Music Suite 408 & the 408 Fine Arts Factory

10/19/2026

Music Suite 408 offers trombone lessons. 815/223-4408.

10/17/2026

Here’s what’s coming up.

10/17/2026

What’s coming up at Music Suite 408 & the 408 Fine Arts Factory in the next few weeks.

Sunday October 18, 1-3pm. Everyone welcome. Come to play or come to listen! Soup’s on.

Saturday October 24, 2-4pm. Nightmare on Fifth Street, Music Suite 408’s community Halloween party. Music, Make & Take while supplies last, costumes, treats, photo ops.

Thursday October 29, 7pm A Classical Halloween concert presented by the Illinois Valley Flute Ensemble by candlelight. Zion United Church of Christ, Peru. Free will offering accepted with gratitude.

10/17/2026

10/16/2026

What’s coming up at Music Suite 408 & the 408 Fine Arts Factory in the next few weeks.

Sunday October 18, 1-3pm. Everyone welcome. Come to play or come to listen! Soup’s on.

Saturday October 24, 2-4pm. Nightmare on Fifth Street, Music Suite 408’s community Halloween party. Music, Make & Take while supplies last, costumes, treats, photo ops.

Thursday October 29, 7pm A Classical Halloween concert presented by the Illinois Valley Flute Ensemble by candlelight. Zion United Church of Christ, Peru. Free will offering accepted with gratitude.

Sue Sciarini Gillio Sue Gillio Starved Rock Country North Central Illinois ARTworks

10/16/2026

This!

Someone said to me the other day:

“Don’t you know most of those band kids won’t even pursue music?”

Yep.

I know.

And band directors, I hope you know too.

Most of them probably won’t become professional musicians.

Some will graduate and never pick up their instrument again.

Some won’t remember every scale.

Every fi*****ng.

Every piece we rehearsed until we were all sick of hearing it.

And that’s okay.

Because if all we were doing was training professional musicians, we would be missing the point.

We’re teaching kids what happens when you don’t quit the first time something is hard.

We’re teaching them that their part matters, even when they aren’t playing the melody.

We’re teaching them to listen.

To lead.

To follow.

To prepare.

To show up.

To make mistakes in front of other people and keep playing anyway.

One day that trumpet player might become an engineer.

That clarinet player might become a nurse.

That percussionist might run a company.

That quiet kid sitting in the back row might become the kind of parent who teaches their child not to give up when life gets difficult.

And somewhere inside them will still be a lesson they learned in your band room.

They may not remember what measure 37 sounded like.

But they’ll remember what it felt like when the whole ensemble finally got it right.

They’ll remember belonging to something.

They’ll remember someone expecting more from them because someone believed there was more IN them.

So yes.

Most of my students may never pursue music professionally.

But every one of them will have to pursue LIFE.

And if music education helped them become more disciplined, more resilient, more confident, more compassionate, and more willing to KEEP ON GOING…

then I’d say we did exactly what we came here to do.

Band directors, keep teaching the notes.

But never forget…

we’re building people. ❤️



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10/14/2026

Congratulations to Music Suite 408 flutists from Oglesby Washington. Great job to all three of you! 💙💛🎶

Congratulations to Ava M., Ruby M., and Susan P. for earning a spot in the ILMEA District 2 Honors Festival! Students from 12 different counties submitted auditions in the hopes of being selected. Ava and Ruby will both be playing Flute in the Junior Band and Susan will be singing in the Junior Treble Chorus! Our Bulldogs will be performing with their ensembles on November 7th at Augustana College in Rock Island. Congratulations!

10/14/2026

Come play with us this Sunday.