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Time:

Saturday
December, 18, 2021
08:30 AM - 09:30 AM

Location:

375 E

Category

High School Band

Conductor

Conductor Thumb
Brian Covey

Program

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Performer Details

Performer Bio Synopsis

The Lockport Township High School Band Program has enjoyed a long history of success and community support. Notable accomplishments date back to the first Director of Bands, Ernest Caneva, who led them to the 1962 “Music Man” National Band Championship. The Marching Band was also featured in the 1986 hit film “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” Currently the Band Program is composed of four concert ensembles, jazz ensembles, a nationally competitive marching ensemble, and consistent national finalist and winter guard. Considerable emphasis is placed on individual student progress and achievement with every member of the program being encouraged to take weekly private lessons available during the curricular day. All students audition into the Lockport Band Program, being placed into a Freshman ensemble or into the three tiered East Campus ensembles. All Ensembles meet daily for a fifty minute period, while the Symphonic Band and the Wind Symphony have an additional twenty-five minute daily sectional period. The Wind Symphony attends eight to ten festivals, while presenting upwards of twelve concerts annually. Multiple band members are selected for the Illinois Music Education Association District Honor Band and Orchestras, All-State Bands and Orchestras, and various Chicagoland Youth Orchestras. The ensemble has toured multiple world-class concert halls, performed at both the Music Educator’s National Conference and Illinois Music Education Conference, the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles International Conference, and the College Band Directors National Association North Central Division Conference, been consistently selected to the University of Illinois Superstate Band Festival, and presented six performances at the Music for All National Concert Band Festival. In 2008, the Lockport Band Program was awarded the prestigious Sudler Flag from the John Philip Sousa Foundation recognizing high school band programs internationally that have demonstrated particularly significant high standards of excellence in concert activities over a period of several years. This performance will mark the program’s fourth performance at The Midwest Clinic.

Lockport Township High School Wind Symphony

Conductor's Bio

Brian Covey, Director of Bands Brian Covey is the Visual and Performing Arts Chairman, in addition to serving as Director of Bands at Lockport Township High School. Mr. Covey was appointed Director in 2003 after serving two years as Associate Director of Bands. While maintaining the Department, he conducts the Wind Symphony and the Freshman concert ensemble in addition to overseeing the athletic performance ensembles. Prior to joining Lockport High School, Mr. Covey attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he earned his Bachelors of Music Education degree, a Masters of Music Education degree at VanderCook College of Music, and an additional Masters in Educational Administration from The University of St. Francis. Under his direction, the concert ensembles at Lockport Township High School have performed at numerous competitions and festivals throughout the state and country, consistently receiving Superior ratings. The Wind Symphony has become a nationally respected ensemble with performance highlights including the Illinois Superstate Festival at the University of Illinois (every year since 2004), the National Association for Music Education National Conference (2008), the Illinois Music Education Conference (2001, 2010, 2022), The Music for All National Concert Band Festival (2006, 2008, 2016, 2018), The World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles International Conference (2009), and The Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic (2008, 2013, 2021). The Wind Symphony has been named a Mark of Excellence National Wind Band Honors National Winner (2010, 2013, 2016, 2020) and in 2008 was awarded the John Philip Sousa Foundation Sudler Flag of Honor. Mr. Covey has served as an adjudicator and clinician for many local and regional schools. He holds numerous Citations of Excellence from the National Band Association where he serves as a High School Representative on the Board of Directors, been awarded the “Chicagoland Educator of the Year”, the “Mildred Jackson Lockport Township High School Teacher of the Year Award”, and was highlighted in School Band and Orchestra Magazine. He is a member of the prestigious American Bandmaster's Association, Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society, Phi Beta Mu International Bandmaster's Fraternity, American School Band Directors Association, and is the Illinois Music Education Association’s State Band Division President.

Additional Directors

Aaron Kennedy

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