Eight Collinsville Students Named to ILMEA 2026 All-State Programs

COLLINSVILLE - During this past fall, 23,000 students from elementary, junior high 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.

Students in grades 7-12 who participated in the ILMEA District Festivals are also eligible to be selected into ILMEA’s Junior and Senior All-State Student Programs. This year, eight students from Collinsville schools were selected to participate in the Illinois Music Education Association’s 2026 All-State Student Programs in Peoria, Illinois from January 28-January 31, 2026. This is the highest honor that can be earned by students in our state!

This January marks the inaugural year for Junior High All-State Band and Junior High All-State Orchestra being a part of the All-State Student Programs as well.

Students representing the Collinsville Bands at ILMEA All-State include:

CHS

Eryn Bechtle, piccolo, orchestra

Kendon McCallister, bass clarinet, orchestra

Ian Pilat, clarinet, band

Olivia Smith, flute, band

Lydia Taylor, baritone sax, jazz band

CMS

Jesus Cesarez-Mendoza, clarinet, band

Jaxon Picarello, french horn, band

Marilyn Martin, baritone sax, band

Students in the performing ensembles represent the best student musicians in Illinois and came together to present a series of All-State Concerts. On Friday, January 30, the Junior High All-State Concert will take place at 6:00pm in the Carver Arena at the Peoria Civic Center and the 2026 Jazz Night Concert will feature a night of music performed by the student vocal and instrumental jazz ensembles in the Civic Center Theater. For bands and orchestras, the Senior All-State Concert and the Senior Honors Concerts will be presented on Saturday, January 31, 2026. Each of these ensembles will be led by distinguished conductors and educators from across the country.

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 education industry vendors to the Peoria Civic Center to celebrate and promote music education in Illinois.

For more information on the Illinois Music Education Association and opportunities for student musicians and music educators, please visit www.ilmea.org. For more information about the Collinsville Community School District music programs, please contact Mr Kyle Muskopf at kmuskopf@cusd.kahoks.org

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