The Illinois Music Education Association named 13 Mundelein High School music students to its District VII Honors Ensembles. The honor places these students are in the top 5 percent of performers on their instrument. All students in these ensembles are being considered for All-State Honors (to be announced in November).

These individual honors are the result of students preparing upwards of five musical excerpts that are performed for judges across the state. Achieving a place in these District ensembles is an accomplishment on par with an athletic team advancing to the Sectional level of competition. 

“We could not be prouder of our students' accomplishments and their representation of the excellence found in MHS' music programs,” said MHS Fine Arts Department Chair Rich Stiles. “Their selection speaks volumes about their hard work and musical abilities.”

The ILMEA named these MHS students to the following District VII Honors Ensembles: Concert Band members Jared Alba (horn), Avishi Mehta (trombone), Natalie Moon (clarinet), and Paola Vargas (trumpet); Orchestra members Matthew Adamczyk (trumpet) and Andy Gallup (tuba); Chorus member Sylv Pacis (Alto II); Jazz Combo member Jacob Dubinskiy (trombone); Jazz Band I member Andy Gallup (bass trombone); Jazz Band II members Matthew Adamczyk (bass trombone), Daniel Fishel (alto saxophone) and Michelle Frane (trumpet); and Jazz Band III members Justin Carvalho (alto saxophone), Jorge Meza (trombone) and Camryn Plohr (trombone).

“Much credit goes to Cory Thompson, Andy Sturgeon, and Jerry Shelato for their exemplary work in preparing these students,” Stiles said. “Under their guidance, the music program continues to reach new heights.”

Students who made it into ILMEA District VII Honors Band/Choir/Orchestra/Jazz Band were all given multiple etudes to prepare as well as (in some cases) a scale sheet to perform in under three minutes and improvisation (Jazz only). Once students recorded their auditions, MHS music directors uploaded them to the audition website where music professionals from across the state reviewed each excerpt and ranked students top to bottom.

The students who earned entrance into ILMEA District VII Honors Ensembles will perform in an all-district honors group in November. Choir, Band, and Orchestra honors students perform at Glenbrook South High School on Tuesday, November 4. Jazz Band students perform at Lake Zurich High School on Tuesday, November 18.