Two Richland County High School alumni performed at the Illinois Music Education Conference (IMEC) in Peoria, IL on Friday, January 26, 2024. IMEC is the state conference for music education in Illinois that runs in conjunction with the Illinois Music Education’s (ILMEA) high school All-State festival. IMEC offers nearly 200 professional development sessions for music educators within a three-day span. RCHS is honored that two alumni were selected to present and perform at this prestigious event. Those two individuals are Kendra Jellison (RCHS graduate of 2021), and Ethan Steber (RCHS graduate of 2019). 

RCHS alumni Kendra Jellison is an undergraduate student majoring in music education at Millikin University. Kendra performed on January 26th in the Peoria Civic Center with the Millikin University Clarinet Choir. She also served as guest conductor for one composition during the performance entitled When the Rivers Meet by Cait Nishimura. 

RCHS alumni Ethan Steber graduated from Eastern Illinois University on December 2023 with a Bachelor of Music degree with Teacher Certification. Ethan was hired as the Associate Director of Bands at Flora High School on January 2024. The Flora High School Concert Band performed at IMEC on January 26th in the Peoria Civic Center Theater, under the baton of Jena Combs and Ethan Steber. 

Updated January 19, 2023:

CORRECTION TO THE ITINERARY - DUE TO ROAD CONDITIONS, THE HOST SCHOOL HAS PUSHED THE FIRST REHEARSAL BACK TO 11 A.M. THE NEW CALL TIME IS 9:45 A.M.

The LIC conference pep band will be here in less than two weeks. The date for the LIC pep band is Saturday,January 20th and will be held at Newton Community High School. Call-time for RCHS Bands students (the nine selected to attend) is 8:45 a.m.

Rehearsal will begin at 10:00 am with the first game beginning at 1:00 pm and the following games at 2:30, 4:00, and 5:30. Performances will be from the gymnasium stage at Newton High School.  If you could arrive around 9:40-9:45 to allow for set up, that would be great.  We will be practicing in the band room. 

The conference will also provide pizza and drinks for the students and directors in the afternoon.