Musicians will perform Saturday at Glenbard East High School for the Illinois Music Education Association.

Juniors Xenia Gaurino, Jenny Manspeaker, and senior Justin Pantaleon passed the Oct. 6 auditions to qualify for the performance.

According to www.ilmea.org, the ILMEA is a non-profit association, representing every level of music education and works to build musicianship for band, orchestra and choir students. Students who audition are in middle schools and high schools across Illinois.

Manspeaker auditioned for the clarinet while Gaurino and Pantaleon auditioned for the choir.

“Getting accepted into the ILMEA is an amazing honor and I am overjoyed that I was able to succeed,” Manspeaker said.

The students needed to practice in order to be accepted into the ILMEA.

“I would practice at home every day and there would be school rehearsals that Mr. Fantozzi held that are optional,” Garino said.

West Chicago is in District Nine of the ILMEA.

“This school just happens to be in District Nine, which is one of the most competitive districts in the state, so successfully auditioning is much more difficult than in other parts of the state,” Manspeaker said.

To prepare for the audition students worked on sight reading, scales, and selected pieces.

“I took whatever opportunities I could to practice playing through them. Being confident in your ability before you walk into the audition is so important. If you go in thinking that you are not good enough, you will play like you are not good enough, so you need to go in thinking positively so your playing reflects that,” Manspeaker said.

Pantaleon scheduled private music lessons to prepare for the audition.

“I had scheduled days for skill practice with a private vocal teacher along with in-class practices with concert choir,” Pantaleon said.

Acceptance into the ILMEA was a surprise for the students.

“I was very shocked because I wasn’t expecting to be accepted. I feel very happy because not everyone has the opportunity to be accepted like me,” Gaurino said.

Others who auditioned in the previous years who did not make the ILMEA had to work even harder.

“I transferred from Bartlett High School where I attempted to audition for the ILMEA my junior year. I was not accepted that year, so to get acknowledged as one of the three students this year felt so invigorating and surprising,” Pantaleon said.

Band director Stephen Govertsen noted how Manspeaker has worked in order to make the ILMEA.

“She deserves to be in it because she works as hard as anyone I know on her instrument. Putting in the time is what is needed to be good, and she puts in the time,” Govertsen said.

Manspeaker has never given up on auditioning for the ILMEA.

“The ILMEA has been a goal of mine since I was a freshman. I had taken part in the less competitive version of the ILMEA in middle school and loved the experience and the music that I got to work with and would practice at home everyday,” Manspeaker said.

Being accepted into the ILMEA benefits students learning through music.

“The ILMEA gives everyone an opportunity to really show their sparkle in the music department, showing the growth of the music community through their voices or instruments,” Pantaleon said.

Being in the ILMEA is helpful for students who want to continue to work with music in college.

“The ILMEA is important to me because it is a good opportunity to work with like-minded people and those who are just as dedicated, if not more dedicated, to music as I am. Music is a huge part of my life, and I plan on continuing my experience with music into college and then into life after that,” Manspeaker said.