Northshore Concert Band is pleased to announce a new partnership with Loyola Academy, combining over a century of academic excellence with a tradition of musical excellence on Chicago’s North Shore.
Throughout its history, Northshore Concert Band has been a staple of musical life in Wilmette, home of Loyola Academy. The Band has presented over 100 concerts at Wilmette’s Gillson Park — the first on August 19, 1958, under the direction of NCB founder John P. Paynter, and the most recent on October 17, 2021, under the baton of Dr. Mallory Thompson. For many years, the band rehearsed and performed at the Howard School, and for a time was known as the Wilmette Community Concert Band (1960-62) and Northshore Concert Band of Wilmette (1962-81). NCB has presented over 20 concerts at Loyola Academy dating back to 1961.
Northshore Concert Band founder John P. Paynter leads the band at Wilmette’s Gillson Park.
John P. Paynter leads Northshore Concert Band at Loyola Academy — a concert often paired with sweet delicacies.
McGrath Family Performing Arts Center
Rendering of the McGrath Family Performing Arts Center courtesy of Kreck Sexton Partners, April 2022.
The McGrath Family Performing Arts Center is a 29,000 square-foot building with integrated indoor and outdoor performance spaces designed to accommodate a wide variety of performing arts mediums. Behind a dramatic, glass entry sits the Leemputte Family Theater — a 567-seat proscenium theater complete with a balcony, orchestra pit, fly tower, and state-of-the-art lighting and production technologies. The Leemputte Family Theater is the home of Northshore Concert Band, serving as our weekly rehearsal destination and location for multiple concerts since the 2022/23 Season.
Cross section of the Leemputte Family Theater courtesy of Kreck Sexton Partners, April 2022.
The McGrath Family Performing Arts Center was designed by Krueck Sexton Partners — a Chicago-based architecture firm with a broad portfolio of commercial, educational, and theatrical spaces — with the consultation of students in Loyola’s American Institute of Architecture chapter, parents, donors, and community stakeholders. The building is predominantly precast concrete, providing ample mass for acoustic performance — a requirement given the building’s proximity to the Edens Expressway.
Eco-friendly construction meets modern design at the Performing Arts Center. The total carbon impact of building materials is the equivalent to converting the 20-acre Loyola Academy campus into an old-growth oak forest for 30 years. Furthermore, high efficiency building systems will be installed in anticipation of running exclusively on solar power in the future.
Educational Opportunities for Loyola Academy Students
Northshore Concert Band is not only known for its musical excellence but also its commitment to music education. Our membership is diverse and consists of many music professionals, as well as lawyers, accountants, consultants, administrative professionals, and more. For that reason, we are dedicated to enriching the lives of young people with high quality musical experiences and demonstrating that music can be enjoyed well beyond graduation, regardless of if they choose to pursue music as a career. Our partnership with Loyola Academy encapsulates this mission in four unique ways.
Side-by-side Concert
Outreach concerts are a cornerstone of Northshore Concert Band programming and give us the opportunity to share our music with new, young, and captive audiences in the Chicagoland area. We look forward to presenting an annual side-by-side concert with the Loyola Academy band, where Loyola students will join NCB on stage for a portion of the performance. The concert will be rounded out by performances by the Loyola Academy band and selections from NCB’s fall series concert.
Dr. Mallory Thompson leads a concert-clinic at Northbrook Junior High School, February 2016.
Music Coaching
A trusted set of ears and eyes are always welcome in the band room. As such, our partnership provides the Loyola Academy band with an opportunity for Dr. Mallory Thompson to come out and work with their ensemble annually. Furthermore, we offer sectional coaching to Loyola Academy band students, directed by licensed educators who call Northshore Concert Band home.
Open Rehearsals
Weekly rehearsals are critical to the success of Northshore Concert Band, and Loyola Academy students are invited to observe these rehearsals at their leisure and convenience. Rehearsals will take place each Wednesday evening beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Engaging the Loyola Academy Community
In keeping with Northshore Concert Band’s mission of making substantial contributions to musical life in our community, we are excited to engage the Loyola Academy community throughout our concert season.
Concerts
Northshore Concert Band will present two series concerts at the Leemputte Family Theater during the 2023/24 Season — Treats & Tricks on Sunday, October 29, and Life Cycles on Saturday, June 8. In addition, NCB will present a side-by-side concert with the Loyola Academy band on Wednesday, November 15.
Feeder School Outreach
The annual Lifetime of Music concert is a highlight of the Northshore Concert Band season. Each year, fifty outstanding middle school students are invited to join NCB on stage for a portion of our winter series concert. Our event coordinators will collaborate with the Loyola Academy band director to determine key feeder programs to engage, ensuring their students have an opportunity to join us for this enriching experience.
Discounted Admission & Volunteer Opportunities
Loyola Academy families will enjoy discounted admission to all Northshore Concert Band performances, including our two concerts at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall in February and April. They will also be invited to volunteer alongside the Northshore Concert Band Auxiliary in a variety of different roles, such as concert support and promotion.
Middle school students perform alongside Northshore Concert Band musicians at our annual Lifetime of Music concert, February 2020.