Saint Viator’s Symphonic Band Headed Downstate

It’s a first! Saint Viator’s symphonic band has been selected to play at the Illinois SuperState Concert Band Festival or to put it simply: band members are going to state.

In what is thought to be the first time in the school’s history, the symphonic band – under the direction of Mr. Ben Clemons – has earned a berth to this highly selective festival, which opens on May 6 on the campus of the University of Illinois in Champaign.

 

Saint Viator is among nine schools competing in Class A, including its perennial rival at State of the Art, Marian Catholic High School. Overall, 27 high schools from across the state were selected.

 

“I’m incredibly excited for our students to have this opportunity,” Mr. Clemons says.” The selection process is done by college band directors who listen to hundreds of submissions that come in each year for this event.”

 

Earning their state berth came on the heels of being named grand champion at the State of the Art Catholic Band Competition in February, and their spring break trip to Nashville where they had a clinic with a music professor at Vanderbilt University, among other stops.

 

Mr. Clemons attributes the band’s success to the steady growth its musicians have made since last fall.

 

“There were some growing pains in the fall but being pushed a little more at the beginning of the year really set us up for success later on as we prepared for State of the Art,” he says. “Our preparation and level of focus on the day of our performance for State of the Art are the reason we performed as well as we did, which is ultimately what got us into SuperState.”

 

While many schools turn to recording studios for a quality audiotape to submit to the festival, Mr. Clemons submitted the band’s performance tape from State of the Art, and that got them in.

 

“I’m incredibly proud of that,” he adds.

 

For their performance, they will be playing a mixed repertoire, including a Spanish march by Jaime Texidor, a lyrical piece by Percy Grainger, and collections of dance music by Frank Ticheli and Bruce Yurko. 

 

Mr. Clemons describes the chance to bring his students down to Champaign as a dream come true. He played in as many ensembles as he could while earning his music education degree at U of I, including in the wind symphony, the Marching Illini, and basketball bands, as well as jazz band for a semester, its symphony orchestra for two semesters and in the pit for various theatre and opera productions.  

 

Each year, SuperState takes place in U of I’s historic Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, and that is reason enough for students to be excited. 

 

“What the students gain from taking in the spectacle of performing on the stage of the Krannert Center is so valuable,” Mr. Clemons says. “We have an opportunity to create a defining moment for the Saint Viator band program, and that’s something that the students will remember for the rest of their lives.”