Mr. Steve McGartland

Virden High Schools

231 West Fortune Street

Virden IL 62690

Telephone 217.965.4127

Pictures of Band Members

Mr. McGartland has the band leader at Virden for the past eleven years. He prepares students for marching band, parades, concert band, Christmas concerts, spring concerts and awards programs, and various contests throughout the year.

Four middle school and one high school band students have been selected to participate in the 2008 Illinois Music Educators Association festival on November 1st. This will be held on the campus of Western Illinois University. These students gave up their Columbus Day holiday and went through a series of auditions at PORTA High School. Students are selected for their overall playing ability and the instrumentation needs of the respective bands from the nearly 145 schools . Representing Virden High School will be Stephanie L -clarinet; from the middle school will be Britany B–clarinet, Isabella C–trumpet, Kailey B–trumpet, and Kaleigh E–Baritone horn.

Virden Music Students Participate in Festival

Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois was again the host for the District 4 Illinois Music Educators Association festival.  Five (5) students from the Virden Middle and High School Bands attended the November 1st event.  Those representing Virden were: Stephanie L, Eb clarinet (senior band). Participating in the junior band were: Britany B, clarinet, Isabella C, trumpet, Kailey B, trumpet, and Kaleigh E, baritone horn.

The I M E A is comprised of 9 districts throughout the state of Illinois, each hosting festivals during the month of November.  District 4 consists of nearly 157 schools in the Central Illinois region.  Over 1300 students took part in one of seven performing groups, which included elementary chorus, junior band, junior orchestra, and junior chorus, as well as high school orchestra, chorus, and band.  The students who participated were initially chosen through an audition in early October. Rehearsals took place throughout the day with guest directors and a final performance was given in late afternoon. Band director Steven McGartland accompanied the students to Macomb. Congratulations to these fine musicians for an outstanding accomplishment and a thank you to all the parents who have been supportive in the students endeavors.