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Thursday, March 23, 2023

DGN Visual Artists Earn Six National Scholastic Art Awards

Congratulations to DGN Visual Artists Sarah Paul, Emma SalmanAiden Robinson, and Sarah Woodswho have been honored with National Medals by the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, placing their artwork in the Top 1% of all adjudicated works nationally. 

"We are thrilled for these students, and this amazing national accomplishment," said DGN Fine Arts Department Chairperson Brayer Teague. "Their creative vision, coupled with the exceptional mentoring of their teachers, has propelled them to be recognized on a national stage. We could not be happier for them." 

Each year, the Alliance of Young Artists and Writers partners with more than 100 visual arts and literary arts organizations across the country to bring the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards to local communities. Teens in grades 7–12 (ages 13 and up) apply in 29 categories of art and writing. Starting in 1923, the competition has made an enduring impact on the art and education. In 2022-23, students submitted over 300,000 works of art and writing to the Scholastic Awards.

Submissions are juried by luminaries in the visual and literary arts, some of whom are past award recipients. Panelists look for works that best exemplify originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal voice or vision.

Students receiving Regional Gold Keys, Silver Keys, Honorable Mentions, or American Voices and Visions Nominations are celebrated within their communities through local exhibitions and ceremonies. Gold Key works are then judged nationally by an impressive panel of creative–industry experts to receive National Medals, including Gold Medals, Silver Medals, American Voices and Visions Medals, Gold Medal and Silver with Distinction Portfolio Medals, and Special Achievement Awards.







Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Congratulations D99 Orchestras! March Concert

 

Congratulations to the members of the D99 Concert Orchestraand the D99 Symphonic Orchestra for a wonderful performance at the Orchestra Concert held on March 22, 2022 in the Downers Grove South High School Performing Arts Center. A special commendation is extended to senior concerto soloists Liudas Davies (Violin and Emeliea Parson (Cello) for their outstanding performances!

Did you miss the concert? A rebroadcast may be found HERE, on the DGS Fine Arts YouTube Channel.




DGN-FOFA Plant Sale Fundraiser!

Spring is in the air and we’re all anxious to get outside and enjoy the beauty this season brings.  A great way to enjoy this time of year is by participating in the DGN Friends of Fine Arts 2023 Plant Sale Fundraiser!


Your purchases will help support our many fine arts programs and initiatives such as summer grants, college scholarships, professional artist/clinician workshops, instrument and equipment needs, artist showcases and so much more.  In exchange for your contribution, you will have the opportunity to select from a variety of beautiful plants and flowers to enhance your home landscaping.  We are offering hanging baskets and potted plants again this year.  We have the same vendor as last year who supplied us with really beautiful and high quality plants.

The pickup timing is perfect a week before Mother’s day, so place your orders now for your family and friends. 

The sale website is open now.  All orders will be taken online and must be completed by Monday, April 10 by the end of the day

Click on the link for the order site:  2023 FOFA Plant Sale. If you have any questions, please email Jeff Gwozdz at jsgwozdz@gmail.com.

Pickup is Saturday May 6, 9am-12pm in the north area of the DGN Main Street parking lot.  Just pull up and tell us your name, and we load everything right in your car.  It’s that easy!  We will email you a reminder closer to the date.

The 2023 plant sale is a great way to beautify your yard and support our DGN Fine Arts.  Get your order in today.  Thank you for your support!

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

Musicians Shine at 2023 D99 Vocal Honors Recital


Congratulations to each of the North High School & South High School musicians selected to perform in the District 99 Vocal Honors Recital on Tuesday, March 21, 2023.











Monday, March 20, 2023

DGN Winter Guard 4th at Minooka Contest

Congratulations to the DGN Winter Guard for their 4th place finish at last weekend's contest at Minooka High School! The team finished with an impressive score of 72.52 after a really great run. Best of luck to the team as they prepare for the Midwest Color Guard Circuit championships coming up in less than two weeks!








Sunday, March 19, 2023

District 99 Orchestra Concert - Wednesday, March 22 - 7 PM


Join the District 99 Orchestra on Wednesday, March 22, at 7:00 PM in the South High School Performing Arts Center for their March Orchestra Concert. 

The concert will be live-streamed on the DGS Fine Arts Department YouTube Channel.

Thursday, March 16, 2023

DGN Visual Artists Earn 4.8 Million In Scholarship Offers!


Dozens of talented visual artists, from 100+ Illinois high schools, are converging to showcase their art and vie for college and early-college scholarships, offered at the Illinois High School Art Exhibition (IHSAE). Click HERE to visit virtual exhibitions of award winning artwork.
21 DGN Visual Art students earned a combined $4,800,000 in scholarship offers from ten of the nation's leading collegiate visual art programs:

Art Academy of Cincinnati 
College for Creative Studies
Columbus College of Art & Design
Illinois Wesleyan University
Iowa State University
Millikin University
Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design
Syracuse University College of Visual and Performing Arts
The Cleveland Institute of Art
Western Michigan University

Congratulations to scholarship-winning DGN Visual Art students:

Julia Arnold
Sarisa Chulanon
Natasha Fugate
Eve Giesler
Henry Gwozdz
Ariana Hernandez
Payton Hubbs-Plumley
Amelia Kolatek 
Lydia Metcalf
Charlie Michaels
Ieva Mieliauskas
Emily Nemeth
Amelia Passero
Sarah Paul
Matt Poe
Azrael Robinson
Lennart Strempfer
Jonah Sutton
Ashley Wachel
Sarah Woods
Abby Zdenek

Monday, March 13, 2023

Bravo CHICAGO!


Congratulations to each and every student and staff member associated with DGN's 2023 All-School Musical: CHICAGO. The show will be long remembered as one of the most successful productions in our school's history.




Friday, March 10, 2023

Becoming CHICAGO: Thank You Cast!


There's a lot more to becoming an actor than simply deciding you would like to be one and memorizing lines or dance steps. Successful actors are reflective artists and practitioners who are continually working to refine their craft. This includes long hours of rehearsal that focus on initial blocking instructions and character development suggestions from the Director, dance steps from the Choreographer, and most importantly a personal and corporate commitment to take artistic risks. Learning to act requires individuals to give fully of themselves to the whole, often forgoing a personal spotlight while simultaneously offering creative suggestions and support to peers. The most meaningful growth for an actor comes from an environment in which actors feel safe to make mistakes and learn through artistic critique and reflection. 

The Cast of DGN's 2023 All-School Musical, CHICAGO, have immersed themselves for the past three months in this creative process of learning lines, dance steps, and blocking ... all while seeking constructive feedback from trusted peers and adult mentors. Through this cycle of ongoing reflection, our actors have "become" new characters, transporting us back to the 1920s and causing us to pause and consider the themes of CHICAGO.

Thank you to each and every member of the CHICAGO Cast, for your creativity, collaborative spirit, support for one another, and most importantly your artistic curiosity. 







Sound of CHICAGO: Thank You Pit Orchestra!


It takes many years of personal practice and perseverance to learn to play a musical instrument well. And to learn and perform the score of a professional Broadway show - like CHICAGO - is a massive undertaking for any high school musician. Consider that an average band or orchestra student will typically practice three or four pieces each day in class, over a three-month period of time, in preparation for a public performance. Now consider that the members of the CHICAGO Pit Orchestra have been asked to perfect 36 pieces of professional-grade music, over a two-month period of time, with just one or two after-school volunteer rehearsals each week. That is a heavy lift!

The 2023 DGN Pit Orchestra musicians have enjoyed embracing the additional opportunity to serve the production as 'actors' who are on stage the entire show. Seated in a visually stunning 1920s style bandstand, the jazz-influenced score of CHICAGO comes to life through the hard work and dedication of our instrumentalists. 

Thank you to each and every member of the CHICAGO Pit Orchestra, for your incredible work-ethic, musicianship, and providing our company with "All That Jazz"!  





Fine Arts @ DGN Mission

North High School endeavors to provide an enriching, vibrant, multidisciplinary environment for the study, creation, and presentation of the Fine Arts.