Northeastern Illinois University hosted an Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA) group festival on Tuesday, March 17, at which West Chicago Community High School band students performed alongside 10 other high school bands.

The ILMEA hosted a non-competitive, adjudicated music event. ILMEA festivals are hosted at various universities and colleges throughout the state. Schools must register early to secure spots before they fill up. Northeastern Illinois University hosted its festival in the Salme Harju Steinberg Fine Arts Center.

“I want my students to get the opportunity to perform in a beautiful space that is built with acoustics in mind,” Marissa Janiszewski, West Chicago Community High School band director, said. “I also want them to get to work with clinicians and receive feedback to help them grow as musicians.”

The ILMEA Festival enables high school ensembles to perform in high-quality performance venues specifically designed for optimal acoustics. Each ensemble is allotted 30 minutes to perform, and later, a 30-minute clinic with one of the judges. These clinics provide students with written and audio feedback, as well as an opportunity to apply the feedback immediately, guided by the judge, a role filled by Dr. Erica J. Neidlinger from DePaul University.

“I think getting like the how the teacher described different techniques to help us become better. I think were really cool, and it taught us a lot [in terms of] balance with certain sections,” Ella Moffatt, senior at WEGO, said.

These clinics help the students develop a deeper connection with the music, allowing them to share the story behind it with their audience. Implementing different techniques can enhance tone and expression, leaving attendees with an immersive experience.

“We got to work more deeply on one of the pieces that we’ve been working on for a while, and we got a better understanding of the music,” Josh Kotke, senior at WEGO,  said.

The West Chicago Community High School Honors Wind Ensemble performed a piece from their previous concert and a new piece they are preparing for their concert in May. The clinic helped the students refine their pieces and explore various ways to integrate techniques and dynamics into the music.

“I think it was pretty good, but I feel like sometimes some runs are good and sometimes some runs aren’t good. You just have to acknowledge that and be okay,” Moffatt said.