LTHS District #205 Band Program

The Lockport Township High School Band Program has enjoyed a long history of success and community support. Notable accomplishments date back to 1960 when the first Director of Bands, Ernest Caneva, led them to the "Music Man" National Band Championship. Another performance of note was the Marching Band's participation in the 1986 hit film "Ferris Bueller's Day Off". Currently the band program involves 230 students in five concert ensembles, a competitive marching band, two jazz ensembles, numerous small ensembles, pit orchestra, and winter guard. Considerable emphasis in placed on individual students progress and achievement. Each year multiple band members are selected for the Illinois Music Educators Association District Honor Band and Orchestra, All-State Band and Orchestra, Bands of America National Honor Band, and various Chicagoland Youth Orchestras. Lockport is located thirty-five miles southwest of Chicago, Illinois. Lockport Township High School services students from the communities of Orland Park, Homer Glen, Lemont, Crest Hill, Fairmont, and Lockport. The high school district has two campuses - The Freshman Central Campus, which opened in 1909, and East, which opened in 1964 with additions in 1998. The two campuses have a combined enrollment of approximately 3900 students.

Past Lockport High School Directors: Established since 1917

• Ernest O. Caneva (1927-1957)
• Miles Vokurka (1957-1985)
• Daniel Valkema (1985-2001)
• Karen Fannin (2001-2003)
• Brian Covey (2001-present)

Program Highlights

• Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic Performance: 1957
• Midwest Band and Orchestra Rehearsal Lab: 2007
• Bands of America National Concert Band Festival Performances: 1992, 1995, 1999, 2005, 2007 (tied for the most performances by a single school in the festival's history)
• Illinois Music Educators Association State Performances: 1994, 1998, 2001, 2005
• Music Educators National Conference National Conference Performance: 2007
• Meyerson Symphony Center Performance in Dallas, TX: 2005
• Symphony Center Performance in Chicago, IL: 2007
• Over 18 Illinois Superstate Concert Band Festival appearances, Selected as the Honor Band in 1999 and 2006

Lockport Loyalty

A teacher and pupil created the words and music of our fight song. Ernest Caneva, a second year teacher at LTHS, wrote the music in 1933. He organized a competition for the students to write the words for the melody. Mr. Caneva said "I thought that it would be of educational value to allow a student to prepare the lyrics". Tom Saunders, a fourteen year old sohpmore and first chair clarinetist, won the contest. Mr. Caneva stated "His words best suited the music and purpose for which it was written". After winning the competition, Tom said "I felt enthusiastic about putting into words our individual loyalty with original music". Their combined efforts resulted in our school song "Lockport Loyalty ".

FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT FOR LOCKPORT HIGH

FIGHT ON TO VICTORY

WE WILL BACK YOU ALL THE WAY

FIGHT FOR OLD L.T.H.S.

RAH, RAH, RAH

MAROON AND WHITE FOR YOU WE STAND

FIGHT ON TO GREATER FAME

WE STAND TO SHOW OUR LOYALTY

SO WIN THIS GAME!