Berkner Area Band Club

          The PAS International Percussion Ensemble Competition is one of the most prestigious competitions in the “percussion world”. This past spring, high school percussion ensembles from all over the country (and some from other countries) submitted anonymous recordings and 3 winners were selected and invited to perform at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) held in Indianapolis, IN in November.

          We are proud to announce that the L.V. Berkner HS Percussion Ensemble was selected as one of the three high school winners!

          This honor is one of the HIGHEST achievements a high school percussion ensemble can attain! This is an international recognition! Our students, who are making Berkner HS HISTORY with this invitation, will perform a showcase concert at PASIC in front of thousands of convention attendees! 

          We need YOUR help!  A trip like this takes a lot of financial support. We are premiering 3 new commissions by well-known percussion composers:  Jim Casella, Ivan Trevino, and Dave Hall.  We will also be hiring a video company to capture this performance in Indianapolis.  With housing, transportation, meals, etc.  we need all the help we can get to help us get to Indy!!!  Any donation amount will be very helpful!  Please share this all over social media and let the world know! 

We will also have prizes for the following donation amounts: 

$100 - Signed Drum Head from the PASIC Performing Ensemble

$200 - Signed Drum Head from the PASIC Performing Ensemble, a professional photo of all participating students, and a copy of the concert program of the PASIC Showcase Performance

$250 and more - Signed Drum Head from the PASIC Performing Ensemble, a professional photo of all participating students, YOUR NAME printed in the concert program of the PASIC Showcase Performance (donors will receive 1 free copy of program), AND 2 free tickets and recognition at Night of Drumming 2019!!!

Meet the Liberty Junior High Symphonic Band under the direction of Chris Pineda! These amazing kids have been invited by The Midwest Clinic to present two separate clinics in December, in Chicago at McCormick Place. The Midwest Clinic is an annual gathering of musicians and teachers of band and orchestra from all over the world and the Liberty Band is invited as part of the Title 1 initiative. Their first clinic is titled, “Beauty from the Beginning” and will be led by renowned composer, Frank Ticheli, who coincidently is a Berkner High School graduate. The second is “Teach the Kids, The Band Will Take Care of Itself” led by Mr. Pineda and Ms. Lynne Jackson.

Our students, parents, staff and administration are all extremely excited and working very hard toward making this endeavor a rewarding experience.  All parties involved are working to finance this trip comfortably for the individual families… but we need your help!  The goal of $20,000 would directly reduce the cost of the trip to a managable amount for each family!  

We would like to reach our goal by November 1, 2016!