41 students selected for ILMEA’s prestigious music festival

41 students selected for ILMEA’s prestigious music festival

Due to pandemic, ILMEA hosted a virtual masterclass festival for selected students in lieu of its annual in-person festival performances

The Illinois Music Education Association, or ILMEA, selected 41 Downers Grove Grade School District 58 students to participate in a virtual Fall Festival Masterclass Day in November. This event replaced ILMEA’s usual in-person music and jazz performance festivals due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ILMEA Festival takes place each year and features talented musicians from across Illinois selected by audition. This year, the students participated in a virtual audition process. 

During this year’s Fall Festival Masterclass Day, selected students listened to a virtual keynote address by Professor Barry L. Houser, who serves as the director of the University of Illinois Marching Illini. Afterward, the students broke into groups, organized by voice part and instrument, to participate in two different 60-minute master classes on a Zoom platform. 

Congratulations to District 58 students selected to perform in the ILMEA Fall Festival Masterclass Day:

Herrick:

  • Thora Askeland- Junior Orchestra Violin 
  • Sam Brockway - Junior Orchestra Cello
  • Keegan Cho - Junior Band Alto Sax
  • Liliana Ciuffini - Junior Band Percussion
  • Gabe Deaton - Junior Orchestra Viola
  • Emily Doherty - Junior Chorus Soprano
  • Kathryn France - Junior Chorus Soprano
  • Varun Ganesh - Junior Band Percussion
  • Varun Ganesh - Junior Jazz Band Jazz Piano
  • Maria Gouriotis - Junior Orchestra Violin
  • Emerson Harres - Junior Orchestra Cello
  • Trent Heinz - Junior Band Bassoon
  • Corinna Irvin - Junior Band Oboe
  • Charlie Janka - Junior Band Oboe
  • Eleanor Knudsen - Junior Jazz Band I Jazz Baritone Sax
  • Joshua Kopenec - Junior Chorus Alto
  • Ava Kuether - Junior Orchestra Violin
  • Tessa Murphy - Junior Band Bb Clarinet
  • Sophia Oestermeyer - Junior Orchestra Violin
  • Jake Rifenburg - Junior Orchestra Cello

O’Neill

  • Daniel Andreshak - Junior Orchestra Cello
  • Erika Andreshak - Junior Orchestra Viola
  • Lena Baker - Junior Orchestra Violin
  • Madison Cox - Junior Chorus Alto
  • Jurate Davies - Junior Chorus Tenor
  • Kasey Ganger - Junior Chorus Soprano
  • William Gray - Junior Orchestra Violin
  • Gretchen Haselhorst - Junior Band French Horn
  • Casey Klimes - Junior Chorus Alto
  • Maya Kolakowski - Junior Chorus Soprano
  • Matthew Lin - Junior Orchestra Cello
  • Anna Maggos - Junior Chorus Alto
  • Natalie Murphy - Junior Chorus Soprano
  • Ethan O'Connor - Junior Orchestra Violin
  • Colin Pacholek-Mayer - Junior Orchestra Violin
  • Eleanor Shifley - Junior Orchestra Violin
  • Jack Sifuentes - Junior Orchestra Viola
  • Meg Sisul - Junior Chorus Alto
  • Becca Snouffer - Junior Band Clarinet
  • Stacia Thames - Junior Chorus Alto
  • Alyssa Zoerb - Junior Band Percussion

Learn more at https://ilmea.org/news-announcements/2020/9/8/virtual-auditions-amp-online-festivals