2026-2027 District 9 Dates
Click here for a printable poster of important audition and selection dates!
Wednesday, September 9 - Audition excerpt information released by 12:00pm (Junior and Senior, All Audition Areas)
Wednesday, September 16 - Audition nomination deadline - all student audition nominations must be entered on nominate.ilmea.org by 5:00pm
Wednesday, September 16 - Audition window open for audition video link submissions on nominate.ilmea.org
Wednesday, September 30 - Audition window closes for audition submissions at 5:00pm.
Thursday, October 15 - Composition Contest Entry Deadline
Thursday, October 15 - FMES Nomination Deadline
Saturday, November 7 - Junior Concert Festival (West Aurora High School, Aurora)
Saturday, November 7 - Senior Jazz Festival (St. Charles East High School, St. Charles)
Saturday, November 14 - Senior Concert Festival (Dundee-Crown High School)
Friday, December 4 - Elementary All-State Chorus Nomination Deadline
Wednesday, January 27- January 30, 2027 - Illinois Music Education Conference (Peoria, Illinois)
Wednesday, February 17, 2027 - D9 Junior Jazz audition nomination deadline - these auditions must be entered on nominate.ilmea.org by 5:00pm.
Wednesday, February 17, 2027 - D9 Junior Jazz audition window open for audition video link submissions on nominate.ilmea.org
Wednesday, February 24, 2027 - D9 Junior Jazz audition window closes for audition submissions at 5:00pm.
Saturday, April 10, 2027 - Elementary Festival (Ira Jones Middle School, Plainfield)
Saturday, April 17, 2027 - Junior Jazz Festival (Monroe Middle School, Wheaton)
Saturday, April 24, 2027 - Mariachi Festival (Site TBD)
2026-2027 District & State Fees
Junior/Senior Participating School Fee - $50.00 per school building*
Elementary Participating School Fee - $40.00 per school building*
Junior/Senior Auditions - $12.00 per audition
Composition Contest Entry - $20.00 per submission
Elementary Festival Participation - $15.00 per student
Junior/Senior Festival Participation - $35.00 per student
All-State Student Participation, Senior Level - $45.00 per student
All-State Student Participation, Junior Level - $40.00 per student
All-State Student Participation, Elementary Level - $25.00 per student
*Schools need only pay the fee for the oldest participating level in a particular school building.