Taylorville High School had four musicians earn the designation of All-State Musician. Erica Edwards, flute and Mylie Corso, oboe in band and Jay Bliler, piano and Kai Albright, baritone saxophone in jazz band. These students represented THS in Peoria at the annual Illinois Music Education Conference All-State Festival January 25-28.
Erica Edwards performed in the ILMEA All State Honor Band directed by renowned band conductor Paula Rider. The ensemble performed Pacem by Robert Spittal, Symphony #3 Queen Mosaic: Mvt. 4 Renaissance du Printemps by Robert Buckley, Burning the Wicker Man by Julie Giroux, Downey Overture by Oscar Navarro and Semper Fidelis by John Philip
Sousa.
Mylie Corso performed with the ILMEA All-State Band directed by Florida A&M University Director of Bands Shebly Chipman. The ensemble performed Eternal Memoir: Saga of the Lucky Dragon by Hirokazu Fukushima, Where Never Lark or Eagle Flew by James Curnow, Overcome by Bill Locklear and The Victors March by Karl L. King. Jay Bliler and Kai Albright performed with the ILMEA All-State Jazz Band directed by DownBeat Magazine Jazz Education Hall of Fame member Jose Antonio Diaz. The ensemble performed Giddyup! By Rick Hirsch, Cubauza by Michael Philip Mossman, That’s Conrad by Jose Diaz and Blues for Stephanie by John Clayton Jr.
These four THS musicians earned the All-State designation through an audition process held statewide back in October 2022. Over 7000 students audition from around the state and around 1200 earn the All-State designation and get to perform at the ILMEA All-State Festival.
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PHOTO:
THS All-State Musicians pictured from r to l are: Erica Edwards, Mylie Corso, Kai
Albright and Jay Bliler.