W. Aurora High musicians picked for festival ensembles

Submitted by West Aurora Unit District 129

Forty-one West Aurora High School students were selected through an audition process to participate in the Illinois Music Educators Association District IX Festival Ensembles.

This is a significant honor for these students who competed against students from more than 40 area high schools. The District IX Jazz Festival concert will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10, at Naperville Central High School.

The District IX Traditional Festival concert will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17, at Hampshire High School. The festival concerts are open to the public. Admission is $3.

IMEA District IX Qualifiers

타 Band: Katie Chang, Becca Flynn, Abby Kott, Dylan Oncken, Matt Pilmer, Stephen Ryder, Sonia Sanchez, Kaolin Sewell, Shannon Sullivan.

타 Orchestra: Nicole Bartell, Josh Morano, Victoria Sewell, Claire Wright.

타 Jazz Band: Gabe Jones, Matt Pilmer, Victoria Sewell.

타 Chorus: John Aldana, Philip Buhrke, Zoe Cunningham, Grace Currie, Evan Deligiannis, Allison Elkins, Lauren Gaffino, Lisa Hartman, Brenden Holste, Andrew Jackson, Dakotah Jefferson, Sarah Johnson, Max Kim, Nathan Knauf, Megan Lathan, Evan Lorenz, Dezirae Maffit, Bailey O’Neil, Hannah Pealstrom, Tom Rieser, Hannah Scatterday, Charles Sconiers, Julia VanKampen, Savannah Hayworth-Weste, Max Zine.

Additionally, two vocalists were ranked number one in their respective voice parts: Dezirae Maffit, Soprano 1 and Hannah Scatterday, Soprano 2. They will have the opportunity to sing the national anthem during the IHSA State Basketball Tournament in March, if selected through a separate audition process.