Hersey students perform at Illinois Music Education Association music festivals

John Hersey High School was well represented the past two Saturdays at the Illinois Music Education Association music festivals. Hersey auditioned the maximum number of students allowed which is eighteen for concert band placement, and twelve for jazz band placement. Hersey placed ten of the eighteen students that auditioned for the Concert Band/Orchestra Winds and Percussion, and seven of the twelve jazz students that auditioned into a District Jazz Ensemble (the second highest number in District 7) for a total of seventeen band placements in the ILMEA District 7 Ensembles. More than 630 students from 65 schools in northeastern Illinois auditioned for the 150 available spots on October 4 at Stevenson High School.

Hersey students winning spots in the ILMEA Band were Alex Widomska on oboe, Robert Scherer on bassoon, Monika Smaga on clarinet, Nina Gillespie and Kyle Janmohammed on bass clarinet, Luke Podvrsan on alto saxophone, Dominic Borrelli on tenor saxophone, and Jake Esposito, Caroline Lubbe, and Ryan Szymanski on trombone.

Hersey students winning spots in the ILMEA Jazz ensembles were Luke Podvrsan on alto saxophone, David Balut on trumpet, Jake Esposito and Jesse Popp on trombone, Maura Schafer on piano, and Tyler Graf and Won Jun Lee on drum set.

"Our students really step up for their audition into this highly-competitive ensemble. The growth in their musicianship in going through the process is remarkable. I am very proud of their accomplishments," said Scott Casagrande, the director of bands at Hersey. "The number of students that Hersey had accepted into the ILMEA ensembles is fantastic."

The ILMEA District 7 Senior Division Music Festival took place on Saturday, November 10 at New Trier High School; the ILMEA Senior Division Jazz Festival took place on Saturday November 17 at Waukegan High School.