Members of the band, orchestra, and choir filed onto several buses, ready to audition in hopes of becoming a part of the Illinois Music Education Association, or as it’s more commonly known, IMEA last month.

The students have been working since the end of the last school year to prepare for these auditions. Some work with their directors, and some have private teachers, but whatever the case, all auditioning musicians have worked incredibly hard. Junior Kevin Shehan, who has been playing the cello since fourth grade, talked about his preparations for the audition.

“At the end of the school year, you get your IMEA music for next year,” said Shehan. “Usually, a string player will spend all summer practicing until it is perfect. Leading up to the audition, I listened to the Mozart and the Sibelius as I was doing homework, driving, or whenever I was not practicing.”

It’s not only the students, however, who have work to do for IMEA–the directors do too. Along with preparing her students for their auditions, Performing Arts Teacher Rebecca Marianetti is a judge for the competition.

“The judges have to prepare all of the music, just like a student, so that we know everything they’re being judged on and so when we get specific judging assignments, we know all the parts,” said Marianetti.

Since she’s been teaching for 22 years, Marianetti is no stranger to any of these things, but she says that “it’s interesting to hear the students from other schools.”

The results of the competition were released this week on Oct. 27, and they came with some exciting accomplishments. For the first time ever, all of the girls from Concert Choir who auditioned for IMEA were accepted. In this group is senior Brooke Morenz, a veteran in the IMEA process as a three time auditioner.

“IMEA has always been such an amazing experience working with really talented kids and directors,” said Morenz.

The next step for the students who were accepted into the festival is the actual festival itself, which involves a day-long series of master classes and rehearsals in preparation for a performance in the evening. The festival will take place on Sat., Nov. 21.