***Floyd Jenkins, is a participant of The Kewanee Voice Student Journalism Program, funded by the Harry Anderson Memorial Trust.
The Illinois Music Educators Association (ILMEA) hosted its annual District 2 Choir Festival recently at Augustana College in Rock Island.
The day began with rehearsals from 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in Wallenberg Hall, followed by a short run-through on stage in Centennial Hall. Afterward, students ate lunch provided by Augustana in the Gerber Student Center.
Rehearsals resumed from 2 to 4:45 p.m., with short breaks between sessions. Students then ate dinner in the student center before preparing for the 6 p.m. concert held in Centennial Hall.
The festival was conducted by Dr. Lee Nelson of Wartburg College and organized by ILMEA. Students auditioned months in advance through online submissions, demonstrating tonality, scales, and triads. Each audition included excerpts from three pieces: O Nata Lux, Sit Down Servant, and Can We Sing the Darkness to Light?
Students who qualified rehearsed additional pieces for the concert, including For My Brother (men’s choir song), By Night (women’s choir song), and Death Came A-Knockin’.
Area schools participated, including Moline, Rock Island, LaSalle-Peru, Stark County, Wethersfield, Kewanee, and lots more.
Wethersfield Jr/Sr High School had five students qualify: Floyd Jenkins, sophomore (Senior Choir); Abigail Hampton; Avery Frie; Piper Achuff, eighth grade (Junior Mixed Choir); and Serenity Feltner, seventh grade (Junior Treble Choir).
“ILMEA and All-State were events in my music career as a high schooler that I really enjoyed and that helped form the kind of music teacher I am today,” said Wethersfield choir director Hannah Wyrick. “It really inspires students to do well and push themselves to be better musicians.”
The festival concluded with an evening concert, wrapping up a full day of music and collaboration among young vocalists from across the district.
