The Hillsdale College Big Band will perform their festival set on Feb. 20 in Plaster Auditorium at 8 p.m. Courtesy | Julia Hoyda

The Hillsdale College Big Band will perform at the Notre Dame 2025 Collegiate Jazz Festival and 58th Annual Elmhurst University Jazz Festival in Indiana and Illinois, Feb. 21 and 22. 

“We go to Elmhurst every year we are able to,” Director of Jazz Ensembles and Big Band Musical Director Chris McCourry said in an email. “This will be the first year we go to the Notre Dame Jazz Festival.”

The band of 18 students will take a bus to perform a half-hour set alongside bands from all over the country. The band will play “Four” by Maynard Ferguson, “Time Check” by Buddy Rich, “Black Orpheus” by Luiz Bonfá, and “Travelin’ Light” by Dennis Wilson, accompanied by senior Dravyn Spies on vocals. 

According to McCourry, the band goes out to compare itself with other college big bands and hear the music they have to offer.

Senior John Schaefer, the band’s lead trumpet player, said this is the ninth year the band is heading to Elmhurst.

“I don’t know how much I’ll be able to play after I graduate,” Schaefer said. “Our band is really good this year. I’m really happy with where everybody’s at — just hearing what we’re able to put on the table at the performances.”

Sophomore Mikayla Manna, a tenor saxophone player in the band, said the biggest highlight of the trip is seeing other big bands play.

“There’s no one winner, but usually they call out outstanding soloists from each band, and they get honored,” Manna said.

Senior Zachary Adams, the lead trombone, said the Notre Dame and Elmhurst festivals happen on the same weekend, with appearances from professional big bands and jazz ensembles.

“We’re leaving on Friday to hear the evening performance at Notre Dame,” Adams said. “We’ll play Saturday afternoon, then drive to Elmhurst, hear the night performance there, and perform in Elmhurst on Sunday.”

Freshman Morgan Milam, the band’s drummer, said she is very excited to go on her first Elmhurst trip.

“It’ll be fun and cool hanging out with the band — just nice to see everyone outside of our normal members during Thursday practice, hang out, and play some jazz,” Milam said.

Adams said having two performances this year, rather than one, and being able to see his sister in Chicago, will be the highlights of this trip.

“I’m excited to get to perform twice and get the nerves out of me the first time and then go and give it all the second time,” Adams said. “I enjoy the relief of performance. There’s so much adrenaline built up, and everything always comes together at the last minute before we go up to perform.” 

Manna said she loves seeing professional musicians at Elmhurst.

“We got to see Maria Schneider and her big band, and I actually love her music,” Manna said.

Adams said they also saw a performance from Count Basie Orchestra, an 18-member prominent swing jazz band formed by William James “Count” Basie in 1935 — one of Manna’s favorites as well.

“The most famous swing Big Band dude ever. We played a lot of his music,” Manna said. “They’re one of the few driving orchestras today.”

Adams and Schaefer said the band warms up by singing through their parts under the performance hall to prevent fatigue during the concert.

“We laugh at ourselves a little bit doing that, but it’s super worthwhile, because then you just walk up, sit down, play, no talking in the middle,” Adams said. “You just go straight through the set, and judges give you feedback, which sometimes is underwhelming or disappointing, but you know what you did well and what you might have messed up. The stress of performing together is what makes it worth it.”

Schaefer said the limited practice times and challenging learning curve of Big Band have been formative for him as a musician. 

“More of it comes down to being a player, and also you just get much better at learning to sight-read,” Schaefer said. “You are kind of forced to sink or swim when you’re thrown in there, and it helps you grow a lot as a musician really quickly.”

Schaefer said the band always goes to the same restaurant and enjoys watching movies in their hotel rooms. 

“Last year, we convinced the waitress at the fancy Italian restaurant we were at that it was our band director’s birthday. He didn’t know about it,” Schaefer said.

The Hillsdale College Big Band will perform their full set in a send-off concert in McNamara Hall Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. They will also perform April 11 and 12 at 8 p.m. in Plaster Auditorium as their biggest spring concert, featuring professional trumpet player Vince DiMartino.

“Chris McCourry is a really good trumpet player. These guys are legends to him,” Adams said. “It’s a chance I’ll never get any other time.”