Directors

Once again we’d like to invite you to join us at The Venue in Aurora. This is free to the school but there is a $10 fee for parents and other guests.

Due to limited space on the stage we ask that you limit your group size to 25 or less.  If you have more students than this please figure out a rotation schedule for the performance.  In addition to listening to the Pete Ellman Big Band perform we invite directors to sit in with us and if you’d like we’ll feature you on a song or two. There are also opportunities for students to sit in during the PEBB performance.

Here are the dates for the upcoming 2024 – 2025 school year

DATE Assigned School(s) Director Name(s)
10/1/2024 Youth Jazz Ens of DuPage Robert Blazek
10/8/2024 St. Charles North HS John Wojciechowski
10/15/2024 Elmhurst College Kirk Garrison
10/22/2024 Addison Trail HS Mike Kennedy
10/29/2024 College of DuPage Matt Shevitz
11/5/2024 Hinsdale South HS Matt Goeke
11/12/2024 Batavia HS Brian VanKley
11/19/2024 Lisle HS (2 groups) Scott Gumina & Phillip Meyer
11/26/2024 Maine South HS Christopher Buti
12/3/2024 Downers Grove North HS Jessen Smith
12/10/2024 Hinsdale Central HS (2 groups) Grace Adduci & Matt Kurinsky
12/17/2024 Bolingbrook HS Bob Hanerhoff
12/24/2024 Off
12/31/2024 Off
1/7/2025 Yorkville HS Robert Vreizen
1/14/2025 Oswego & Oswego East HS Kevin Schoenbach & Stevan Rexroat
1/21/2025 Homewood Floosmoor HS Sarah Whitlock
1/28/2025 Rotolo MS & Batavia HS Keith Osvath & Brian VanKley
2/4/2025 Evanston HS Matt Bufis
2/11/2025 Metea Valley High School Josh Kaminsky
2/18/2025 West Aurora HS (2 groups) Greg Hensel & Victor Anderson
2/25/2025 Dekalb HS Steve Lundin
2/27/2025 PEBB Jazz Fest Day 1 Vocal Jazz
2/28/2025 PEBB Jazz Fest Day 2 Instrumental Jazz Groups
3/1/2025 PEBB Jazz Fest Day 3 Instrumental Jazz Groups
3/5/2025 (Weds) Dundee Crown HS Will Brocker
3/11/2025 East Aurora HS (2 groups) Brian Liska
3/18/2025 West Chicago HS Marissa Janiszewski
3/25/2025 Nequa Valley HS Jonathan Lauff
4/1/2025 Libertyville HS Matt Karnstadt
4/8/2025 Waubonsie Valley HS (2 groups) Tom Tait & Kevin Carroll
4/15/2025 Rolling Meadows & Plainfield Central HS Elliot Hile & Ryan Kazda
4/22/2025 Wheaton Warrenville South & Sycamore HS Christopher Miller & Scott Mertens
4/29/2025 Plainfield North & South HS Jason La Vallee & Luke Podvrsan
5/6/2025 Blackhawk MS & Thornridge HS William Winters & Sam Pilnick
5/13/2025 Niles West HS Justin Johnson
5/20/2025 Hinsdale Middle School George Andrikokus
5/27/2025 Clarendon Hills Middle School Eric Morong

 

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Single groups, your band will perform a 1/2 hour set from 6:45 – 7:15 pm and the Pete Ellman Big Band will play from 7:30 – 9pm. Two groups from the same school will start at 6:30 and end at 7:15 pm. Two groups from separate schools will start at 6:30 and end at 7:30 pm.  We ask that you plan to stay until 9 pm with your students so they get the experience of listening to, and in some cases, playing with a professional big band.  “The Venue” in Aurora is a world class performance facility that you, your students, and parents are sure to enjoy! We provide stands for a typical big band set up as well as mics, drumset, bass amp (new Hartke), and piano.

 

Click Here to sign-up for any open performance dates. The link became active at 9:00 am on Monday, August 26, 2024, and will remain active as long as there open dates on the calendar.