Gallery • 6 Photos

Addi Sriram

LHS Euphoniums and tubas in the mass band setup conducted by Randy Sundell . After each LHS band performance they would transfer to their mass band positions to make the transition easier for the end of the concert. “I think the biggest challenge is the logistics of getting one band from one setup to the next and the amount of time that it takes,” said Helvie.

On Nov. 19, 2025, students from the LHS band department performed with bands from area feeder schools in the main gym for their annual band fest. The concert is an important one for the department, offering the middle schoolers a look into playing at the high school level and continuing to foster their love for music. 

The concert started with the combined middle school band  – Highland, Oak Grove, and Rondout – performing “At the Crossroads” by Robert W. Smith and “Scream!” by Randall Standridge. “Scream!” utilized actual screaming done by the trombone section as well as an Aztec death whistle, a skull shaped whistle that replicates a human scream. The whistle has historically been used to scare off animals or enemies, but for the purposes of the band concert, they were bought off Amazon for 10 dollars. 

The Middle School Combined Band was followed by the LHS Symphonic Band conducted by Dustin Helvie. The band played “A Time to Dance” by Julie Giroux, a song with contrasting melodies to reflect different seasons. They were followed by the Symphonic Winds which played “Riptide” by American composer Katahj Copley. The band utilized a conch shell for an ocean-like feel throughout the piece. The Wind Ensemble closed out the LHS part of the concert with two pieces, “The World is Waiting for the Sunrise” by Harry Alford and “Havana” by Kevin Day. Finally, the bands combined in a mass band setup to play “Tripwire” by Jarod Hall and “On Cloud Nine!” by Richard Saucedo.

At every middle school/LHS festival the music department invites a guest conductor to work with the bands. This year Randy Sundell, who recently retired as the band director from Vernon Hills, joined the LHS and feeder school bands to shape their pieces and to conduct them through select pieces in the concert. Sundell worked with the group during the school day in preparation for the event, making sure that, even with only having one day to rehearse together, the band sounded cohesive and blended. During the concert Sundell conducted five out of the eight pieces. 

“All I did was come in and work with them today, they were ready to go. I didn’t have to do much with them. They have great teachers, middle school and high school. So their sound, I mean, again, I didn’t have to do a lot,they sound really good,” said Sundell.

The concert was created to give the middle schoolers a chance to collaborate with the high school band and to get a feel of their futures in the music department. 

“I hope they take away just an opportunity that there’s a place in the LHS band program for them. They don’t need to, you know, be an incredible player. We’ll give them all the tools that they need, and to just know that, to commit these last four years, sometimes five years, we want to just see that progression and get them to LHS to see what the awesome things that we can do here and the awesome opportunities we have,” said band director and fine arts supervisor Dustin Helvie. 

“It’s the best part of my day. And I love that it’s a period where I can just take a break from doing school work and tests and being stressed about college and stuff, and just listen to good music, play good music, be around amazing people that have the same passion for music that I do, and it’s just a great place to be,” Said senior horn player James Sims. 

The band will perform next at their winter concert on February 18th in the LHS auditorium.