing at 5:15, moving everything from Minooka on down by 15 minutes.

Mater Dei has hired Doug Schaffer as their new Director of Bands. He was formerly at St. Pius X Catholic, Wright City, Mark Twain and Laquey, all in Missouri.

Collinsville is open.

Also, U of I has released the schedule. 1A-3A: https://ilmarching.com/festivals_detail.php?FestivalID=1283&archive=0 4A-6A: https://ilmarching.com/festivals_detail.php?FestivalID=1283&archive=0

I was going to try and get around to this in the next week or two. Add in a few out of staters: Lake Central, IN will be attending Lake Park and Victor J. Andrew. Davenport Central, IA is doing VJA, CMBF and NIU.

Here's an interesting one: Washington is attending, according to their calendar. Don't know the last time (ever?) they've attended.

SIU: September 27th That leaves (I believe) us looking for dates for Robinson and Rich Township.

James Hairston will be joining Waubonsie Valley from Hendrickson in Texas, presumably as Director of Bands. Kevin Carroll is retiring, and there will be a SECOND opening for the 2026-2027 year as there will be another retirement. His biography from Hendrickson's site:

Hearing there might be others as well.

U of I schedules: 1A-3A: https://ilmarching.com/festivals_detail.php?FestivalID=1283&archive=0 4A-6A: https://ilmarching.com/festivals_detail.php?FestivalID=1284&archive=0

O'Fallon might be a possibility; Lincoln-Way is not attending according to their registration handouts. This is what has been dredged up for attendees thus far, while patiently waiting for ISU to update their site: Batavia Collinsville Downers Grove South Edwardsville Illinois Valley Central John Hersey Lemont Limestone Community Macomb Morton Normal Oswego Oswego East Paris Cooperative Plainfield Central Plainfield North Romeoville Victor J. Andrew Warren Township

Lockport, Normal, Oswego, Oswego East, Warren and whoever else! 🙂

Still going through it. I have a spreadsheet of scores/word document of information compiled through 1980. 3 more years to go!

Not attending: Lake Park (homecoming) I believe this will be their first year not in attendance since 1980 1978.

ISU has not posted a list of attendees yet.

Marion: October 18th

Newton: October 18

Murphysboro: September 13th Marengo: October 12th That leaves us looking for the following dates: Robinson Marion (?) Newton Rich Township SIU

DeKalb: September 28th

I don't see why not. None of that overlaps, and none of it is long travel. They've got a 20 year class championship streak on the line, and they're ISU champions 3 years in a row.

Updated confirmed participants: Class 1A | 1-350 1. Arcola High School 2. Maroa-Forsyth High School 3. Mater Dei High School 4. ROWVA High School 5. Watseka High School Class 2A | 351-800 1. Effingham High School 2. Illinois Valley Central High School 3. Macomb High School 4. Monticello High School 5. Newton Community High School 6. Paris High School 7. Providence Catholic High School 8. University High School Class 3A | 801-1,100 1. East Peoria Community High School 2. Highland High School 3. Mahomet-Seymour High School 4. Morton High School Class 4A | 1,101-1,600 1. Antioch Community High School 2. Centennial High School 3. Danville High School 4. Grayslake Central High School 5. Grayslake North High School 6. Kaneland High School 7. Washington Community High School Class 5A | 1,601-2,500 1. Champaign Central High School 2. Edwardsville High School 3. Elk Grove High School 4. Plainfield North High School 5. Round Lake High School 6. Wheaton North High School 7. Wheaton Warrenville South High School Class 6A | 2,501+ 1. Amos Alonzo Stagg High School 2. Lake Park High School 3. Minooka Community High School 4. Neuqua Valley High School 5. Normal High School 6. Oak Park River Forest High School 7. Oswego East High School 8. Warren Township High School 9. Waubonsie Valley High School 10. Waukegan High School

Happy IMBC registration day! Here’s who has signed up…in 30 minutes. CLASS 1A | 1-350 1. Arcola High School 2. Mater Dei High School 3. ROWVA High School 4. Watseka High School CLASS 2A | 351-800 1. Effingham High School 2. Illinois Valley Central High School 3. Macomb High School 4. Monticello High School 5. Newton Community High School 6. Paris High School 7. Providence Catholic High School 8. University High School CLASS 3A | 801-1,100 1. East Peoria Community High School 2. Highland High School 3. Mahomet-Seymour High School 4. Morton High School CLASS 4A | 1,101-1,600 1. Antioch Community High School 2. Centennial High School 3. Danville High School 4. Grayslake North High School 5. Washington Community High School CLASS 5A | 1,601-2,500 1. Champaign Central High School 2. Edwardsville High School 3. Plainfield East High School 4. Plainfield North High School 5. Round Lake High School 6. Wheaton North High School 7. Wheaton Warrenville South High School CLASS 6A | 2,501+ 1. Amos Alonzo Stagg High School 2. Lake Park High School 3. Minooka Community High School 4. Neuqua Valley High School 5. Normal High School 6. Oak Park River Forest High School 7. Oswego East High School 8. Warren Township High School 9. Waubonsie Valley High School 10. Waukegan High School

As far as I know, not a misprint. U of I and ISU proposed this several years ago, where the smaller schools would go on later and rotate. It gives these kids an opportunity to perform in front of a large crowd. As for awards, one awards ceremony and do everything in one fell swoop. I just wonder if this will continue until 2029 - I can't imagine the 6A schools being amenable to going on at 8:30 in the morning.

Illinois Marching Band Championships (U of I) performance order for 2025: Class 2A Class 3A Class 4A Class 5A Class 6A Class 1A

Monticello: September 13th Danville: October 11th Sandwich: October 19th Current TBD: Murphysboro Robinson Marion (?) DeKalb Newton Marengo Rich Township SIU