District 128 musicians perform in All-State Ensembles

Submitted by Community High School District 128

Twenty Libertyville High School and Vernon Hills High School students were selected to perform in ensembles at the 2016 Illinois Music Education Conference.

In January, the students traveled to Peoria, where they rehearsed and performed with a guest conductor and students from across the state. For high school musicians, being selected for an All-State Ensemble is the highest individual honor they can receive.

The District 128 All-State Musicians are: LHS students Harriet Legan (bassoon), Sarah Broughton (flute), Jackie Ovassapian (alto voice), Allie Goldman (trombone), Eli Roller (bass trombone), Taylor Skie (alto voice) and Zach Pearson (bass voice).

VHHS students are Adam Lee (cello), Lucy Wu (flute), Isaiah Liu (clarinet), Seri Lee (cello), Finley Lau (percussion), Grace Lim (viola), Calvin Yoon (violin), Lesley Mun (violin), Spencer Moffat (tenor voice), Stephanie Benito (soprano voice), Zac Kurzenberger (bass voice), Scott Knier (bass voice) and Ariel Chah (violin).

Each fall, the Illinois Music Educators Association hosts nine different district festivals, each in a different region in Illinois. LHS and VHHS are two of the more than 100 high schools that District 7 comprises, consisting of Lake County, northern Cook County and eastern McHenry County.

The auditions take place in early October and the top students on each instrument and voice part are selected to perform with the District 7 Choir, Band and Orchestra in November. After the District Festivals in November, the top students from each of the nine IMEA Districts are selected to the IMEA State Festival in January. For high school musicians, being selected to the IMEA State Festival is the highest individual honor they can receive.

LHS senior Eli Roller, junior Allie Goldman and senior Sarah Broughton have been playing their respective instruments since fourth grade. The trio unanimously agreed that, if given the opportunity, they would all definitely participate in the All-State conference again. They also offer advice for other students hoping to be All-State musicians: "Start early and practice early," advised Roller, who was selected as first chair for the all-state honors orchestra bass trombone section.

"It's not just about your talent," said trombonist Goldman, "it's about your work ethic as well."

"The rehearsals at all-state were really long, but they went by quickly," said Broughton who plays flute.

LHS Choir members Zach Pearson, Taylor Skie, and Jackie Ovassapian agree that there are no words to describe the experience of singing with the choir at All-State.

"It's such a different experience singing with people who all genuinely want to be there," said Ovassapian. "The blend was perfect."

Pearson, Skie and Ovassapian all began singing around third grade, "unless you count singing in my bedroom with a hairbrush as my microphone," Ovassapian joked.

All intend to continue with some kind of musical involvement in college, such as an a capella choir.

Each choir group had a very different experience at the festival. While one group was rehearsing a hoedown style of music, another was practicing Spanish songs and another spirituals. But each group shared one common element: incredibly demanding rehearsals that led to the final concert.

Each day required starting early and finishing late, and in between experience 9-10 hours of singing, memorization and perfection.

"In the fall we were nervous about the timing of the regionals, because the were the same day as the LHS performance of Starlight Express," Pearson said. "But it was worth doing it."

The students credited LHS Choir Director Jeff Brown and accompanist and vocal coach Brenda Degner for preparing them to qualify for All-State.

"You can't wing it when preparing for the auditions," Skie said." You must be dedicated or it won't happen for you."

VHHS senior Zac Kurzenberger and sophomore Spencer Moffat were also part of the all-state choirs. Kurzenberger started singing in sixth grade, while Moffat didn't join a choir until this year.

"It was my best experience in high school," said Moffat, who comes from a family of former all state musicians." "My brothers attended All-State when they were at VHHS, and it lived up to everything they said about it," he said.

"It's the best three days of your life, being surrounded by 300 of the best singers in the state," said Kurzenberger, who is a two-time All-State selectee. "It is a level of refining you've never experienced before."

Both LHS and VHHS students noted that they were able to form relationships with students from across the state as well as across District 128.

Kurzenberger and Moffat both credit their training at VHHS for preparing them for the rigor of All-State.

"Our choir director, Mr. Little, is an inspiration to the students," Kurzenberger said. "He does a good job catering to the students who want to take it to the next level and gives us exposure to a good variety of music."

Moffat also noted that the private voice teachers who work with the students help prepare them for the auditions.

"Mr. Chambers helped us with different aspects of preparing for the auditions, including sight reading and having a mock audition at each lesson."

When asked for words of advice for students who hope to go to All-State, Moffat said, "Prepare and don't shy away from it."

Kurzenberger enthusiastically added, "Do it!"

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