Illinois Wind Symphony at the American Bandmasters Association Annual Convention

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Join us for this very special performance!

The University of Illinois Bands have had an extremely deep connection with the prestigious American Bandmasters Association, dating back to the organization’s founding. Our first Director of Bands, A. A. Harding was a founding member and the first treasurer, then later president of the association. Former Illinois Bands faculty Mark Hindsley, Harry Begian, James Keene, Linda Moorhouse, and Gary Smith have all served as presidents.

The Illinois Wind Symphony has again been invited to perform for the annual gathering of the leaders of the profession. We hope you will join us and attend our concert on March 4, 2026 in the Harris Theater for Music and Dance. The performance, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 7:30 p.m. with the Lockport Township High School Wind Symphony, conducted by Brian Covey and guest conductors, followed by the Wind Symphony.

Kevin M. Geraldi, conductor
Barry L. Houser, conductor

Caroline Beatty, guest conductor (Director of Bands, Texas State University)
Jerry F. Junkin, guest conductor (Director of Bands, University of Texas at Austin)
John R. Locke, guest conductor (Director of Bands Emeritus, UNC Greensboro)
Elizabeth Peterson, guest conductor (Assoc. Director of Bands Emeritus, University of Illinois)
Stephen Peterson, guest conductor (Director of Bands Emeritus, University of Illinois)
Joel Puckett, guest composer

FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Program*
Oscar Navarro, Downey Overture
Carlos Simon, Sweet Chariot
Joel Puckett, that secret from the river
John Philip Sousa, Sesquicentennial Exposition March
Zhou Tian, Petals of Fire
D. W. Reeves/Brion, Fantasy Humoresque on Yankee Doodle
Sergei Rachmaninoff/Lavender, Symphonic Dances, mvt. 3

*The evening concert at the ABA convention is a shared performance. The Lockport Township High School Wind Symphony will begin at 7:30pm. The Illinois Wind Symphony will perform second that evening.

The Illinois Wind Symphony’s performance at the ABA Convention is funded by the Illinois Bands Loyalty Fund. If you would like to make a contribution in support of this exceptional experience for our students, please visit our Giving page and select “Illinois Bands Loyalty Fund” as the designation.

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