The Illinois Lutheran Honor Band Festival is a day long festival involving the top students from LCMS Lutheran Elementary Schools all across the state of Illinois. Directors nominate their top students and a band is then built with the most qualified students. Students who are accepted into their ILMEA All-District Band are guaranteed acceptance (must still be nominated by their director of course). Students younger than 8th grade who are selected are guaranteed acceptance for the following year (must still be nominated by their director of course). One student from every school who nominates is guaranteed acceptance. 

A brief history...

From it's beginnings at Concordia Lutheran School in Peoria in 2004, the festival has traveled throughout the state and been guest conducted by notable composers, university professors, and music educators. Our founding coordinator was Ms. Jennifer Moder, band director at Concordia Lutheran School in Peoria. In 2015, now bearing an IPhD degree, Dr. Jennifer Moder-Bell welcomed us to McKendree University for our first festival on a University campus. In 2018, the ILLHB commissioned and premiered "Reflections on a Lenten Hymn...All Fires Unholy..." by Todd Stalter under his baton back home at our founding school. In 2019 and again in 2023, we saw ILLHB participants Mr. Evan Bosaw and Ms. Hailey Borchers grow up to become Lutheran School Band Directors and bring students to the festival!

 We want students from your local LCMS Lutheran School to benefit from this festival! EMAIL US to be included this year!