Honor Band History

The Illinois SuperState Concert Band Festival invites only the finest wind band programs in the state of Illinois based on competitive application. Every band invited represents the very finest the state has to offer. Each year, an honor band is selected from these fantastic performances. Honor bands are selected to return the following year for a featured concert at the close of each classification and can not be considered for honor band until the next year. Below, the year listed is the year the ensembles were selected for this distinctive honor.  Each of these groups perform their honor concert the following year.  

2024

MS/JH: McCracken Middle School
Director: Chip De Stefano

Class 1A: Vernon Hills High School
Director: Randy Sundell

Class 2A: Maine South High School
Director: David Hutter

Class 3A: Lockport Township High School
Director: Brian Covey

2023

MS/JH: Field Middle School
Director: Mike Miller

Class 1A: Morton High School
Directors: Katrina Fitzpatrick and Craig Hatter

Class 2A: John Hersey High School
Director: Spencer Hile

Class 3A: Oswego High School
Directors: Stephanie San Roman and Kevin Schoenbach

2022

MS/JH: Wood Oaks Junior High School
Director: Wayne Gordon

Class 1A: Marian Catholic High School
Director: Greg Bimm

Class 2A: Vernon Hills High School
Director: Randy Sundell

Class 3A: O’Fallon Township High School
Director: Melissa Gustafson-Hinds

[Due to COVID-19, SuperState was not held in 2020 or 2021.]

2019

Class MS/JH: McCracken Middle School
Director: Chip De Stefano

Class 1A: Monticello High School
Director: Alison Allender

Class 2A: Tinley Park High School
Director: Vince Aiello

Class 3A: John Hersey High School
Director: Scott Casagrande

Class 4A: Evanston High School
Director: Matthew Bufis

2018

MS/JH: Field Middle School
Director: Mike Miller

Class 1A: O’Fallon Township High School Freshman Band
Director: Sean Harris

Class 2A: Marian Catholic High School
Director: Greg Bimm

Class 3A: Libertyville High School
Director: Adam Gohr

Class 4A: Waubonsie Valley High School
Director: Mark Duker

2017

MS/JH: McCracken Middle School
Directors: Chip De Stefano and David Morrison

Class 1A: Illiana Christian High School
Director: Patricia Menninga

Class 2A: Champaign Central High School
Director: John Currey

Class 3A: John Hersey High School
Director: Scott Casagrande

Class 4A: Warren Township High School
Director: Kurt Gros

2016

MS/JH: Wood Oaks Junior High School
Director: Wayne Gordon

Class 1A: Lockport Township High School Freshman Band
Director: Brian Covey

Class 2A: Marian Catholic High School
Director: Greg Bimm

Class 3A: Wheeling High School
Director: Brian Logan

Class 4A: Lockport Township High School
Director: Brian Covey

2015

MS/JH: McCracken Middle School
Director: Chip De Stefano

Class 1A: Monticello High School
Director: Allison Allender

Class 2A: Tinley Park High School
Director: Vincent Aiello

Class 3A: United Township High School
Director: David Maccabee

Class 4A: Naperville North High School
Director: Dan Moore
 

2014

MS/JH: Central Middle School
Director: Jason Freeland

Class 1A: Illiana Christian High School
Director: Patricia Menninga

Class 2A: Normal West High School
Director: Lisa Preston

Class 3A: Yorkville High School
Director: Victor Anderson

Class 4A: Lockport Township High School
Director: Brian Covey

2013

MS/JH: McCracken Middle School
Director: Chip De Stefano

Class 1A: Marian Catholic High School Concert Band  
Director: Bobby Lambert

Class 2A: Vernon Hills High School
Director: Randy Sundell 

Class 3A: Libertyville High School
Director: Don Shupe
 

2012

MS/JH: MacArthur Middle School
Director: Michael Malek

Class 1A: Illiana Christian High School
Director: Patricia Menninga

Class 2A: Yorkville High School
Directors: Victor Anderson, Nicholas Cagle

Class 3A: John Hersey High School
Director: Scott Casagrande
 

2011

MS/JH: McCracken Middle School
Director: Chip De Stefano

Class 1A: Macomb Senior High School
Director: David Wetmore

Class 2A: Vernon Hills High School
DirectorS: Randy Sundell, Dave Tribley

Class 3A: Libertyville High School
Directors: Jeff Daeschler, Dustin Helvie

2010

MS/JH: Troy Middle School
Director: Ted Lega

Class 1A: Illiana Christian High School
Director: Patricia Menninga

Class 2A: Marian Catholic High School
Director: Greg Bimm 

Class 3A: Warren Township High School
Director: Kurt Gros

2009

MS/JH: Clarendon Hills Middle School
Director: Terrence Melbourn

Class 1A: Macomb Senior High School
Director: David Wetmore

Class 2A: Vernon Hills High School
Director: Randy Sundell

Class 3A: Libertyville High School
Director: Don Shupe

2008

MS/JH: Westlake Middle School

Class 1A: Illiana Christian High School
Director: Patricia Menninga

Class 2A: Marian Catholic High School
Director: Greg Bimm

Class 3A: John Hersey High School
Direcgtor: Scott Casagrande

2007

MS/JH: Troy Middle School

Class 1A: Canton High School

Class 2A: Glenbard South High School

Class 3A: Libertyville High School
Director: Don Shupe

2006

MS/JH: McCracken Middle School
Director: Chip De Stefano

Class 1A: Illiana Christian High School
Director: Patricia Menninga

Class 2A: Vernon Hills High School

Class 3A: Lockport Township High School 

2005

MS/JH: Hadley Junior High School

Class 1A: Macomb Senior High School

Class 2A: Normal Community West High School

Class 3A: Prospect High School 

2004

MS/JH: Wilmette Junior High School

Class 1A: Illiana Christian High School
Director: Patricia Menninga

Class 2A: Urbana High School

Class 3A: Libertyville High School
Director: Don Shupe

2003

MS/JH: McCracken Middle School
Director: Chip De Stefano

Class 1A: Clinton Community High School

Class 2A: Champaign Centennial High School

Class 3A: Glenbard East High School 

2002

MS/JH: Hadley Junior High School
Director: Don Crews

Class 1A: Illiana Christian High School
Director: Patricia Menninga

Class 2A: Champaign Central High School
Director: John Currey

Class 3A: District 128 Wind Ensemble
Director: Don Shupe

2001

MS/JH: Glenview Middle School

Class 1A: Villa Grove High School

Class 2A: Normal Community West High School

Class 3A: Joliet Central High School 

2000

MS/JH: McCracken Middle School
Director: Chip De Stefano

Class 1A: Illiana Christian High School

Class 2A: Galesburg High School

Class 3A: Libertyville High School Wind Ensemble

1999

MS/JH: Hadley Junior High School

Class 1A: Macomb Senior High School

Class 2A: Normal Community West High School

Class 3A: Lockport Township High School 

1998

MS/JH: Urbana Middle School and Glenview Middle School

Class 2A: Marian Catholic High School
Director: Greg Bimm

Class 3A: Libertyville High School Wind Ensemble

1997

MS/JH: Carl Sandburg Middle School

Class 1A: Macomb Senior High School

Class 2A: Normal Community West High School

Class 3A: Joliet Central High School

1996

MS/JH: Memorial Junior High School

Class 2A: TF South High School
Director: Mike Madonia

Class 3A: Libertyville High School

1995

MS/JH: Homer Junior High School
Director: Sherri Lyons

Class 2A: Marian Catholic High School
Director: Greg Bimm

Class 3A: Joliet Central High School

1994

MS/JH: Rhodes Middle School

Class 1A: Macomb Senior High School

Class 2A: Galesburg High School

Class 3A: Naperville North High School

1993

MS/JH: 

Class A: 

Class AA: 

Class AAA: 

1992

MS/JH: Thompson Middle School

Class 1A: Highland High School

Class 2A: Glenbard South High School

Class 3A: Joliet Central High School

1991

MS/JH: 

Class A: 

Class 2A: 

Class 3A: 

1990

MS/JH: Central Middle School

Class 1A: Coal City High School

Class 2A: Warren Township High School

Class 3A: Joliet Central High School

1989

MS/JH: Thompson Middle School

Class A: 

Class 2A: Glenbard South High School

Class 3A: Danville High School

1988

MS/JH: West Aurora Middle School

Class 1A: Coal City High School

Class 2A: Marian Catholic High School
Director: Greg Bimm

Class 3A: Joliet Central High School