Ben Collins
Batavia High School
Division Coordinator of Fine Arts
Ben is the Division Coordinator of Fine Arts at
Batavia High School in Batavia, IL. Batavia has over 550 students involved in
curricular music out of a student body of 2000 and represents the largest
percentage of music participation (by percentage of student body) in the
Chicago area. He holds a master’s and bachelor’s degree from the University of
Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, both in music education and a master’s in
educational administration from Aurora University. In addition, Ben
studied politics and theology at the University of Manchester, United Kingdom.
Ben is a program consultant for the Senators Drum and Bugle Corps from the
United Kingdom. He spent four years in the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps as
well as a year on their percussion staff. Currently, Ben preforms as a
member of the Bulls Drumline, a regular act at Chicago Bulls home games.
Ben is an Innovative Percussion educator, endorses Evans Drum Heads, and
is the co-director of Smith Walbridge Marching Percussion Clinics. He also
serves as a marching band clinician for Walt Disney World during their annual
Thanksgiving Parade of bands. He is a student of Bret Kuhn, William
Moersch, Ricardo Flores, and Joe Manfredo. In his free time, Ben enjoys
an addiction to non-fiction reading and electronic dance music as well as his
love of Illinois Football and golfing.
