2026 IMEA ELEMENTARY and MIDDLE SCHOOL/JUNIOR HIGH 

ALL-STATE HONOR CHOIR INFORMATION 

Since 1990, IMEA has proudly sponsored both an elementary and a middle school honor choir. Students attending Circle the State with Song Area Festivals are eligible to audition for these prestigious All-State Honor Choirs. Comprising approximately 150 singers each, these choirs are carefully selected based on teacher recommendations and auditions. Our aim is to assemble a well-balanced ensemble from participants across all 12 area CSWS Festivals.

Registration deadline is October 8, 2025.

2026 Honor Choir Audition Packet

Please review the honor choir audition packet thoroughly. Auditions will be recorded along with the audition tracks provided, and submitted online through this site. Audition instructions must be followed exactly to ensure auditions will be accepted.

Dates: January 15-16, 2026

Performance: January 16, 2026

Performance Location: Fort Wayne Embassy Theatre, Fort Wayne, IN

2025 Elementary Honor Choir Audition Track

2025 Middle School Honor Choir Audition Tracks

Honor Choir Auditions are not yet open for 2026.

Honor Choir Selection

Final selection will be made by the CSWS Committee during the fall of 2025. Students and teachers will be notified of the decision at that time. Rehearsal recordings for honor choir will be available on the web-site for each participating singer along with the honor choir repertoire. Please read carefully, follow the instructions, and meet the deadlines as stated in the audition process. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL DISQUALIFY THE AUDITION. It is our pleasure to offer your students this quality opportunity to learn and grow musically. Thank you for your continued interest in and support of IMEA and its programs.

Fees/Scholarships

The 2025 fee for this choral experience will be $198 for students in both the Elementary Choir and Middle School Choir. This fee includes four meals, All-State music, on-line rehearsal recordings, and an overnight stay in downtown Ft. Wayne. A limited number of partial scholarships are available and will be made available after placement. Please make sure that any student whose teacher submits a Scholarship Form on their behalf understands that they are responsible for the balance of the cost, and that the full fee is to be sent pending approval of scholarship. If the scholarship is approved, a reimbursement will be provided from the IMEA office. 

 2025 Honor Choir Scholarship Application: CLICK HERE

2025 CLINICIANS

Elementary Honor Choir Clinician: Greg Gilpin; Accompanist: TBD

 Greg Gilpin is a celebrated ASCAP award-winning choral composer and arranger and a highly respected choral conductor. He is known throughout the United States leading performances at New York City’s iconic Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center as well as Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. His international appearances include the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia, Royal Festival Hall in London, England and Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik, Iceland.

In additional to composing and conducting, Mr. Gilpin has worked as a singer for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra as well as background singer for Grammy award-winner, Sandi Patty and other highly acclaimed artists.  He has worked extensively in the recording industry as a singer, pianist, arranger and producer with projects from Disney to commercial jingles.

In 2021, Mr. Gilpin wrote the score for the award-winning short film, “Rosie’s Rescue” and was awarded “Best Score” for this same movie.  He also teamed up with renowned opera singer, Angela Brown, and created the world premiere of the thrilling arrangement of “What Child is This?”, debuted by Ms. Brown and the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir.

Mr. Gilpin is a proud member of ACDA, NAfME, SAG-AFTRA, and is a Life Loyal Member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and continues is position as Editor and Director of Educational Choral Publications for Shawnee Press.

 Middle School Honor Choir Clinician: Roger David; Accompanist: TBD

Roger David Jr. is a Michigan State University graduate student pursuing a DMA in Choral Conducting and recipient of a University Distinguished Fellowship. He serves as Assistant Conductor for The Singing Spartans (formerly MSU Glee Club) and Campus Choir, and assists with the undergraduate Choral Pedagogy course. Originally from Anchorage, Alaska, he is proud to be a product of the Anchorage School District and an alum of the University of Alaska Anchorage where he received a Bachelor of Music, Music Education Emphasis and a Master of Arts in Teaching. After teaching middle school choir in ASD, he completed a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting at Wichita State University. While in Kansas, Roger served as a clinician and adjudicator for middle and high schools. Roger's interests include culturally informed rehearsal and performance practice, conductor leadership styles, coaching football, and eating Korean BBQ with friends.