DGN Alumnus - Nick Mazzarella - @ Chicago Jazz Festival

Congratulations to DGN alumnus Nick Mazzarella who will be performing at the 35th Annual Chicago Jazz Festival today, Saturday, August 31 at 12:30 PM. Nick's trio will be playing a one hour set of his original music on the Jazz and Heritage Pavilion Stage in Millennium Park.

If you are attending the Chicago Jazz Festival this year, make sure you check out the Nick Mazzarella Trio!

Making Good On A Promise ...

Mr. Teague and Mr. Miller promised the Trojan Marching Band Ice Cream if 100% of the membership participated in tonight's 'Spirit Night' (by wearing apparel related to the "Holidays").

The members of the band probably did not expect to see both men chasing a passing Ice Cream truck on foot through the streets of Downers Grove - and hijacking the truck - to make good on their promise.

Congratulations to the marching band membership for 100% Spirit Night participation.  The spirit and energy of the Trojan Marching Band is indeed alive and well at DGN!

Happy New Year from DGN Fine Arts!

The faculty and staff of the North High Fine Arts Department sends best wishes for a successful and artistic school year!

Jazz Class Audition Reminders

Students auditioning for Jazz Ensemble classes in 2013-14 are reminded that all of the audition materials, and a schedule for the auditions, may be found online, with links from our DGN Band website/blog.

A direct link to those documents/audio files is here:

https://app.box.com/s/fl5x5e26p7sl1df3jdi7

There is NO early-bird jazz class on Wednesday, August 28th.  However, all students interested in the jazz auditions should make sure they have signed up on the audition-interest sheets that may be found on the Fine Arts Office window (room 131).

All students who plan to audition should report to the band room (142) on Thursday, August 29th, at 7:00 AM for a group review/practice session of audition materials.  Bring your instrument/sticks/etc. and the audition music you have printed out on your own.

We have some very exciting performances planned, and music picked out, for the Jazz Lab Band and Jazz Ensemble classes this year.  We look forward to seeing you at the audition clinics later this week!

Thank you.

Band Camp Showcase & Social

DGN Pride was evident and on full display tonight as the Trojan Marching Band presented a 'Band Camp Showcase' for 400+ onlookers at North High School.  The 190 member music ensemble demonstrated basic marching fundamentals, performed the traditional DGN Pre-Game, and performed the 'opener' from this year's half-time theme: 50 Years of James Bond.  Students also participated in the traditional Band Camp 'March-Off' and executed stand-still performance previews of five additional pieces.  

Following the Showcase, families gathered in downtown Downers Grove - at 'Every Day's a Sundae' - for ice cream.  Thank you to owners Stan and Diane Urban for their ongoing support of our schools and Fine Arts programs!

Kudos and congratulations to the students and staff associated with the Trojan Marching Band.  The hard work and long hours invested during Band Camp was evident in the quality of the Showcase performance tonight. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Under The Lights

The DGN Trojan Marching Band concluded Band Camp 2013 tonight with run-through performances of the Pre Game Show, as well as the James Bond Opener, under the lights on Carsten's Field.  

Don't miss Friday night's 'Band Camp Showcase' performance at 6 PM!

 

 

Visit from Coach Wander

DGN Head Varsity Football Coach John Wander joined the Trojan Marching Band at camp today to share encouragement for the upcoming season. "The relationship between our team and our band is very special," said Wander.

Mr. Miller spoke with team earlier in the morning, and shared with the team that the Trojan Marching Band is excited to build on the momentum of last year's season and cheer them deep into the post-season.

Pre Game

After a late Friday night at band camp, members of the Trojan Marching Band were back at it early this morning learning pre-game.

Trojan Marching Band - Fall 2013 Show Trailer

Click here for direct link to the official Fall 2013 Show Trailer.

FUN-damentals

At the core of any great marching band is the ability for members to master 'fundamentals.'  These skill sets are the building blocks, and supports, for every drill maneuver band students are required to execute during a performance.  The 2013 Trojan Marching Band is off to a great start this year with learning fundamentals.  It's hard work.  It takes a tremendous amount of mental and physical energy.  It can be draining.  But the skills learned and reinforced through today's eight-hours of camp practice will undoubtedly pay huge dividends for the band as students begin to learn the Pre-Game Show on Saturday morning.

Hey Band! (Hey What?)  Great job today!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marching Band Section Colors Night

Welcome Band Newcomers!

Band Camp 2013 kicked off this morning with a terrific rehearsal! We welcome all of our new students to the DGN Band Family, and we are looking forward to having the entire band back together tonight!

Anticipation

The Band Room at DGN rests tonight ... quietly anticipating the start of Band Camp 2013.  Not even a panorama picture can capture all of the chairs needed to accomodate the 190 member Trojan Marching Band!

Big shout-outs to our amazing Marching Band Leadership Team for their incredible work to prepare materials ... and the facility ... for the opening of camp tomorrow.

 

 

Jump! The 2013-14 DGN Trojan Marching Band Leadership Team

Band Leaders Set Goals - Take Leap of Faith!

The 31 members of the 2013-14 DGN Trojan Marching Band Leadership Team worked at the Lincoln-Marsh Teams Ropes Course on Monday, developing team-work skills, setting personal goals for the academic year, and working to step out of their 'comfort zones'.  

In the most challenging activity ever attempted by our band's leaders, students and faculty were encouraged to climb the Power Pole.  Once at the top, our leaders publicly proclaimed their goal for the year, took a 'leap of faith' off the pole, and were brought gently back to the ground by their teammates.  It was an exhilarating and motivating experience.  

If the energy, enthusiasm and dedication to 'team' - demonstrated today - is any indication of what is in store for the Trojan Marching Band this year, it is going to be a fabulous season, indeed!

Thank you to the the terrific facilitators at Lincoln-Marsh for their great work with our band leaders.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

String Camp

Members of the District 99 Orchestra continued to refine their musical skills today as the inaugural D99 String Orchestra Camp participants prepare for tonight's recital.

Working with world-class professional string players, students have benefitted from elongated and in-depth rehearsals of chamber music, providing them with an opportunity not easily accessible during the busy pace of the academic year.

Inaugural String Orchestra Camp

Student musicians from the District 99 Orchestra gathered today to participate in the inaugural String Camp. The brainchild of D99 Orchestra director Jennifer Mullen, this camp will develop the musicianship and string performance skills of participating students through chamber music experiences coached by world class clinicians.

The camp will culminate with two events.  Musically, the chamber music ensembles will present an informal performance at the Johnson Auditorium at North High School at 7:00 PM on Thursday, August 8, 2013. From a community building perspective, the student musicians will conclude the week with a trip to Great America on Friday, August 9, 2013.

Kudos to the student musicians participating in this first ever camp in District 99, and kudos to Ms. Mullen for developing this experience for the string players in the District 99 Orchestra.