On Jan. 26-28, music could be heard at all hours of the day seeping under the closed doors of the auditorium and drifting down the hallways at the Illinois Music Conference in Peoria.

Every year, All-State, hosted by the Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA), selects the most talented student musicians in the state to perform in the All-State and Honors All-State ensembles.

This year only a select few of EHS’s orchestra, band and choir students were granted the opportunity to perform in ILMEA’s ensembles.

Senior Spencer Burbach was one of the fortunate students to sing in the Honors All-State choir this year. Even rarer, he is among the very few to be invited twice to the conference.

Burbach said he was extremely proud of the improvements he witnessed this weekend and credits the choir’s conductor Allen Hightower for their accomplishments.

“(Dr. Hightower) really stressed the importance of the lyrics and the meaning of the songs which I think made our sound overall better,” Burbach said.

Senior Hannah Nafziger, another member of this year’s Honors All-State choir, enjoyed every part of her first time attending the conference. The harmony she and the singers maintained throughout the performance, she said, was beautiful.

“I have never felt so fully connected with my music in my life,” Nafziger said. “The more emotional songs even brought me nearly to tears.”

The Illinois Music Conference doesn’t showcase amazing performances without preparation. In the two days before the conference’s official show, All-State members spent hours rehearsing.

All-State violinist senior Savannah Brannon recalled the exhaustion the orchestra faced one specific day after waking up at 4 a.m. for rehearsal that ended at 10:30 p.m.

“Apparently at one point during practice I was literally slumped over my violin, like passed out, and (sophomore) Anna Farrar was knocked. The conductor saw us and just started laughing,” Brannon said.

All the hours spent rehearing was worth the wait for the All-State performers. With this year’s ensemble completed, students are already preparing for the All-State selection process to be conducted about half a year from now.

“I know I practiced all year hoping to get picked,” Brannon said. “All-State is more than just a weekend; it’s a year-long opportunity.”