Illinois Music Educators Association


The Illinois Music Education Association is the Illinois of National Association for Music Education.
Students in Illinois audition to perform in an ILMEA ensemble within one of nine geographic districts. Based on that audition, Senior Level students may be invited to participate in the annual Illinois All-State Music Conference. The jazz section of ILMEA also has Regionals and All-State, there are multiple levels of ensembles and combos within these two tiers of music groups.
Any orchestra or band instrument or voice part can be used in an audition. At the junior high level, students audition to perform in an ILMEA band, orchestra, choir or jazz band in one of the nine geographic districts. To be eligible, student musicians must be active members, in good standing, in the appropriate music ensemble at their school.
ILMEA divides Illinois into nine geographic districts. In each district, students are selected to perform in various ensembles. The various high school music teachers in the districts are shuffled within the district to judge the students. A number of these participants are chosen from each district to perform in ILMEA's state event, held in Peoria.

Repertoire

The ILMEA guest conductors select different music for each year's event. However, some ensembles reuse certain pieces as a matter of tradition.

Orchestra

These pieces are rotated every four years.