Hitting the Highest Notes
Skokie Review – June 8, 2006
by Mike Isaacs
It’s difficult to imagine many school bands more honored in a single month than the McCracken Middle School Symphonic Band under director Chip De Stefano.
The series of successes for De Stefano’s band began early this month when it was chosen as the honor band at the SuperState Concert Band Festival in Champaign. This was the third time De Stefano’s band has been selected as the sole honor band from among the school bands that performed at the annual downstate event.
De Stefano also learned this month that the McCracken band will be one of three midde school bands to perform in the 2006 Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic scheduled for December in Chicago. The last time an Illinois band performed at the prestigious event was about 20 years ago.
“It takes a lot of hard work and an enormous amount of support by the administration to achieve these things,” said DeStefano.
“I’ve worked hard with kids who really are interested in what we’re doing.”
About 10 years ago, DeStefano succeeded veteran band director Don Stahlberg, who had run the program for 33 years. DeStefano said he has only tried to build on his predecessor’s success.
Following his first two years at McCracken, DeStefano guided his bands to the Superstate festival in Champaign every
year but one – seven in the 10 years he has been director.
This year’s band includes 23 eighth-graders, 23 seventh graders and nine sixth-graders. The band was selected based on an audition recording made in February.
In 2001, the last year the band was not selected for the downstate festival, DeStefano said he had a feeling something was a bit off when the audition recording was made.
But for this band of 2006, everything has been in perfect pitch.
Students went nuts when they learned we were the honor band.” De Stefano said. “For me, the best part is that you don’t have to audition next year. You’re automatically invited.”
De Stefano has been dreaming about the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic for many years. The application process is far more stringent, requiring a CD, video, key recommendations, photos of the band, and recordings from past year’s performances as well as music from this year. Hundreds of bands from across the world apply every year, De Stefano said.
The McCracken band and two bands from Texas will be the only middle school bands at the event, which is the largest instrumental music education conference in the world.
The Midwest Clinic is regularly attended by 14,000 music educators, students and professionals from 50 states and 30 nations, officials said. “(The McCracken band) will earn nationwide and even worldwide recognition,” said Midwest Clinic Executive Director Kelly Jocius.
The majority of the audience members at this concert will be music educators. Watching this fine group will reinforce to directors what is possible musically and educationally for motivated students, teachers, schools and communities.”
“T’m still stunned,” DeSte fano said about being accepted. “This is something band directors from across the world aspire to. This undoubtedly will be the highlight of my career.”
At 34, Glenview resident De Stefano still has a lot of career left in him. But from the time he arrived at McCracken, students have tried to reach the highest notes.
The music students take such pride in their accomplishments,” said Lynn Orman Weiss, whose daughter was part of a De Stefano honor band several years ago.
“Band enriches their cultural experience and academically it is proven to increase skills in reading and mathematies. It helps students focus and is invaluable in family bonding.”
David Rosario has two children in this year’s band, eighth-grader Rachael and sixth-grader Luke.
Although Rachael will have graduated by the time the band performs at the Midwest Clinic, she was part of two honor bands under DeStefano. “Mr. D. really gets them to do their best work,” David Rosario said. “They feel a tremendous effort to meet his expectations. Everyone has that desire to have some great teacher so they can do their best work. Mr. D is that teacher.”
DeStefano, though, is modest and says he’s working a dream job in a dream environment.
“I knew I wanted to be a band director as far back as sixth grade,” he said. “I had a wonderful band teacher then, and I couldn’t imagine a better job than being around music all day long. Now that I’m doing that, I still can’t.”