They're Playing Peoria!

North High School 'All-State Musicians are heading to Peoria, IL to participate in the Illinois Music Educators Association All-State Music Festival this week. Congratulations, and good luck!

DGN Jazz Bands find success at Purdue University

Members of the Downers Grove North High School Jazz Bands took their show on the road this past weekend, participating in the 19th Annual Purdue University Jazz Festival. The Purdue festival, which draws outstanding high school jazz programs from Indiana, Michigan and Illinois, began on Friday, January 16 with a concert featuring the Mingus Big Band and continued all day Saturday, January 17 with hundreds of student musicians performing for panels of internationally recognized jazz musicians.

Each of the three jazz ensembles from DGN, the Jazz Ensemble, the Jazz Lab Band, and the Jazz Combo, received Division I recognition in their respective classes. Additionally, the following students were recognized with Outstanding Soloist and Musicianship awards:

• Shauna Bracken, trumpet
• Joseph Butler, trombone
• Nicholas Georgen, drums
• Jonathan Parthun, drums
• Michael Pool, guitar
• Rudy Rendek, bass
• Nolan Schillerstrom, guitar
• Bryn Sitkiewicz, trombone
• Emily Temple-Wood, piano

Late Start: Revised Schedule for Purdue Jazz Festival and Honors Juries

Juries for the Honors Program (choral and orchestral) will take place tomorrow, delayed by 2 hours.

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Due to the delayed opening of school tomorrow, jazz students should please note the following changes:

9 AM - Combo rehearsal - 138

9:30 AM - Students drop off luggage - 137

10 AM - Period 1 Final

11:45 - Period 4 Final

1:15 PM - Finals end

1:30 - JE and JLB rehearsals (run throughs) - 138 & 142

2:00 PM - Load Bus

ASAP after 2 PM - Departure. We will not meet up with the DGS bus, but rather drive directly to Purdue and meet our DGS colleagues there.

6 PM EST - Check in to rooms and immediately return to lobby for dinner departure.

6:45 PM - Dinner

7:45 - Move to concert

8 PM - Concert

DGN welcomes Scott Ney

Mr. Scott Ney, Professor of Percussion at the University of New Mexico presented a series of percussion master classes and private lessons on Thursday, January 8th. Thank you Prof. Ney for being with us, and sharing your passion for music!

Jazz Cafe - A Big Snowy Success!

The 2009 Jazz Cafe, with special guest Mr. Tony Kidonakis, featured the Jefferson Junior High, Herrick Middle, and Downers Grove North High School Jazz Bands. A large crowd packed the DGN Student Cafe, on a snowy Friday night, for a great evening of music.

The "Jazz Cafes" are an annual January series hosted by District 99, and consist of one concert at North High School, and one concert at South High School. Working collaboratively, the Fine Arts Departments at both schools work toward a philanthropic goal by selecting a charity for in-kind donations. The 2009 charity is Potters for Peace (www.pottersforpeace.org). With a mission to bring clean drinking water to impoverished children, Potters for Peace teaches communities in South America the fabrication of a low-cost ceramic water purification system. As a part of this year's Jazz Cafe, visual art students from District 99 donated ceramic bowls for a silent auction which generated hundreds of dollars for the cause.


HD Videos Clips:

• Rock House
• Eleanor Rigby
• Everyday I Have The Blues

Music Tour Blog Launch

The Blog for the 2009 Music Tour has been launched, and may be accessed here.

Images from the 2008 Mosaic Art Show

Images from the 2008 Holiday Mosaic

DGN gears up for 12th annual Holiday Mosaic

Students and faculty have been working tirelessly to prepare for the 2008 Holiday Mosaic, the 12th annual combination of music and visual art during the holidays.

Concerts are tonight at 5:30 and 8:00 PM. Our Art Show reception is Wednesday evening at 6:00 PM.

Concert Singers Perform for Santa

Members of the North High Concert Singers treated many to beautiful sounds of the holidays at the 2008 "Breakfast with Santa," hosted by Good Samaritan Hospital. Thank you to our singers for getting up early on a cold & snowy December morning to bring joy to the hearts of many young children.

Congratulations All-State Musicians!

Fifteen student musicians from Downers Grove North High School have been tapped by the Illinois Music Educator’s Association for All-State recognition. Auditions were held last October.

“We are really thrilled for these students and their families,” said Brayer Teague, Fine Arts Department Chair at North High. “Many people helped these students achieve this success, beginning with their very first elementary school music teachers and extending to their private-lessons teachers today. North High is very proud to have these incredible musicians representing District 99 at the All-State level.”

In total, twenty-six student musicians were selected for All-State from Community High School District 99.

The All-State Band, Choir, Orchestra and Jazz Band will convene for a series of rehearsals in Peoria, IL, January 28-31, 2009. Their concerts will be held at the Peoria Civic Center on the evening of January 30, and the afternoon of January 31, 2009.

All-State Band

Jesse Backes – Orchestral Percussion (Senior)

Emily Daugherty – Flute (Junior)

Kurt Meyer – Clarinet (Senior)

John O’Hara – Clarinet (Senior)

Jennifer Poad – Bass Clarinet (Junior)

All-State Choir

Tom Cannan – Tenor (Junior)

Jane Duffy – Alto (Senior)

Matthew Hall – Tenor (Senior)

All-State Orchestra

Chloe Burnham – Violin (Junior)

Faith Enenbach – Violin (Junior)

Alyssa Love – Violin (Senior)

Colette Mondragon – Violin (Junior)

Rudy Rendek – Violin (Senior)

Nick Rudy – Cello (Senior)

All-State Music Composition

Kyle Stephens – Jazz Composition (Graduate)

Muriel Anderson is back in town!

International recording artist and North High alumnus, Muriel Anderson, performed for students today in a series of three school assemblies.  Ms. Anderson will perform in her annual Thanksgiving Homecoming Concert this coming Saturday, November 29, in the Johnson Auditorium.

 

November Band Concerts

Congratulations to the North High Bands for two terrific concerts this week. The Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Lab Band, Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, and Percussion Ensemble all performed this week for appreciative audiences.

1,298 Scrumptious Cheesecakes!

Thank you to our North High Music Boosters, led by Cheesecake Sale Coordinators Tana Williams and Andria Barry, for their incredible work! An army of dedicated volunteers sorted through 1,298 cheesecakes this past Saturday, and in doing so wrapped up a sale that brought in over $6,400 in profits for our music students who are raising funds for a February 2009 tour. The students and staff of North High are very appreciative!

Final Playoff Performance

Congratulations to the members of the Trojan Marching Band for their fine performances and steadfast support of the North High Football Team during the 2008 IHSA State Playoffs.

North's loss to conference rival Glenbard West in the Quarter-Finals marked the end of the season for the team and the band. "We Love Our Team!" ... and have been proud to support our players this season.

Guest artist Tony Kidonakis works with Jazz Ensemble

Music teacher Tony Kidonakis (Downers Grove District 58) works with the North High Jazz Ensemble on November 13th. Mr. Kidonakis will return to North High for the annual Jazz Cafe concert (Friday, January 9) as the featured artists and soloist.

Into The Woods

Congratulations to the dozens of students, faculty and staff involved in the 2008-09 North High All-School Musical: Into The Woods. Directed by Mr. Pappageorge and Mrs. O'Riordan, this year's production was a success on a multitude of levels.

Legendary Music Professor Ron Modell visits District 99

Ron Modell, legendary Professor of Music (retired) from Northern Illinois University, spent time on Thursday, October 23, visiting music classes at both Downers Grove North and South High Schools. He listened to the bands at both schools and offered musical feedback for students and faculty.

Professor Modell is known around the world as one of the most successful music educators of all time, having developed the N.I.U. jazz program into an internationally acclaimed band. Prior to his appointment at N.I.U., Mr. Modell played trumpet in the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.

IMEA All-District Results Announced

59 student musicians from Downers Grove North High School were selected, by competitive audition, to the 2008 Illinois Music Educator’s Association District Band, Choir, Orchestra and Jazz Band. Auditions were held on Tuesday, October 14, at Carl Sandburg High School. The top placing scores were selected for participation in the District Music Festivals, to be held during the month of November.

“To my knowledge, this is the largest number of North High students recognized by the IMEA in our school’s history,” said Brayer Teague, Fine Arts Department Chairperson. “All of our students who auditioned worked very hard and competed against stiff competition. Selection to these ensembles is a real honor for both them, and our school. We are looking forward to hearing great performances at the District Music Festival next month.”

North High School Band Students

Jesse Backes – Percussion (Orchestra)

Laura Ball – Clarinet (Band)

Brandon Broholm – Tuba (Band)

Emily Daugherty – Flute (Orchestra)

Kendall Gretsch – Clarinet (Orchestra)

Caroline Hlohowskyj – Trumpet (Orchestra)

Kirsten Keller – Flute (Orchestra)

Marie Kirkegaard – Clarinet (Orchestra)

Kurt Meyer – Clarinet (Band)

John O’Hara – Clarinet (Band)

Jennifer Poad – Bass Clarinet (Band)

Emma Sassano – Percussion (Band)

Hannah Shatzer – Oboe (Band)

Bryn Sitkiewicz – Trombone (Band)

Andrew Stawarz – Tenor Sax (Band)

Isaac Stevenson – Percussion (Orchestra)

Michael Walser – Alto Sax (Band)

Jennifer Webeler – Baritone Sax (Band)

North High School Choir Students

Heidi Buyck – Alto I

Thomas Cannan – Tenor II

Erica Crosswhite – Soprano II

Jane Duffy – Alto II

Corina Emmanouilidis – Alto II

Jordan Frank – Bass I

Abby Gardner – Alto I

Anne Green – Alto I

Ally Haley – Alto II

Matthew Hall – Tenor I

Liz Havenga – Soprano II

Alexander Karge – Bass I

Catie Krygeris – Alto I

Kristen Lemke – Alto II

Colin Ludlow – Bass II

Quinton Murphy – Tenor II

Kirsten Rush – Soprano II

Caroline Sterr – Soprano II

Allison Williams – Alto II

North High School Jazz Ensemble Students

Jonathan Box – Baritone Sax

Brandon Broholm – Bass Trombone

Joseph DePeder – Tenor Saxophone

Caroline Hlohowskyj – Trumpet

Michael Pool – Guitar

Rudy Rendek – Guitar

Bryn Sitkiewicz – Trombone

Michael Walser – Alto Sax

North High School Orchestra Students

Kayla Bondi – Cello

Chloe Burnham – Violin

Kelsey Draeger – Violin

Faith Enenbach – Violin

Kelly Kedzior – Double Bass

Lauren Kovanko – Viola

Alyssa Love – Violin

Meghan Lyda – Cello

Colette Mondragon – Violin

Victoria Nogle – Viola

Rudy Rendek – Violin

Nicholas Rudy – Cello

James Tandaric – Violin
Hannah Young – Harp

Homecoming 2008

Homecoming '08 was a major success for the North High Bands. Friday was a very busy day for students, including a performance at the Homecoming Assembly, the Parade, and of course the Homecoming Football Game.

Approximately 60 band alumni returned to participate in pre-game, half-time and to perform in the stands with our current students. We had representatives ranging from the Class of '44 all the way to the Class of '08. It was great to have everyone back!