Eighth-grader Myles Clarin is the first Glen Crest Middle School student to be selected as an All-State musician. Clarin plays the alto saxophone in the Glen Crest band.
Clarin was selected to participate in the prestigious Illinois Music Education Association District IX Junior Division Festival in both seventh and eighth grade. To earn a spot in that honors ensemble, he had to submit an online audition to be judged by music educators.
Based on his performances at that Festival, Clarin, 13, received an even higher honor: he was chosen to be part of the All-State Concert at 6 p.m. on Friday, January 30, in the Carver Arena at the Peoria Civic Center.
Clarin credits the Glen Crest band teachers - Katie Berry and Lev Garbar – for his success. His teachers weren’t surprised Clarin was chosen for this recognition.
“He’s definitely one of the top players,” Garbar said. “When Myles is here, his section sounds better. Any time he has the melody, you know the melody is going to sound right, it is going to be phrased right, and it will sound beautiful.”
Clarin also plays on the school's basketball and volleyball teams.
The All-State music programs run concurrently with the Illinois Music Education Conference, which brings more than 12,000 students, educators, and families to the Peoria Civic Center to celebrate and promote music education in Illinois.
This is the inaugural year for Junior High All-State Band and Junior High All-State Orchestra being a part of the All-State student programs. For more information on the Illinois Music Education Association, go to www.ilmea.org.