Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 is excited to announce that several of its middle school student musicians have been selected to participate in the highly competitive Illinois Music Educators Association (ILMEA) District 7 Festival. After months of preparation and submitting virtual auditions, these talented students have earned their spots among more than 1,000 of the finest band and orchestra musicians from over 50 junior high schools in the North Suburban area.
"Performing alongside talented peers from schools across the region is an inspiring experience for our students," said Erica Faulhaber, Curriculum Specialist for Instrumental Music. "The chance to learn from highly respected and renowned conductors is invaluable. We are so proud of our students for being selected by ILMEA to participate in this year’s ensembles."
The ILMEA District 7 Festival will feature the top student musicians in the area. The band and orchestra festival will be held on Saturday, November 2, at Wauconda High School, while the jazz festival will take place on Saturday, November 16, at Niles North High School.
District 64 Students Selected for ILMEA Festival Ensembles:
Emerson Middle School
- Gus Bunge, percussion
- Sophie Chen, violin
- Carolina Feucht, percussion
- Luciya Janardhan, trumpet
- Maya Plaza, jazz trumpet
- Isabella Roszko, violin
Lincoln Middle School
- Asher Corelitz, trumpet
- Victoria Iliev, percussion
- Elliott Poole, trombone and jazz trombone
- Gabriel Seol, violin
- Lilly Zwierczyk, violin
Yvonne Davila-Cortes, Director of String Music Education and Assistant Professor of Orchestra at VanderCook College of Music, will conduct the orchestra. Eric Bachmann, (a former District 64 band director!), has been selected as the guest conductor for the band.
In addition to Faulhaber, District 64 music teachers who instruct these talented students include: Elisabeth Ballinger, Natalie Briggs, Max Hellermann, Ilona Hutter, Sean Rybak, Alex Teater, and Connor Yoon.
About ILMEA:
The Illinois Music Educators Association (ILMEA) is a leading fine arts education organization in the U.S., providing students with valuable performance opportunities through district and state festivals that promote musical growth and excellence.
