© Photo by Lindsay Nootbaar
The 54th Annual Mundelein Invitational will take place at Mundelein High School on Saturday, March 9. Forty-two high school and middle school jazz bands/combos will participate in performances and clinics throughout the day critiqued by 10 noted clinicians. A $5 admission charge is good for the whole day. Twin Talk is the guest artist performing from 12:40 p.m. - 1:40 p.m. in the Auditorium. Twin Talk is known for using live performances as opportunities to stretch—expanding on composed material and ditching set lists in favor of calling tunes on the fly. Andrew Sturgeon and Jerry Shelato direct the instrumental music program at MHS.
High School Top Big Bands will perform in the Auditorium beginning with Maine West High School Jazz Ensemble at 8 a.m. Others include Grant High School Jazz Ensemble, 8:25 a.m.; Woodstock High School Jazz Ensemble, 8:50 a.m.; Burlington Central High School Jazz Lab Band at 9:15 a.m.; Niles West High School Jazz Band at 9:40 a.m.; Marmion Rosary Jazz Ensemble at 10:05 a.m.; Palatine High School Jazz Ensemble at 10:30 a.m.; Danville High School 10th Degree at 10:55 a.m. Wheaton North High School Jazz Ensemble at 11:20 a.m.; Mundelein High School Jazz Orchestra at 11:45 a.m. and McHenry High School Jazz Ensemble at 12:10 p.m.
The schedule will continue following the performance by Twin Talk beginning with John Hersey High School Jazz Ensemble 1 at 2 p.m.; Libertyville High School Jazz Ensemble at 2:25 p.m.; Carmel Catholic Jazz Ensemble at 2:50 p.m.; Elk Grove High School Jazz Ensemble 1 at 3:15 p.m.; Wheeling High School Jazz Band 1 at 3:40 p.m.; Prospect High School Jazz Band 1 at 4:05 p.m.; Warren Township High School Jazz Ensemble 1 at 4:30 p.m.; Fond Du Lac High School Jazz 1 at 4:55 p.m.; and Mundelein High School Jazz Ensemble at 5:20 p.m.
Middle School and high school combos will perform in the Media Center from 8 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. and include Wheaton North High School Jazz Band, Antioch Middle School, James Hart Middle School, Sycamore Middle School Jazz Band, Wheeling High School Combo, John Hersey High School Combo 2, Marmion Rosary Jazz Combo, Palatine High School Combo, Mundelein High School Jazz Combo, John Hersey High School Combo 1 and Carmel High School Combo.
Middle School and High School second bands will perform in the band room performance space. Those include Fremont Sixth Grade Jazz Band, Fremont Seventh Grade Jazz Band, Fremont Eighth Grade Jazz Band, John Hersey High School Jazz Ensemble 2, McHenry High School Jazz Band, Prospect High School Jazz Band 2, Carl Sandburg Middle School Jazz Band, Libertyville High School Jazz Lab Band and Wheeling High School Jazz Band 2.
Award presentations will take place in the Auditorium from 6 to 6:20 p.m.