Class of 2018 Joins Pep Band!

It was great to have members of the Class of 2018 sitting in with the DGN Pep Band at tonight's performance!

 

 

 

 

NIU Brings Down The House!

After a fabulous afternoon of master classes and clinics, the D99 jazz ensembles opened up for the renowned Northern Illinois University Jazz Ensemble, director by Ron Carter.  The NIU band brought down the house with exquisite repertoire played with maturity and soul.  District 99 Jazz owes a huge debt of gratitude to Ron Carter.  Coming to D99 since 1997, Professor Carter has brought numerous guest artists to North and South, and, has worked over time to improve the level of jazz performance in the student musicians at North and South. Thanks Ron Carter for all you have done for jazz education, and, for jazz in District 99!

 

 

NIU & D99 Jazz Exchange

Critically Acclaimed NIU Jazz Ensemble Tonight @ DGS

District 99 is pleased to host - in concert tonight - the Northern Illinois University Jazz Ensemble, annually ranked as one of the top collegiate Jazz Studies programs in the nation.

This evening's concert, which will begin at 7:00 PM in the Downers Grove South High School Auditorium, will feature opening selections by four District 99 bands (DGN Jazz Lab, DGS Jazz Lab, DGN Jazz Ensemble, DGS Jazz Ensemble).

Tonight's concert will feature jazz-great Donald Harrison, who is currently in residence at NIU as a guest-artist.  Harrison, as well as NIU Professor Ron Carter, will be working with District 99 music students in educational clinics this afternoon.

Tickets ($8 adult/$6 student) are available for purchase at the door.  Don't miss this great night of jazz in District 99!

Spencer Schillerstrom Day at North High

"Good morning. In recognition of earning first chair as the top jazz tenor saxophonist in the State at the recent ILMEA All State Conference, today is Spencer Schillerstrom Day at North High School. For any of us who have had the pleasure of hearing Spencer play, we know this is a very well deserved honor. Congratulations Spencer - on YOUR DAY - at North High School."

- Mr. Scott Kasik, Principal

DGN Salutes 2014 Scholastic Art Award Honorees

The Fine Arts Department at Downers Grove North High School is proud to announce the results of the judging from the 2014 Scholastic Art Awards held at Downers Grove North High School and hosted by the Community High School District 99 Fine Arts Departments.  1,059 student artists from 30 area schools submitted 2,430 works of art for adjudication. North High artists won 87 awards, including 24 Gold Key Awards, 19 Silver Key Awards, and 44 Honorable Mention Awards.

 “We are very excited to host the regional exhibition at North High,” said Brayer Teague, Fine Arts Department Chairman. “This show is always an amazing display of student creativity and a testament to the wonderful art teaching that is happening in District 99.”  According to Teague, the art teachers from both North and South High School play an important role in putting the exhibition together.  “Our District 99 art teachers are the engine behind this regional affiliate of the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.  Their dedication and tireless commitment enables student artists from all over the suburban region to have their work evaluated by professional artists.”

Community High School District 99 will host the Scholastic Art Show Regional Exhibition from February 9-14, at the North High School campus Main Street Lobby (4436 Main Street, Downers Grove, IL 60515).  The public is cordially invited to attend the Exhibition Opening and Artists Reception on Sunday, February 9, from 1:00 – 4:00 pm.

Gold Key Awards

Bree Arend (Photography)

Katie Berendt (Photography)

Emma Brzezinski (Ceramics & Glass)

Emma Brzezinski (Art Portfolio in Sculpture)

Emma Brzezinski (Sculpture) – 3 Gold Keys

Rachel Davis (Photography)

Emma Dionne (Comic Art)

Nathan Eisenhut (Design)

Brianna Freitag (Photography)

Kelsey Gockman (Photography)

Claire Kozik (Comic Art)

Maddie Mason (Photography)

Lili Mayoral (Jewelry)

Michaela Nicholson (Photography) – 2 Gold Keys

Alex Olsen (Jewelry)

Livija Rainyte (Drawing) – 3 Gold Keys

Andie Sherman (Photography)

Makenna Tallon (Ceramics & Glass)

Jaida Travascio-Green (Jewelry)

Silver Key Awards

Bree Arend (Photography)

Katie Berendt (Photography) – 3 Silver Keys

David Cullen (Jewelry)

Mina Forouhi (Drawing)

Kelsey Gockman (Photography)

Tyler Hester (Jewelry)

Meghan Koegel (Ceramics & Glass)

Maddie Mason (Photography) – 2 Silver Keys

Lili Mayoral (Art Portfolio in Jewelry)

Michaela Nicholson (Photography)

Rose O'Kelly (Drawing)

Brooke Pryor (Drawing)

Livija Rainyte (Painting)

Biyanka Shah (Jewelry) – 2 Silver Keys

Madison Ukrin (Photography)

Honorable Mention Awards

Emily Albrecht (Photography)

Bree Arend (Photography) – 3 Honorable Mentions

Emma Bochar (Photography)

Elena Boula (Ceramics & Glass)

Emma Brzezinski (Sculpture) – 2 Honorable Mentions

David Cullen (Jewelry)

Rachel Davis (Jewelry)

Rachel Davis (Photography)

Nathan Eisenhut (Digital Art)

Nathan Eisenhut (Portfolio in Design/DigitalArt/Drawing)

Madison Fagan (Photography)

Brianna Freitag (Photography) – 2 Honorable Mentions

Isabelle Ghanayem (Sculpture)

Isabelle Ghanayem (Portfolio in Drawing & Painting)

Kelsey Gockman (Photography)

Eliza Graham (Comic Art)

Tyler Hester (Jewelry)

LeAnne Jackson (Drawing)

Andra Jankauskaite (Photography)

Claire Kozik (Drawing)

Kelly Mallon (Drawing)

Grace Marino (Photography)

Maddie Mason (Photography) – 2 Honorable Mentions

Margaret Michaels (Drawing)

Michaela Nicholson (Photography) – 4 Honorable Mentions

Jessica Novotny (Photography)

Brooke Pryor (Drawing)

Brooke Pryor (Digital Art)

Aubrey Saha (Drawing) – 2 Honorable Mentions

Sydney Schoolcraft (Sculpture)

Stephanie Scott (Photography)

Jake Shelly (Ceramics & Glass)

Alyssa Spikes (Sculpture)

Amber Truby (Photography)

Kaitlin Underdown (Photography)

DGN Jazz Ensemble @ 2014 IMEC - Concert Video

The Downers Grove North High School Jazz Ensemble (Brayer Teague, Director) - with guest artists Mark Colby & Fareed Haque - at the 2014 Illinois Music Education Conference (Peoria, IL).  Recorded live on Thursday, January 23, 2014.

Kansas City Shout (Wilkins)
Riley's Thang (Colby)
Blue Moon (Rodgers & Hart)
Libertango (Piazzolla/Sturm)
Banana Split for My Baby (Prima)
Overture to the Royal Mongolian Suma Foosball Festival (Mays)

Winter Guard - 3rd Place at Waubonsie Valley/Midwest Color Guard Circuit Competition

Congratulations to the DGN Winter Guard for earning 3rd Place honors at the Waubonsie Valley High School Winter Guard Competition!  In their first competition of the season, the DGN team placed third out of eight teams in their competitive class.

Great start ladies!  Go Trojans!

A Conference To Remember: ILMEA All State / IMEC 2014 Recap

The 2014 Illinois Music Education Conference will go "down in the history books" as one of the - if not THE - most successful ever for Downers Grove North High School and Community High School District 99.  

Congratulations to our record number of student musicians who performed as members of the All-State Band, All-State Honors Band, All-State Choir, All-State Honors Choir, All-State Orchestra, All-State Honors Orchestra, All-State Honors Jazz Band, and the All-State Honors Jazz Combo.  Congratulations to our two District 99 students who were selected to participate in the prestigious "Future Music Educators Symposium."  Congratulations to the members of our DGN Jazz Ensemble for their inspirational performance at the convention that garnered wide-spread acclaim.  Congratulations to our award winning composer who submitted an original composition to the All-State Music Composition Contest, and won first-place in his category.  

Congratulations to DGS Fine Arts Department Chairperson, Glenn Williams, for being named as the 2014 All-Sate Jazz Band Conductor.  

And thank you to all of our District 99 music faculty who made innumerable volunteer contributions to the success of the conference as Organizational Hosts, District Chairpersons, Piano Accompanists, Sectional Coaches, Sound & Audio Technicians, and as a member of the ILMEA Board of Directors.  The success of a conference that brings over 10,000 music students and music teachers together takes many hands.  District 99 should be fiercely proud of the contributions made to support the 2014 Illinois Music Education Conference.  

 

DGN Jazz Ensemble Shares "Inspired Performance" With Hundreds

Performing to a "standing room only" crowd that spilled into the hallway of the Peoria Civic Center, the DGN Jazz Ensemble inspired hundreds of music teachers and professional performers attending the 2014 Illinois Music Education Conference. 

From the opening riffs of the Count Basie band's "Kansas City Shout," through the culminating Tenor Sax battle in the "Overture to the Royal Mongolian Suma Foosball Festival," the entire band played with passion, precision, and mature musicianship. 

Thanks to the wonderful support of BandSource in Downers Grove, the band was privileged to share the stage with two incredible guest artists during their IMEC set: Mark Colby (Tenor Sax) and Fareed Haque (Guitar). Both artists captivated the audience with their incredible renditions of "Riley's Thang" (Colby) and "Libertango" (Haque). 

The capacity crowd leapt to their feet at the conclusion of the band's performance, affirming for each DGN musician the impact they had made on those in attendance today. 

A special thanks is extended, on behalf of the band, to all of the parents who made the trip to Peoria to support the performance, as well as Mrs. Kristin Bormann - DGN Associate Principal for Student Activities - who was in attendance this afternoon. 

Following the performance, band members celebrated at a famous Peoria restaurant: Alexander's Steak House. 

Congratulations to all students and staff for a memorable performance at the Illinois Music Education Conference. 

Sent from my iPad

Bon Voyage All State Musicians!