Hubble Middle Meets NIU for Band Day 2016

The Hubble Middle School band was invited to participate in the Northern Illinois University Marching Band High School Invite on Saturday, September 25 where they performed at halftime. This was their second time participating in this event and Mr. Blake Jancius, Hubble’s Band Director, plans to make this an annual event for his students. Mr. Jancius stated, “This was a ‘WOW!’ event for many of my students because it was their first exposure to a university.”

The WWEA wanted to know more about how Mr. Jancius created this opportunity for his students. He stated that three years ago his band students participated with the Wheaton Municipal Band where Dr. Thomas Bough was the guest artist. District 200 received a music grant from the JCS Foundation and Mr. Jancius proposed that the funds be used for master classes and clinics. He began to take his 7th and 8th grade band students to work with Dr. Bough for a day at NIU rehearsing in a concert hall. As a percussion alumnus, he coordinated a demonstration with the NIU Wind Symphony and a Steel Pan graduate assistant. He asked Dr. Bough if he would entertain the idea of his students performing on the field at the NIU High School Band Day, which was the start of this excellent, annual opportunity for Hubble students.

Thank you, Mr. Blake Jancius, for coordinating engaging and meaningful opportunities that promote music for your students. This will be an opportunity they will never forget.