Earlier this school year, over 10,000 student musicians from elementary, middle and high schools around Illinois participated in a virtual audition process and of those auditions, more than 7,000 students were selected to participate in district festivals celebrating student musicians in bands, orchestras, choruses and jazz ensembles.
Coal City’s vocal and instrumental musicians participate in the Illinois Music Education Association’s [ILMEA] District 1 events. District 1, composed of school’s from across the Chicagoland area, is considered one of the most competitive districts in the state.
Six Coal City High School vocal students—Austin Harding, Logan Hausman, Melody Kinder, Mason Natyshok, Olivia Sage and Martin Ramirez—were selected to participate in the District 1 Choir in November. And, two high school instrumental students—Mackenzie Messina and Sam Vota—were selected to the District 1 band.
Two middle school students were selected to the Junior High Choir—Jackson Hollis and Haley Johnson, and instrumental musicians Abby Hitchcock and Tess Jeschke performed with the district band.
Students in grades 9-12 who participated in ILMEA District Festivals were eligible to be selected into the ILMEA’s All-State Student Programs. This year, 1,500 students were selected to participate in the ILMEA’s 2025 All-State Student Programs and three are from Coal City High School.
Melody Kinder, Mason Natyshok and Martin Ramirez have been selected to the All-State Choir and will participate in the All-State Concerts on Feb. 1 in Peoria.
Students in the performing ensembles represent the best student musicians in Illinois and will come together to present a series of All-State Concerts. On Friday, Jan. 31, the 2025 Jazz Night Concert will feature a night of music performed by the student vocal and instrumental jazz ensembles The All-State Elementary Chorus and the inaugural Junior High All-State Chorus Concert, the All-State Concert and the Honors Concerts will be presented on Saturday, Feb. 1. Each of these ensembles will be led by distinguished conductors and educators from across the county.
The All-State Student Programs run concurrently with the Illinois Music Education Conference, the premier professional development opportunity for music educators in Illinois. This event brings over 12,000 students , educators, parents and music industry vendors to the Peoria Civic Center to celebrate and promote music education in Illinois.
Michael Kren serves as director of the Coal City High School and Middle School Choirs. Instrumental musicians at the high school are under the direction of Annie Ternes and middle school instrumentalists are students of Andrew Brimm.
Additionally, three Coal City High School choir students—Cora Armstrong, Caroline Childers, and Brady Pierson—were nominated by their director to participate in the freshmen/sophomore choir at the District 1 festival.