Richfield High Junior George Illes Chosen For All-State Music Program

RICHFIELD, MN —Richfield High School junior flutist George Illes will be part of the exclusive Minnesota Music Educators Association (MMEA) All-State music program for the 2022-23 school year, Richfield Public Schools announced.

Illes learned of his acceptance into the program earlier this spring after a rigorous audition process that included submitting multiple recordings and being judged in areas like: tone quality, intonation and pitch accuracy, rhythm and tempo, articulation and technique.

The MMEA All-State music program includes band, choir, and orchestra and, according to its website, is considered the top program of its kind across the nation.

Approximately 565 students are selected annually by the MMEA All-State Committee for one of the program's seven All-State groups.

"I'm very excited for All-State to meet new music people and play some interesting music," Illes said.

Chad Armbruster, director of RHS bands called Illes' selection to the MMEA All-State music program a "rare and outstanding accomplishment" and an "enormous achievement."

"His recorded audition was evaluated by adjudicators who selected George's sound and technical ability above hundreds of students who auditioned," Armbruster said.

Armbruster added: "I'm so excited for George to have this opportunity, and I know he will continue to represent himself and Richfield in a positive way."

According to the Richfield Public Schools, Illes has been a part of the district's band program for six years. Though flute is his main instrument, he also has played tenor sax, piccolo and bass drum.

"I first joined the band because I wanted to play drums," Illes said. "But I tried all the instruments and the flute was the only one I could play."

Each year, All-State music students are invited to an August camp, where they meet their guest conductor and attend long hours of rehearsals and sectionals before putting on a concert, according to the MMEA website.

All the musicians then meet again in February for the MMEA Midwinter Clinic, which includes a performance at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis.

Though he has over a year before college, Illes said he plans to attend Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, to study flute performance. As for his dream job: Illes said it would be to "travel the world playing as a guest for different orchestras."