Audition FAQ

When do I need to pay my audition fees?

Audition fees need to be paid prior to the day of auditions. When submitting payment to a school or district office, please check with all nominating directors in your school to be sure all students are entered and on the billing sheet.

How do I change or cancel an audition?

Directors will be able to change instruments or voicing for their students up to the day the audition window opens. After the nomination window has closed, directors must alert District Presidents in writing/via email to changes if it is within one week of auditions.

If a director needs to cancel student auditions after the nominating window has closed, those need to be submitted in writing/via email to the District President prior to the audition window opening. Audition fees for students who are not cancelled prior to the audition window opening will still need to be paid.

If my student is auditioning on Harp or Piano, where do I nominate them?

Students auditioning on Harp will be nominated under Strings. Students auditioning on Piano will be nominated under Percussion.

If my student wishes to audition on an auxiliary instrument, how do I nominate them?

Students wishing to audition on auxiliary instruments must be entered as an additional entry on that auxiliary instrument. Auxiliary instruments are considered a 2nd full audition.

Auxiliary instruments to be considered are: Piccolo, English Horn, Eb Soprano Clarinet, Contra-Bassoon, Piano

All students 9th grade-12th grade who audition on auxiliary instruments will be audio recorded and submitted to State audition committee for possible selection to All-State ensembles.

Piano students may audition regardless of whether the literature selected at our district festival contains a piano part. English horn, etc. students should audition on those instruments regardless of whether the district music literature calls for it.

I am a parent; Can I nominate my student myself?

Students must be nominated through a school music program and must participate in the school ensemble to be nominated.

ONLY in cases of an ensemble not being offered in the school (ie: no orchestra for a violin player, no choir for a vocalist), may a student be nominated without being part of a school ensemble. (ILMEA Policy Manual, Audition Eligibility, IV)

If a student is homeschooled, the family or homeschool co-op may register to become a Participating School and nominate for auditions. (ILMEA Policy Manual, Home School Policy)

How should my student prepare for the audition?

Auditions for different divisions (band, chorus, jazz and orchestra) and different levels (junior high and senior high) do vary. Please ask you school's music educator for details on what will take place during the audition and what your student needs to prepare. (ILMEA Policy Manual, Responsibility for Obtaining Audition Materials)

My student requires accommodations. How should I let you know about what is needed?

Requests for accommodation must go through your student's director and the ILMEA District President. Please allow for ample time for arrangements to be made (ILMEA Policy Manual, Special Needs Form)

When and where do auditions and festivals take place?

Please check your ILMEA district page for information on the dates, times and locations.

My school district might be on strike during the audition window. Can I still submit student videos?

If your school is on strike for the entirety of the audition window, student are not eligible to submit audition videos. If at any point during the audition window your union has not yet started, pauses or ends the strike you may submit student audition videos during time you are not on strike. If your school district is on strike during festivals and/or All-State, and students have already entered the audition pipeline and have been selected, those students are eligible to participate with a chaperone.