Oswego District 308 bands participate in Illinois Super State Band Festival

Bands from Oswego School District 308 participated in the 50th annual SuperState Concert Band Festival on May 3-4.

Traughber Junior High School Symphonic Band and Oswego High School Bands — Wind Symphony , under the direction of Rachel Maxwell, Stephanie San Roman, and Kevin Schoenbach, participated in the festival.

The two-day event celebrates the middle school/junior high and high school band programs across the state.

The on-campus festival was held at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. “This is considered the most prestigious concert band festival in the state, according to a release from OsSchool District 308. Bands must submit auditions to be evaluated by panels of renowned conductors/educators and selected to perform,” according to a release from District 308.

The students who participated not only had the distinct honor of returning as the 2023 Honor Band for class 3A, but they also had a chance to listen to other bands from around the state, including the University of Illinois Wind Symphony, according to the release.

The students also visited the John Philip Sousa Archives Museum, and received comments from a nationally recognized panel, according to District 308.