D99 Jazz Swings Despite Winter Storms

Mother Nature's Winter Storm, which caused the cancellation of the 2019 Purdue University Jazz Festival, was no match for the musicians of the DGN and DGS jazz bands, who gathered today to share the music they had prepared for this weekend's festival and receive feedback from a panel of respected jazz educators. 

District 99 extends thanks to Mr. Tim Coffman (DePaul University), Ms. Patty Sampson (West Aurora High School) and Ms. Stacey Williams-Jackson (Lincoln-Way Central High School) for their tremendous insight and inspirational teaching this afternoon. 

Congratulations to all five D99 jazz bands for spirited performances that showcased their excellent preparation for the 2019 Purdue Jazz Festival. 

2019 DGN Choral Festival

A great afternoon and evening in the Clarence Johnson Auditorium for the 12th Annual DGN Choral Festival! Thanks to the Jefferson Junior High and Herrick Middle School Choirs for joining DGN ensemble members today - we made great music together!

Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp - DGN Campus Auditions - February 20

The Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp (in Michigan) is one of the nation’s leading arts immersion camps.  BLFAC is a non-profit summer school of the arts specializing in two-week arts programs for intermediate and high school students. 

Because there is a strong tradition of highly qualified District 99 students attending Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, the institution actively recruits in our schools.  Additionally, BLFAC sends a representative to our building each February to hear interested students play and sing.  From those ‘mini auditions’ BLFAC frequently awards merit-based scholarships to attend the camp.  This year’s BLFAC scholarship auditions will be held on Wednesday, February 20th, 4th - 8th periods and for a short time after school.  If you are interested in playing or singing a short audition for the BLFAC rep, please express your interest on a sign-up sheet in the Fine Arts Office (room 131). Please see Ms. Moran or your music teacher to sign up for a time. 

What should you be prepared to play or sing in your audition?  Plan to perform 2-3 min of music that you have been working on with a private music teacher, or in class.  This could be an etude, a solo, or a piece of literature that you have really enjoyed studying.  Pick something that shows off your abilities!

The Blue Lake representative will share some basic information with the student to take home to parents.  In the meantime, you are encouraged to check out Blue Lake’s website at www.bluelake.org.  

Many DGN musicians have received significant scholarships to attend Blue Lake as a result of these mini-auditions. Please consider this fabulous opportunity!

It's A Family Affair: Parents Sit-In with Trojan Pep Band!

It was great to have parents sitting in with the Trojan Pep Band today! Thanks for coming out and joining us!

Jazz Cafe 2019

Congratulations to the musicians of the DGN Jazz Ensemble, DGN Jazz Lab Band, Herrick Middle School Jazz Band, Jefferson Junior High School Friends of Jazz, and the Westview Hills Middle School Jazz Band for their spirited and exciting performances at the 2019 DGN Jazz Cafe!

DGN Trojan Marching Band Featured on BBC Television Morning Program

Congratulations to the members of the Trojan Marching Band for their feature spot on the BBC national television broadcast "BBC Breakfast." 

Happy New Year from London: DGN Band is 'Brilliant' in #LNYDP

Congratulations to the members of the DGN Trojan Marching Band for an absolutely "brilliant" performance in the 2019 London New Year's Day Parade! The weather was absolutely perfect for the parade which led to record numbers of spectators along the route. DGN musicians were welcomed warmly by the London crowd that was estimated to be well over 500,000 spectators. 

We have a LOT of photos to share, HERE.

Following the parade, the arduous task of packing our instruments commenced. 

In the early evening DGN Drum Majors accepted recognition plaques and framed posters from the parade organizers and London dignitaries. Then it was off to the West End to see Les Miserables!

DGN Wind Ensemble and Gaudete Brass Thrill London Audience at Cadogan Hall

Congratulations to the DGN Wind Ensemble for a truly inspiring and musically rich performance this evening in London's Cadogan Hall! We are proud of you!

A special thanks is extended to the members of the Gaudete Brass Quintet for their collaboration on Leonard Bernstein's MASS. It was an honor to share the stage with you.

DGN Band Departs for London, England!

The DGN Bands are off to Merry England today, and will perform in the prestigious London New Year's Day Parade on Tuesday, January 1, 2019. Additionally, the DGN Wind Ensemble will perform at London's Cadogan Hall on Saturday, December 29. Both performances will be streamed live HERE.

Follow the DGN Band's tour via their Tour Blog, accessed HERE. The tour itinerary is available HERE. 

Congratulations are extended to students and staff for the many hours of musical dedication that has gone into preparing for these performances. The Downers Grove North and District 99 community extends best wishes for a successful and rewarding tour!

Suburban Life article, published December 26, 2018, may be accessed HERE, or by clicking on the image below.

D99 Bands Host Musashino Academia Musicae in Exchange Concert

The Downers Grove North and South High School Bands were honored to host the Musashino Academia Musicae Wind Ensemble (with guest trumpet soloist Mr. Christopher Martin) for an exchange concert this evening. The ensemble, led by Indiana University Jacobs School of Music Professor Emeritus Ray E. Cramer, has traveled from Tokyo, Japan to perform this week at the prestigious 'Midwest International Band & Orchestra Clinic' in Chicago, IL, and stopped today in District 99 to share their musical artistry.

Thank you to the many persons who worked behind-the-scenes to ensure that today's events ran without a hitch. A special note of thanks is extended to the parent/family volunteers who coordinated the dinner for our guests. 

Congratulations to the members of the DGN and DGS Wind Ensembles for terrific performances to open this evening's concert!

DGN Trojan Pep Band @ DGN vs DGS Double Header - Welcome Back Alumni!

The DGN Trojan Pep Band is making their 2018-19 debut tonight as DGN faces DGS in a cross-town matchup. A special welcome is extended to DGN Band Alumni who are sitting in with the band!