Pike County Conference Honor Band holds concert
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By DAVID CAMPHOUSE
David Camphouse/Pike Press
Perry composer and band director Bill Camphouse directs high school musicians from Pittsfield, Payson, and Meredosia-Chambersburg on March 13. The event was connected to the Pike County Conference Honor Band.
For the first time since 2019, the Pike County Conference Honor Band event was held Tuesday evening at Pittsfield High School.
More than 40 students from Pittsfield, Meredosia-Chambersburg, and Payson participated in the event.
According to Pittsfield band director Justin Bangert, the event is a valuable event for small school band students to gain a richer experience than they might otherwise.
“For the students, it gives them an opportunity to play in a larger, full ensemble,” Bangert said.
In addition, Bangert said that the conference band event was an opportunity to be led by a conductor other than their regular band teacher.”
The group will be conducted by guest conductor Bill Campbouse of Perry.
Camphouse is engaged in music making with student, community-based and professional performing ensembles. In addition to experience as a public school music educator, he developed and led a comprehensive music program at Kaskaskia College in Centralia. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois, was awarded a Morris Doctoral Fellowship from Southern Illinois University and studied conducting with John Paynter (Northwestern University) and Katherine Comet (St. Louis Symphony).
He was awarded the Illinois Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity Outstanding Composition Award for his work Let Every Man Remember, a collaboration with the late Senator Paul Simon commemorating the life and times of abolitionist Elijah Lovejoy. He has appeared as a guest conductor at regional festivals, presented clinics at the Illinois Music Educators Association All-State Conference and composes pieces designed for developing string orchestras published by the Kjos Music Publishing Company.
Camphouse offers that the event offers a certain set of kids in local high schools an opportunity to connect.
“It lets kids in the area get together that share a similar interest – music – and it lets them perform in a full ensemble,” Camphouse said.
In addition, Camphouse said that the special performance offered an opportunity for students to practice their instruments with a full ensemble for an extended period of time.
“They’ll have an intensified rehearsal period – an extended rehearsal with a full band,” Camphouse said.
Also according to Camphouse, the event brings students and parents together.
“It gives kids an opportunity to meet like minded individuals,” Camphouse said. “And it gives parents an opportunity to appreciate and celebrate their kids’ talents.”
