DHS music students earn festival invites

Seventeen DeKalb music students attended the annual Illinois Music Educators Association All-State Festival in Peoria Jan. 23-25.

Earlier this fall, students from band, choir, and orchestra auditioned at Sterling High School to participate in ILMEA Honor ensembles. Based on these auditions, band and choir students qualified for the District VIII Festival, recently held at DeKalb High School, and participated in all-day workshops, culminating in junior and senior concerts.

Orchestra students participated in a similar festival held at Augustana College, while jazz students convened in Rochelle High School.

The following students qualified:

Band: Junior band – Noah Brooks, Nathan Campbell, Abigail Diehl, Colton Kammes, Dylan Propheter, Guadalupe Rodriguez, Richard Spahn, Chance Trujillo. Senior band – Samantha Click, Emma Conway, Emily Corbin, Matthew Eaton, Isaac Hietanen, Sean Holly, Paul Lindgren, Alyse Mommer, Kristina Olsen, Joe Rathke, Saavana Robles, Misha Ryzhov, Ben Smelser, Evan Taylor, Michael Verbic, Adam Weiss, Spencer Zick.

Choir: Junior chorus – Katie Hagaman and Hope Jesmer, Daniel Delap, Ryan Debeau, Sophie Hoth, Olivia Klonoski, Cody O’Donnell, Emily Reese, Elizabeth Warner. Senior chorus – Isabella Anderson, Jason Brandle, Jaime Briner, Matthew Callahan, Ben Changnon, Nelle Conley, Will Ferguson, Sarah Gingrich, Jesse Heinsohn, Rachel Hunter-Rosene, Sarah Jesmer, Augustine Jesmer, Olivia Johnson-Smith, Samantha Leblanc, Emili Maag, Avery Maxwell, Nailah Mobley, Matthew Petersen, Dylan Schweitzer, Khadijah Williams.

Junior orchestra: Stephanie Basile, Bryce Comer, Jack Corbin, Anan Ghrayeb, Rocio Hernandez, Veodies Jones III, Amanda Powers, Elissa Roose, Stephanie Vazquez, Hui Zhu. Senior orchestra: Tristan Draper, JoJo Fanella, Madeline Hoth, Zoe Markle, Alina Mohr, Phebe Palmer, Matthew Sweet, Ben Vance.

Jazz: Nelle Conley, Garrett Farnum, Jacob Gingrich, Sean Holly, Sam Rey, Ben Smelser, Owen Smith, Michael Verbic, Spencer Zick.

The following students garnered marks high enough to be invited to the IMEA All-State Festival in Peoria. Students qualified for either the All-State or Honors ensembles.

All-State:

Band: Samantha Click, Isaac Heitanen, Sean Holly, Misha Rzyhov.

Jazz Band: Ben Smelser, Owen Smith.

Choir: Isabella Anderson, Jason Brandle, Ben Changnon, Nelle Conley, Will Ferguson, Augie Jesmer, Sarah Jesmer, Olivia Johnson-Smith, Matt Petersen.

Orchestra: Tristan Draper.

Future Music Educators Seminar: Saavana Robles