Batavia Band Festival

Since 2018, the Batavia Bands have hosted the Batavia Band Festival, which welcomes high school non-top bands to perform in the Batavia Fine Arts Centre in a non-competitive atmosphere with clinicians suited for this level of student. The Batavia Band Festival is the first exclusively non-top band festival of its kind in Illinois. 

The 2025 Festival will be held on Saturday, February 8th.

Each ensemble receives a 20-minute professionally recorded performance on our tremendous Batavia Fine Arts Center Main Stage. Each ensemble also receives comments from our clinicians specifically chosen for this festival, a percussionist-only commentary, and a 45-minute clinic with one of our clinicians specifically chosen to enhance the educational experience for students and directors alike. There are no awards, ratings, or placements for this clinic – we are just trying to create wonderful educational experiences for all of the student performers.

The cost for this festival is $325 for each performing ensemble. Invoices will be sent upon acceptance.

Our adjudicators for the 2025 Batavia Band Festival are below:

Dr. Stacey Dolan – Assistant Director of Bands and Dean – VanderCook College of Music

Dr. Kimberly Fleming – Assistant Director of Bands –  The University of Illinois @ Urbana-Champaign

Dr. James Lambrecht – Director of Bands – Augustana College

Rachel Maxwell – Director of Bands – Traughber Junior High School 

Matt Plaskota – Freelance Percussion Teacher and Private Instructor (percussion clinician)

Brayer Teague – Department Chair and Director of Bands – Downers Grove North High School (retired)

Dr. Serena Weren – Director of Bands and Professor of Music – University of Illinois @ Chicago

Registration for this event will open on Tuesday, September 3rd at 8:00 am. Register here.

See this list of previously performed literature and the ensembles that have performed at the Batavia Band Festival.

Questions about the Batavia Band Festival can be directed to Chris Owen.