Alton Youth Symphony highlights success of Jersey Community High School graduate

Jovee Hileman, graduating 2025 senior from Jersey Community High School, concluded her school year in May by earning the highest band awards for a senior. The John Phillip Sousa Award recognizes the top student in the band program and the Louis Armstrong Award honors the top student in the Jazz program. Jovee began playing the trumpet in 5th grade at Jersey Community Middle School and switched to the French horn in the 6th grade when JCMS Band director, Waylon Schroeder, encouraged her and some of Jovee’s classmates to audition for the Alton Youth Symphony. “My participation in the Alton Youth Symphony was extremely beneficial to my success in high school. The experience made me more familiar with different styles of conducting and I was able to read and play more advanced music.” says Jovee. In High School the music program gave Jovee a tight network of friends and her dedication and hard work paid off. Jovee will be attending Maryville University this fall to study Speech Language Pathology. Congratulations Jovee on all your many achievements!
Alton Youth Symphony is currently recruiting young musicians for their upcoming 25/26 season. AYS is a unique opportunity for students to gain confidence and improve their music skills by performing in an orchestra setting consisting of their peers. Strings, winds, brass and percussion players are all needed. The application process is simple and can be achieved online. To begin the process go to altonyouthsymphony.org and follow the directions to join AYS. Deadlines to apply are August 28th for strings and September 9th for woodwinds, brass and percussion. If you have additional questions about the application process or need more clarification contact Carla Newton (618) 535-9922.