SIC hosts inaugural High School Honor Band and Choir Festival

Southeastern Illinois College hosted its first High School Honor Band and Choir Festival on Thursday, Jan. 15, bringing together some of the region’s most accomplished young musicians for a day of collaborative music-making and performance.

The festival culminated in a concert at the George T. Dennis Visual & Performing Arts Center Theatre, featuring 27 vocalists and 45 band musicians representing five SIC-district high schools, along with one homeschooled student.

Students were selected for the honor ensembles and worked throughout the day under the direction of guest conductors Lauren W. Arnett, choral conductor, and Brandon Bryant, Honor Band conductor and SIC Band Instructor.

Arnett currently teaches elementary music in Carterville and previously served as a junior high and high school choral director, with students earning consistent top placements at IHSA Solo and Ensemble competitions. She holds degrees from Murray State University and Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Bryant is an accomplished performer and educator who has worked with Grammy Award–winning artists and currently serves as an adjunct music professor at Southeastern Illinois College, where he teaches applied lessons and directs the Community Jazz Band.

Bryant said the event emphasized both musical excellence and shared experience. “These students showed an impressive level of focus, flexibility, and musicianship,” Bryant said. “Bringing together students from different schools allowed them to challenge themselves, listen more deeply, and grow as ensemble musicians.”

The concert program included a wide range of choral and instrumental selections, showcasing technical skill, musical expression, and ensemble performance.

“When students connect with peers from other schools who share their passion for music, they grow,” said Dr. Tyler Billman, Executive Dean of Academic Services. “When they learn from accomplished educators and are given meaningful performance opportunities, that growth accelerates. That is what the College wanted to provide for our area high school instrumentalists and vocalists.”

SIC plans to continue the High School Honor Band and Choir Festival as an annual opportunity for area students to collaborate, perform, and experience music at the collegiate level.

###