On Saturday, November 22, 2014, 24 Morrison Junior High and High School students will collaborate with hundreds of other students from 105 northwestern Illinois schools, at the Illinois Music Educators Association District 8 Festival. These students will work together in a day of rehearsals, to put together three concerts of beautiful choral and instrumental music. Earning a place in one of the festival ensembles is a distinct honor for the students.
Held in the newly-constructed DeKalb, IL, High School, students will perform in one of seven musical ensembles under distinguished guest conductors. Junior ensembles include a band, orchestra, mixed chorus, and treble chorus. Senior ensembles include a band, orchestra, and a mixed chorus.
Participating in the Senior Band are Eryn Young and Morgan Stuhlman, clarinet, and Colleen Elfline, Alto Saxophone. Participating in the Senior Chorus are Allison Houldson, Kyle McCoy, Kelsey Middleton, Zach Osborn, Andrew Rinker, Eric Sipes, and Isabel Vander Bleek.
MHS students participating in the ILMEA District 8 festival, left-to-right, are front row: Joy Sipes, Isabel Vander Bleek, Kyle McCoy, and Kelsey Middleton; second row: Zach Osborn, Kaleb McCoy, and Andrew Rinker. Third row from left: Eryn Young, Colleen Elfline, and Morgan Stuhlman.
Participating in the Junior Band are Zailey Greeno, Lindsey Houldson, Jenna Scott, Sarah Screnock, Taylory Stratton, John Taylor, and Griffin Vos. Participating in the Junior Mixed Chorus are Kaleb McCoy and Joy Sipes. Participating in the Junior Treble Chorus are Grace Fischbach, Cassie Osborn, Kaylee Shetler, and Hannah Stralow.
MJHS students participating in the ILMEA District 8 festival, left-to-right, are front row: Jenna Scott, Griffin Vos, Chloe Stingley, Grace Fischbach, and Cassie Osborn; second row: Lindsey Houldson, Taylor Stratton, John Taylor, Zailey Greeno, Sarah Screnock, Kaylee Shetler, and Hannah Stralow.
John Taylor, a MJHS 7th grade student, participated in the ILMEA District 8 Jazz Festival, held at Rochelle, IL, High School on Saturday, November 15.
Over 2000 students auditioned to be a member of these ensembles, and approximately 900 were selected. The Illinois Music Educators Association provides festivals of this sort in nine different regions across the State. Throughout Illinois, more than 12,000 students took part in ILMEA activities. District 8 comprises the Counties of Jo Davies, Carroll, Whiteside, Lee, Ogle, DeKalb, Boone, Winnebago, and Stephenson and encompasses more than 100 middle and high schools.