William Fremd High School Wind Symphony
Illinois Music Educators Association
“All-State” Performance Honor and Selection Process
Each May, the Illinois Music Educators Association (IMEA) accepts applications to perform at the next year’s “All-State” Conference. Applicants must submit a 30-minute recording of a live concert featuring a concert band, orchestra, choir, or jazz band. A panel of music educators, not affiliated with IMEA, judge the recordings, which are anonymous and do not contain school identification. Two to five schools in each division (band orchestra, choir, and jazz) are selected to perform as featured ensembles at the annual conference in each of the four divisions (band, orchestra, choir, and jazz). Invited ensembles perform a 30-minute concert attended mostly by music educators at the conference. Performances are scheduled throughout the convention’s three days.
The William Fremd High School Wind Symphony was invited to perform at the University of Illinois “Superstate Concert Band Festival” in May 2008. Its performance was used as the audition recording for the band’s IMEA performance application. Director Matthew Moore was notified in July that the FHS Wind Symphony was invited to perform at the 2009 “All-State” Conference.
Due to the nature of music education and fine arts, school ensembles do not compete against each other in IHSA or other organizations. Being selected as a featured ensemble for the IMEA “All-State” Conference is the highest honor that a high school ensemble can receive in Illinois. Many music educators consider it “winning the state title” for the year. In addition to Fremd High School, concert bands from the following schools were also invited to perform at the 2009 IMEA “All-State” Conference: Warren Township High School, United Township High School, Metamora High School, and Plainfield Central High School.
The Fremd High School Wind Symphony spent three months preparing for its IMEA “All-State” Performance. The program consisted of the following compositions: “Moorside March” by Gustav Holst, “Noisy Wheels of Joy” by Eric Whitacre, “Shepherd’s Hey” by Percy Grainger, “Be Thou My Vision” arranged by Travis Cross, “ Fantasia in G” by Timothy Mahr, and “Gloriosa” (mvmt. 3) by Yasuhide Ito.
Illinois Music Educators Association – Additional Informatio
- The mission of the Illinois Music Educators Association is to promote lifelong music learning and to provide leadership for music education.
- The IMEA sponsors and organizes performance festival opportunities for the student musicians of Illinois.
- The IMEA provides professional growth opportunities for the music educators of Illinois.
- The IMEA remains current regarding emerging issues in the music profession and disseminates that information to the music education community.
- The IMEA promotes and supports music as a vital component in the complete education of every child.
- With more than 5,000 members, IMEA is one of the largest of the 52 affiliates of MENC, the National Association for Music Education, which is over 100,000 members strong. IMEA is, by far, the largest Fine Arts education organization in Illinois and among one of the largest in the nation.
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