South High student musicians earned 2020-21 All-State Honors through the Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA). Students were selected to the All-State Band, All-State Chorus, All-State Jazz Choir, All-State Orchestra and recognized in the All-State Future Music Educator Seminar. Of the 6,000 high school students who auditioned and the 4,700 students who were selected into District Festivals, approximately 1,500 students have been named into the 2021 ILMEA All-State Student Programs.
Due to COVID-19, in-person auditions were suspended in 2020. Audition videos were submitted to the ILMEA, and all videos were adjudicated by a panel of professional musicians. The top placing scores participated in the District Music Festival which was held virtually on November 21, 2020. The highest scoring musicians have been tapped as All-State Musicians for 2020-21.
“Earning a spot as an All-State musician is the pinnacle of performance success for a high school performer in Illinois” said Fine Arts Department Chairman Glenn Williams. "The long term performance success of these student musicians can be attributed to families, private teachers, and sender school music teachers. South High School is proud of these students for their diligence and commitment to musical excellence and is pleased to have them represent our school, our district and our community as such wonderful musical ambassadors."
Congratulations to the following South High student musicians who have earned ILMEA All-State Honors:
CHORUS
Diana Kwak (12) - Soprano II, South High
JAZZ
Zoe Boyd (12) - Vocal Jazz Alto, South High
Nathan Frewen (11) - Vocal Jazz Tenor, South High
Derek Reynolds (12) - Instrumental Jazz Trombone, South High
ORCHESTRA STRINGS
Liudas Davies (10) - Violin II, South High
Philip Okunev (11) - Violin II, South High
Olivia Roti (11) - Viola, South High
The ILMEA Student Programs have been developed to encourage musical performance and creative expression and the many forms that may take for student musicians. Ensembles include symphonic orchestras, wind bands, choral ensembles, jazz bands and combos, and vocal jazz ensembles. The students named into these ensembles represent the best and brightest student musicians and the high-quality music education provided by music educators across Illinois.
To learn more about ILMEA, visit their website. For more information about South High Fine Arts contact Department Chair Glenn Williams at gwilliams@csd99.org.