A school record 22 student musicians from Oak Park and River Forest High School made All State this year.
And for the first time in more than 20 years, an Oak Park and River Forest High School choir will perform at the annual Illinois Music Education Association conference. The school’s 31-member A Cappella choir is just one of six high school choirs that was chosen to perform at the conference in Peoria at the end of the month.
“It’s a tremendous honor,” said choir director Meredith McGuire, a 1996 graduate of OPRF who was selected for All-State when she was a student. “It’s an incredible experience, performing with amazingly talented kids and collegiate directors who are on another level. It’s fun to watch the kids get inspired.”
Thousands of Illinois students compete for a very limited number of coveted spots in the conference’s All-State ensembles and composition awards. The All Staters will be recognized at the Illinois Music Education Conference from Jan. 29 to Feb. 1 in Peoria. The ensembles and musicians will perform in several venues in the city, including the Peoria Civic Center and Peoria’s First United Methodist Church.
But fans don’t have to travel downstate to see these musicians. The A Cappella choir planned to perform its ILMEA program at a free show at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22 at Oak Park and River Forest High School’s Little Theatre.
Three OPRF student musicians were recognized as the best in the state in their categories. Senior Brett Linzing, a drummer, finished first in Jazz set for the second year in a row and was selected for the State Jazz Combo Ensemble. Senior Jude Peterson finished first in the state in jazz piano and was also selected for the State Jazz Combo Ensemble. Clara Frantzen finished first in composition for the Instrumental Large Ensemble category.
For the second consecutive year Roy Koemer finished second in composition in the electronic music category.
Senior Emily Churchouse, a member of the A Cappella choir, also won All State Honors in choir (alto voice). Other OPRF All Staters in choir were George Maychruk (tenor voice), Jackson O’Brien (bass voice) and Gavin O’Schaughnessey (bass voice).
OPRF All State band selectees are Lizzy Bell (clarinet), Benjamin Drucker (clarinet), Rei Freireich (bass clarinet), Bennett King (trumpet), Brook Lingenfelter (french horn), Rowan Lingenfelter (flute), Elia Wei-Henrys (clarinet), Eddie Pearson (bassoon).
OPRF All States in orchestra are Abd Al Zahabi (violin), George Barkidjija (viola), Clara Frantzen (violin), Andy Keller (viola), Victor Kramer (viola), and Ivy Loentz (viola).
The OPRF A Cappella choir consists of Will Barnes-Mazur, Gigi Bartolomeo, Henry Bogzevitz, Jacob Bottorff, Bella Brauc, Lukas Brauc, Jeanine Brennan, Marin Chalmers, Emily Churchouse, Sasha Giannotti, Thomas Hann, Nafia Johnson, Rob Johnson, Zee Johnson-Shackelford, Pearl Lacey, Zaria Larnell, Henry Lombardo, Norah Lougachi, Ava Lowell, Mark Marcondes, Alejandro Medina, Ella Moss, Michael Readling, Brianna Rockingham-Humphrey, Gloria Rodriguez, Mary Kate Saam, Isabella Schwager, Tate Van Duinen, Nolan Walters, Sophie Welch, Moriah Zeb-Quiñones.
Bob Skolnik is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.