The Florida Music Education Association (FMEA) recently announced that 36 students from 11 Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS) have been selected as All State Musicians.

According to an ACPS press release, the students will participate in 13 All State ensembles at the annual FMEA conference from Jan. 10-13 in Tampa. The conference will include rehearsals, workshops and performances with other top young musicians from throughout the state under the leadership of expert conductors.

For the students to earn spots in the All State ensembles, they had to participate in an audition process this fall that included playing scales, sight reading passages, musicianship tests and prepare audition pieces on their respective instruments.

Kimball Wiles was one of two elementary schools in Florida this year to have the maximum of 10 students selected as All State musicians. There were 211 students statewide selected for the Elementary All State Chorus and 78 named to the All State Orff Ensemble.

“Selection as an All State musician is a testament to the students’ hard work and dedication to their craft and to their music teachers, who work tirelessly to help them prepare,” said Diana Rollo, the district’s fine arts coordinator, in a press release “Our district and community recognize the importance of music education in our schools and we’re grateful for the continued support of the One Mill initiative, which helps fund fine arts programs in our schools.”

The students named All State musicians, their grade, their All State ensembles, and their instruments/vocal categories are as follows: