March 4th, 2026
Welcome to our series, Spotlighting Wisconsin! This series spotlights arts organizations across the state (including some of our wonderful grantees), and showcases the amazing work they do in their communities, along with sharing the why, or what drives them as an organization to do the work they do.
Arts Board Grantee
Beyond The Notes Music Festival
Wisconsin Dells
The festival began in May of 2008 with eight bands participating in a one day festival. In 2009, the festival became a two day event with twenty-one participating bands. In 2010 and 2011 the festival grew to twenty-nine bands. Pictures of the bands were displayed on large screens in the performance hall and live-streaming of the concerts was added. A choice of Waterpark or Indoor Themepark passes was offered to participants. The 2012 Band Festival had thirty-seven participating bands. "Band Festival at the Kalahari" t-shirts were added as well as a "Band Festival" program created and sponsored by Ward Brodt Music in Madison. The program contains information about each participating band and its members. In 2013 the festival added a percussion clinician and a conducting clinician. In 2014 a Percussion Clinic Room was added featuring two percussion clinicians. In 2015 the festival grew to forty-nine participating bands and included a graduate-level course available for directors. In 2017 the festival added a side-by-side experience with members of the UW-Eau Claire Bands. The festival is now a non-profit organization and is called Beyond The Note Music Festival, Inc.
2020 - Event cancelled due to Covid but we created four webinars with experts from across the nation inspiring music educators.
2021 - Live Event cancelled due to Covid but BTN sponsored recorded guest clinicians for band, choir, and orchestra offering expert advice and hopeful messages.
2022 - Live event resumed at the new Kalahari Convention Center with Choir and Orchestra now added to the festival. In this first year we had 10 choirs and 7 orchestras and 59 bands
2023- Expanded to 15 choirs, 13 orchestras, and 63 bands
2024 - Inaugural Choir Festival at Great Wolf Lodge with 26 choirs. Kalahari Festival has 15 orchestras and 69 Bands
2025 - Choir Festival at GWL with 29 choirs. Kalahari has 15 orchestras and 72 Bands. The Rising Music Educators Program begins with 52 participants.
2026 - Choir Festival will be at GWL but expanded to three days with 34 choirs. The Rising Music Educator Program will take place at the choir festival as well. The Kalahari will host 15 orchestras and 73 Bands. The Rising Music Educator Program will return and expand to become a two day event offering ALL band directors an opportunity to come learn from some of education's finest teachers and mentors.
March 10, World Premiere of "Portages of Time" by JoAnne Harris (ComMission Possible 2026)
April 15-17, Choir Festival at Great Wolf Lodge & Kalahari
April 17, Choir Rising Music Educators Program
May 4, World Premiere of "Curse of the Clock Tower" by Carol Brittin Chambers (ComMission Possible 2026)
May 21-22, Band & Orchestra Festival
May 22-23, Band Rising Music Educators Program
May 23, Building Better Bands Day Event
