More than 200 young musicians from around the region will come together Feb. 11 and 12 for the 11th Annual Heartland Honor Band Festival, sponsored by the School of Music at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. The two groups are made up of high school instrumentalists from Illinois, Indiana and Missouri. The two-day festival concludes with a free concert by the honor bands and SIUC's Wind Ensemble at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12, in Shryock Auditorium.
Admission is free.
Senior and junior musicians make up the Maroon Band, which will be conducted by composer Jared Spears. Spears, who retired from Arkansas State University in May 1999, now lives in Jonesboro. He has composed more than 250 pieces of music for band, choir, orchestra and chamber ensembles. Michael Willson, director of bands at McClintock High School in Tempe, Ariz., will conduct the White Band, consisting of freshmen and sophomores. Willson has taught music education in Arizona public schools for more than 25 years.