In an effort to continually align auditions statewide at the junior and senior levels, the Board of Directors voted at their meeting last summer to introduce new etude cycles for band, orchestra, chorus and jazz starting with 2024 auditions. Because ILMEA will own these materials, they will be available and accessible on the ILMEA website at no cost.
At this point in the process, ILMEA has contracted with a number of exceptional, instrument-specific composers who are currently writing and submitting etudes for each jazz, wind, percussion and string instrument audition at the Junior and Senior levels!
The first draft of these etudes are to be submitted to ILMEA in mid-March and will be available for one week to receive public comment from ILMEA stakeholders. All feedback will be compiled and sent to the composers for revision as needed. The ILMEA Board will then review the revised drafts during the Spring Board meeting (April 5-7, 2024) at which time they will decide whether to move forward with these etudes as-is or to return to the regular cycle of audition material for Fall of 2024, (thus extending the implementation of the commissioned etudes until Fall of 2025).
Be sure to follow ILMEA on social media and watch your email in mid- to late-March to be alerted when the public comment period is open. Your input and feedback on the commissioned etudes are a key part of this project and its successful implementation for our music students!