Four WWS students were selected for the ILMEA All-State groups and performed with other exceptional musicians from all around the state on Feb. 1, 2020 at the Peoria Civic Center after a long and hard audition process.

WWS senior Max Crandell was the only choir member from South selected to participate in the district choir in the fall and was also selected to be in the All-State Chorus. The audition process for singers includes excerpts from pieces that are given ahead of time, sight-singing, and tonal retention. Crandell said he “wasn’t really that stressed” going into the audition and was comforted by the fact that the auditions were blind. “The judges sit in a corner facing the wall and a robot voice gives you instructions,” said Crandell “the good part about that is you don’t need to dress up so I wore sweatpants.” The top scores from each district are then placed into a larger pool and the top half of that pool is placed into the Honors group and the bottom half is placed into the All-State group.

Three WWS students were also selected to be in the ILMEA All-State Orchestra. Simon Leonard, Lauren Chang and Danny O’Connell. All three were selected to be a part of the district orchestra after auditioning by playing excerpts from predetermined pieces for judges. The selection process for Orchestra is a bit different than that of choir, after making the district group and being put in the All-State pool, orchestra members then have to re-audition with new excerpts given to them only a month before and based off of these auditions the musicians are placed into either the Honors Orchestra of the All-State Orchestra. O’Connell said, “I felt like I had a lot to prove because my sister last year got first chair and I just wanted to do my best.”  O’Connell was named as third chair cellist in the Honors Orchestra, further proving his talent as one of the best musicians in the state. “I learned about the history of the pieces that we played and the details to focus on in each song,” said O’Connell, “Overall I learned how to be a better musician.” 

Both Crandell and O’Connell said they would recommend auditioning for ILMEA groups to South students in the arts. O’Connell said “it’s a great experience and you learn a lot. You are exposed to many different musical opportunities at a higher level than is possible just at the school.” Crandell added on “For those that go to state, you get to miss school and hang out with your friends in a hotel which is a blast!”