Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA)

What Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA) does

Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA) is a private non-profit professional association founded around 1940 and headquartered in Palos Heights, Illinois. It serves as the Illinois state affiliate of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), supporting K-12 music educators, collegiate pre-service teachers, and students across nine geographic districts. The organization's core mission is music education advocacy and the coordination of statewide student programming, including All-State ensembles (band, chorus, orchestra, jazz, vocal jazz, elementary general music), district festivals, Large Group Festivals, composition and remix contests, and student honor societies (ILMHS for grades 6-12 and ILCMEA for collegiate chapters).

ILMEA operates a portfolio of programs centered on three pillars: student programming, professional development, and member services. The flagship event is the annual Illinois Music Education Conference (IMEC), held in Peoria, delivering over 150 clinics and concerts over three days. Technology infrastructure consists of two web-based platforms — membership.ilmea.org for enrollment and the new Member Forum, and nominate.ilmea.org for student audition and festival nominations — supplemented by third-party integrations including Soundtrap (remix contest), GoFan (ticketing), SignUpGenius (event registration), and ApparelNow (merchandise).

Revenue is generated through a diversified set of small-dollar streams: annual membership dues (active $75, collegiate $25, retired $30, industry affiliate), per-student participation fees for auditions and festivals, per-ensemble Large Group Festival fees ($350 first ensemble, $25 discount per additional), participating school building fees ($40–$50), student chapter registrations ($50 for ILMHS), mentorship program fees ($20), and merchandise. The organization reaches members through its district network, the IMEC conference, email newsletters, the Illinois Music Educator Journal, and the Member Forum. Recent strategic activity includes the 2025-2026 launch of Junior High All-State Band and Orchestra, an Instrumental Jazz festival category, a Mariachi Festival, a Singer-Songwriter & Modern Band Festival, and a 2026 legislative advocacy partnership with Mercury LLC.

Name

Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA)

Legal name

Illinois Music Education Association

Website

https://ilmea.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Illinois Music Education Association is a non-profit professional association serving K-12 music educators and students across Illinois. It coordinates All-State ensembles, district and Large Group festivals, the annual IMEC conference, student honor societies, and statewide music education advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Education Professional Association Services

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Educational Services (611), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Music Instruction (Instrumental & Vocal) (EDAMAAAE), Arts Education Instruction (Visual/Performing) (EDAJAFAK), Online / Virtual Music Instruction & Platforms (EDAMANAI)

Keywords

• Music education advocacy
• Professional development conferences
• Student ensemble festivals
• Music educator membership
• All-state music programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Palos Heights

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from active music educators, collegiate members, and retired members provide recurring revenue. Active membership is $75/year, collegiate is $25/year, and retired membership is $30/year.
2. Student Program Fees: Fees collected for student participation in auditions, festivals, and All-State programs. Fees vary by program type: auditions ($12), composition contest entries ($20), elementary festivals ($15/student), junior/senior festivals ($35/student), and All-State participation ($25-$45/student).
3. Large Group Festival Fees: Non-competitive adjudicated festival events where schools pay $350 per ensemble for the first ensemble and receive $25 discount for each additional ensemble from the same school.
4. Participating School Fees: Schools pay annual participating school fees to enable student nominations: $50 for junior/senior programs and $40 for elementary programs per school building.
5. Student Chapter Registration: Illinois Music Honors Society (ILMHS) chapters pay $50 annual registration fee. Illinois Collegiate Music Education Association (ILCMEA) chapters are free but require active ILMEA membership.
6. Mentorship Program Fees: Bridge Mentorship Program charges $20 registration fee for mentee participants, providing early career educators with mentoring partnerships and professional development.
7. Merchandise Sales: Sale of ILMEA branded merchandise including apparel, graduation cords, chapter pins, and certificates through the Allegro Apparel storefront.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ILMEA delivers statewide music education programming and professional development services to Illinois music educators and K-12 students. Core offerings include the annual Illinois Music Education Conference (IMEC), All-State ensemble programs at elementary, junior high, and senior levels, adjudicated Large Group Festivals, nine geographic district festivals, student honor societies (ILMHS and ILCMEA), composition and remix contests, and a Bridge Mentorship Program for early-career educators.

Product overview

ILMEA offers a comprehensive portfolio of music education programs and services organized across student programs, professional development, and membership platforms. The core student offerings include All-State ensembles (Band, Chorus, Orchestra, Jazz) at Elementary, Junior High, and Senior High levels, district festivals across nine Illinois regions, and adjudicated Large Group Festivals. Supporting programs include the Illinois Music Honors Society (ILMHS) for grades 6-12 and Illinois Collegiate Music Education Association (ILCMEA) for pre-service educators. Creative competitions feature Composition and Remix Contests for student composers. Professional development centers on the annual Illinois Music Education Conference (IMEC) with over 150 sessions, the Bridge Mentorship Program for early-career educators, and access to Illinois Music Learning Standards. Technology platforms include a membership portal (membership.ilmea.org) and nomination/audition portal (nominate.ilmea.org). Membership tiers serve Active ($75/year), Collegiate ($25/year), and Retired ($30/year) music educators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Illinois Music Honors Society (ILMHS): Student honor society for junior high and high school music students grades 6-12.
• Illinois Collegiate Music Education Association (ILCMEA)
• Illinois Music Education Conference (IMEC)

Products and services

• All-State Student Programs State-level ensemble programs including Band, Chorus, Orchestra, Jazz Band, Vocal Jazz, and Elementary General Music for students selected through district auditions. Held annually at IMEC in Peoria.
• Large Group Festivals Non-competitive adjudicated festival series offering performance opportunities in high-quality venues with audio and written feedback and clinic experiences from renowned music educators; includes Band, Orchestra, Chorus, Jazz, and Mariachi categories.
• District Festivals Nine geographic district-level festivals across Illinois featuring Junior/Senior Band, Chorus, Orchestra, Jazz, and Elementary programs with local performance opportunities for schools and students.
• Illinois Music Education Conference (IMEC) Annual premier professional development conference held in Peoria featuring over 150 clinics and concerts over three days; includes All-State student performances, educator sessions, and exhibit hall.
• Illinois Music Honors Society (ILMHS) Honor society for junior high and high school music students in grades 6-12 providing leadership and service opportunities; school chapters can register for $50 annually with active ILMEA member sponsor.
• Illinois Collegiate Music Education Association (ILCMEA) Pre-service music education association for 2-year and 4-year college students; provides professional learning and leadership opportunities. Chapter registration is free, but primary sponsor must be an active ILMEA member.
• Composition Contest Annual student composition competition accepting original compositions, arrangements, and remixes; features multiple categories including Classical, Pop/Hip Hop, and Remix.
• Remix Contest Annual remix competition using an award-winning composition from the prior year's Composition Contest as source material; students create remixes using audio stems and production tools.
• Bridge Mentorship Program Mentorship program pairing early career music educators with experienced mentors; includes webinars, IMEC breakfast meeting, and up to 20 professional development hours for mentees at $20 registration fee; mentors participate free.
• ILMEA Awards Program Recognition program honoring outstanding music educators including Outstanding Student Teacher, Early Service Educator, Mary Hoffman Award of Excellence, Distinguished Service, Outstanding Administrator, and Honorary Life Membership awards.
• Music Ed Job Bank Online job board posting music education positions across Illinois schools; job postings remain active for 6 weeks.
• Student Chapter Merchandise ILMEA-branded merchandise including graduation cords ($100), chapter pins ($25+), and membership certificates ($10+) for ILMHS and ILCMEA chapters.
• Singer-Songwriter & Modern Band Festival Festival open to students from any ILMEA district celebrating contemporary music creation; partnered with Illinois Rock and Roll Museum.
• Mariachi Festival New Mariachi category added to the Large Group Festival series at East Aurora High School featuring both Honors Ensemble and Large Group Mariachi tracks.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 25,000 students and educators participate annually in ILMEA programs
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mercury LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2026Mercury LLC is a bipartisan public strategy and government relations firm with a Springfield office. ILMEA established this partnership in 2026 to actively participate in legislative work of the 104th Illinois General Assembly. The partnership enables ILMEA to be an informed participant in advocacy efforts at the state level.
• Illinois Rock and Roll MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 March 2026ILMEA partnered with the Illinois Rock and Roll Museum on Historic Route 66 in Downtown Joliet for the ILMEA Singer-Songwriter & Modern Band Festival. Students from any ILMEA district can participate in this festival celebrating contemporary music creation.
• Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerILMEA is an ISBE Approved Professional Development Provider, offering professional development hours for educators attending ILMEA-sponsored events. This approval enables ILMEA to deliver certified PD that meets state requirements.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Music for All: National nonprofit focused on active music-making in schools and bands, operating major national festivals (e.g., Music for All Summer Symposium). Comparable mission category but operates nationally with a narrower band/marching focus rather than full music education.
• National Association for Music Education (NAfME): National-level umbrella organization that ILMEA is a state affiliate of. Provides national standards, publications, and advocacy; offers overlapping PD and resources but at a broader geographic and less localized level.

Direct peers

• Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA): Ohio's state music education association operating All-State ensembles, adjudicated events, and a professional conference. Shares the same affiliate-of-NAfME structure and statewide district-based programming model as ILMEA.
• Wisconsin Music Educators Association (WMEA): Wisconsin's state music education association providing All-State programming, festivals, and a state conference. A close structural peer to ILMEA serving an adjacent Midwestern state.
• New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA): Statewide music education association running All-State ensembles, evaluation festivals, and a major annual conference for New York music educators. Directly comparable structure and product portfolio to ILMEA.
• Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA): State-level professional association for music educators in Texas offering All-State ensembles, festivals, conventions, and professional development. Operates under an identical model to ILMEA, serving the largest state music education affiliate footprint in the U.S.
• California Music Educators Association (CMEA): California's state music education association serving K-12 and collegiate music educators with conferences, festivals, and All-State programming. A large-scale direct functional peer to ILMEA.
• Florida Music Education Association (FMEA): Florida's NAfME state affiliate providing All-State ensembles, festivals, clinics, and professional development for K-12 and collegiate music educators. Closely comparable in mission, scale, and program mix to ILMEA.
• Indiana Music Education Association (IMEA): Indiana's NAfME state affiliate offering All-State ensembles, festivals, and a state conference for music educators. Closely mirrors ILMEA's structure and programming in a neighboring Midwestern state.

Others

• Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia: National music fraternity supporting music students and professionals. Addresses a related but distinct community (music students/professionals broadly) and offers overlapping networking and professional development signals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/IllinoisMusicEducationAssociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ilmea

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA)