Batavia Wind Symphony at Symphony Center in Chicago, March 2023

Curricular Bands

The 2023-2024 school year marks the 96th year of the Batavia Bands. The Batavia High School band program consists of four curricular concert bands and two percussion classes serving 190 students, or about 10% of the Batavia High School population. Performance-based classes meet year-round, and all are taught on the block schedule. Each student is placed into a 9th grade ensemble as a freshman based on the instrument  – woodwind, brass, and percussion – allowing for individualized instruction by families of instruments. Upperclassmen bands are chosen by audition. All bands perform in five home concerts each year, including the Pops Concert in October, the Kaleidoscope Concert and Kaleidoscope Home Holiday Special in December, the Winter Concert in February, the All-City Concert in April, and the Senior Concert in May. Both directors’ curricular bands are team-taught throughout the year, allowing for pull-out lessons, sectionals, and chamber music coaching. 

The Batavia Wind Symphony is an ensemble of 50+ musicians ranging from freshmen to seniors chosen by audition. In recent years, the Batavia Wind Symphony has performed often in the surrounding region, including the Illinois State University Concert Band Festival, the Chicagoland Invitational Concert Band Festival, the Western Illinois University Showcase of Bands, and the University of Illinois Superstate Concert Band Festival annually since 2017. The Batavia Wind Symphony performed at the Illinois Music Education Conference in 2018 and 2023 and debuted at Orchestra Hall in Chicago in March 2023. The Wind Symphony has performed with the Wheaton College Symphonic Band, the Palatine Concert Band, the Northshore Concert Band, the Northern Illinois University Wind Ensemble, and the Fox Valley Concert Band. Since 2018, the Batavia Bands have hosted the Batavia Band Festival, which hosts high school non-top bands to perform in the Batavia Fine Arts Centre in a non-competitive atmosphere for clinicians suited for the appropriate level.

Information about auditioning and joining the Batavia Bands can be found HERE.