CONCERT AT SYMPHONY CENTER CHICAGO ... - bgband.org

BUFFALO GROVE HIGH SCHOOL
The Symphonic Band at Buffalo Grove High School is part of a comprehensive music program that promotes the study and
performance of great literature. The Symphonic Band was honored when it was invited to perform at the Illinois Music Educators’
Association All-State Festival in Peoria, Illinois in 2003. As evidenced in tonight’s program, the band has a rich history of learning
and performing orchestral transcriptions along with literature composed for the wind and percussion medium. Presenting a
challenging, balanced curriculum based on the literature is the core of our program. The focus of the body of work this ensemble has
been a concentration of quality literature in the repertoire. Providing students the opportunity to perform great music in amazing
performance venues for appreciative audiences is the prize we covet the most.
Edward R. Jacobi, Jr. is in his 33 rd year as a high school band director, and his 27 th year as the Director of Bands at Buffalo Grove
High School. He previously served as the Band Director at Lake Zurich High School in Lake Zurich, Illinois and as the Assistant
Band Director and Director of Jazz Studies at Clinton High School in Clinton, Iowa. He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s
Degrees from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. He began his band experience at Lane Tech High School in Chicago
where he learned the classic literature that is our art form, and trained with the best musicians in the city. Mr. Jacobi has directed nine
successful concert tours to Europe with his bands, and since 1990 has hosted an annual school-to-school exchange with the
Landstraßer Gymnasium in Vienna, Austria. Ed has also coordinated the District 214 Honor Band for over twenty years. He is a past
recipient of the District 214 Outstanding Contributions to Education Award and in 2004 he received the Principal’s Award at Buffalo
Grove High School.
The Buffalo Grove High School administration, parents, and Symphonic Band students and directors would like to congratulate and
thank the Wind Ensembles from Mundelein and St. Charles North High Schools, and their directors, Mr. Stombres, Mr. Wis, Mr.
Gohr, and Mr. Farmer. We so appreciate the privilege to perform with you on this stage. The opportunity was never on our radar
until you called and invited us to join you. Because of this, you presented a once in a lifetime opportunity to our musicians, and the
thrill for their families to see and hear our performance in the home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Tonight’s concert is a
celebration of music and each other. Thank you so much.
MUNDELEIN HIGH SCHOOL
The Mundelein High School Wind Ensemble is the premiere performing ensemble of the 4 concert bands at the school, performing
about 10 times each year in both home concerts and offsite performances, and has been fortunate enough to be selected to the
University of Illinois Superstate Concert Band Festival, the Illinois Music Educators’ Association All-State Clinic, and the Western
Illinois University Honor Band Festival. They regularly perform at numerous other festivals throughout the region, and have worked
with clinicians from a wide variety of colleges and universities. The band program at Mundelein High School serves 230 students
with a marching band, 4 concert bands, 2 jazz bands, pep band, show choir combo, and pit orchestra, as well as a number of chamber
ensembles and combos. Combined with the vocal music and theatre programs, the performing arts department at MHS presents a
diverse and comprehensive approach to arts education.
Adam Gohr, Director of Bands, is a graduate of the University of Illinois (B.M.E.) and Penn State University (M.M.E.), and was
selected as one of Northwestern University’s Music Education Fellows in the summer of 2010. Mr. Gohr has taught every level of
music student from kindergarten through college in his 13 year teaching career. He is currently active as a conductor, clinician,
adjudicator, and performer, and has guest lectured at Elmhurst College, VanderCook College, and Lake Forest College. He is a
member of MENC, the Illinois Music Educators’ Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. For the past seven years, he has worked as
Director of Bands at Mundelein High School, where in addition to his band duties he teaches Music Theory and conducts the Pit
Orchestra. Mr. Gohr lives in the western suburbs with his wife Kendra (a former student of Jim Stombres and Brian Wis) and their
children, Owen and Annabelle.
We would like to give special thanks to Dr. Gregory Beyer and the Northern Illinois University Percussion Studio for the use of the
Taiko drums for tonight’s performance.
ST. CHARLES NORTH HIGH SCHOOL
More than 500 students take part in at least one music class at Saint Charles North (SCN), where the total student body numbers about
2,000. Music courses include five choirs, six concert bands, three orchestras, four big bands, three vocal jazz ensembles, and AP
Music Theory. Extra curricular offerings include madrigals, chamber groups, and the spring musical (marching band is a co-curricular
component of the concert band classes). Private instruction is available during the school day for both vocalists and instrumentalists.
In an effort to keep the focus on the music itself, the SCN music department does not participate in contests or rated festivals.
The music department at St. Charles North High School has been recognized twice by the GRAMMY Foundation as a Signature
School. Ensembles at SCN have appeared at the Illinois Music Educators Association All State Convention, The Disney Honors, The
American Choral Directors Association Midwest Regional, the Jazz Educators Network Convention, and the Midwest International
Clinic.