DGN Bands In Concert Tonight!

Join the members of the DGN Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Percussion Ensemble for a great evening of music!  Featured senior soloist tonight is Jonathan Sheetz (bass clarinet).

The concert starts at 7 pm in the Clarence Johnson Auditorium.  Admission is free.

Spring Art Show Virtual Tour

Congratulations to the students (and faculty) of the DGN Visual Art curriculum for a truly impressive 2012 Spring Art Show.  Over 600 works are currently on display in the Main Street Lobby of North High School.

We hope you enjoy this virtual tour ...

Spring Art Show Opening Reception - Tonight!

Please join the Fine Arts Department of North High in welcoming, congratulating and honoring the hundreds of students with artwork on display in the 2012 Spring Art Show.

Tonight's Opening Reception is from 6 - 7:30 PM in North High's Main Street Lobby. Awards will be presented at approximately 7:00 PM.

Choral Showcase Finale Video

"Broadway Songs We Love" Brings Audience To It's Feet

Tonight's 2012 DGN Choral Showcase - "Broadway Songs We Love" - was a smash success. Congratulations to the Concert Choir, Treble Ensemble, Combined Men's Choir, A Cappella Choir, All Access Choir, Freshman Choir, Concert Singers, Freshman Ensemble, Treble Choir, and over a dozen outstanding soloists for an extremely memorable evening of music.

Additional kudos are extended to the Auditorium Crew Technicians for their work in lighting the stage and amplifying voices brilliantly.

Well done DGN Choirs!

DGN Choral Showcase Set for Tuesday Night

Students are in final preparations today for Tuesday night's DGN Choral Showcase, featuring over 200 student voices and instrumentalists from North High School.  This year's production, 'Broadway Songs We Love', will be sure to get your toes tapping.  Join us at 7 pm in the Clarence Johnson Auditorium for a memorable evening of music and dance!

D99 Orchestra Banquet

The D99 Orchestra Class of 2012 receives praise from Ms. Mullen.

The District 99 Orchestra, let by Jennifer Mullen, celebrated a year of musical success in the beautifully decorated cafetorium at South High School on Friday, May 4, 2012.  Highlights from the year included combined concert with international touring sensation Barrage and a contemporary music concert featuring composer Michael Shelle.  A special tribute was also paid to the orchestra graduating class of 2012.  Thanks also to parent volunteers that organized and donated to a basket raffle that generate nearly $900 for the D99 orchestra. 

Parent volunteers from both North and South collaborated to make the banquet a beautiful event.

DGN Music Boosters Flower Sale

Thanks to all of our wonderful student and parent volunteers who
helped make the 2012 Flower/Plant Sale a huge success!

dgnFriday5minDanceParty - The 60s

Kelly Egan & Morgan Sandacz Make History In Congressional Art Show

Congratulations to DGN visual artists Kelly Egan & Morgan Sandacz who recently learned that their photographs won 1st and 2nd place respectively in the Congressional Art Show.  This is the first time a photograph in our region has garnered a 1st place award  in this prestigious national competition.

Kelly Eagan's piece (1st place) is a digital photograph titled "Painted".  The judges said this about her work: "A conceptual work that invites viewers to ask questions about the subject in her environment.  A shift in focus from background to foreground strategically engages the viewer to look more closely.  The more one looks, the more there is to discover."

Morgan Sandacz (2nd place) also submitted a digital photograph titled "Enlighten Me."  The judges said this about her piece: "Highly conceptual in imagery and execution, this work challenges the traditional static nature of photography.  A compellilng and intense use of imagery and color convey the artist's ideas.  A polarity exist between syringe, sky, pleasure, pain, contraction and expansion."

Both pieces will be hung in the Nation's Capitol, Washington, D.C., this summer.

Congratulations to Kelly, Morgan, and their mentor Ms. Megan Kelly!

Siga Kiselius-Best in Show Winner @ Fremd 4x5 Show

DGN Fine Arts congratulates Siga Kiselius on being named the 'Best In Show' winner of the prestigious Fremd High School 4x5 show.  Siga's piece was selected the winner out of more than 1,000 pieces submitted to the show. (More details about D99's awards in the show, here.)

Mr. Paul Radek, Art Division Chairperson at Fremd High School said this was the first 3D winner for this show ever, and characterized Siga's work as "a great solution to the 4x5 question."

Congratulations Siga, and mentor Ms. Amy Bernard.

Hinsdale Center for the Arts Show

Congratulations to seven DGN visual artists who recently had works of art selected for display at the Hinsdale Center of the Arts.

• Jessica Chika - Catch 
• Kelly Egan - Discovering Gluttony (Award of Excellence Winner)
• Amy Fatigato - One Woman Circus (Portfolio Award Winner)
• William Leek - Oceans of Fire (Award of Excellence Winner)
• Samantha Marsteller – Reborn (Award of Excellence Winner) 
• Ansley McLeod - Beauty is the Beast
• Kenzie Niestrom - Glass Attack

dgnFineArtsFriday5minDanceParty!

Could this become a new tradition at DGN?

'Lend Me a Tenor' Opens This Week!

DGN Theatre will present “Lend Me a Tenor” on Friday, April 27 and Saturday, April 28 (7 pm) and Sunday, April 29 (3 pm).  Tickets are $5 for students and $6 for adults, and will be available at the door.
 “Lend Me a Tenor” is an award-winning comedy by Ken Ludwig.  Set in September 1934, the general manager of the Vleveland Opera Company, Saunders, is preparing for the performance o the famous Tito Morelli.  But alas, through an odd turn of events, Tito turns out to be a no-show, and Saunders gives the part to his assistant, Max.  Max succeeds as Morelli, but suddenly the real Morelli shows up, and soon two Titos are running around in costume, along with two women in lingerie that believe they are with the real Tito Morelli.  It is a farce of hilarious proportions!


Cast members include Andy Krupin, Colleen Gorecki, Matt Brill, Martaza Kapasi, Arielle Evans, Sara Batchu, Alex Castelvecchi, and Connor Leigh.

District 99 Visual Artists Honored at Fremd 4x5 Show

Thirteen visual art students from Downers Grove North and Downers Grove South High Schools were recently recognized with awards at the William Fremd High School 4x5 ArtShow.  “The show at Fremd is a unique opportunity for our students,” said North High Fine Arts Chairperson Brayer Teague. “Every piece of art submitted for juried exhibition must conform to the exact dimensions of four inches by five inches.  In some ways it constrains the artist, yet it also forces students to think very imaginatively about how they can best utilize the space available.”

South High Fine Arts Chairperson Glenn Williams reflected on the recent successes of District 99 visual art students.  “The awards garnered by students in our school district continue to show a commitment to artistic excellence.  We are very proud of these students, and their teachers who serve as exceptional creative mentors.”

This regional exhibit will display artwork from students of thirty-three high schools from the Chicago area.  There approximately 1,000 pieces created in the categories of drawing, painting, digital photography, film photography, relief, sculpture, computer generated imagery, printmaking and mixed media.  The Opening Reception and Awards Ceremony will be held at Wiliam Fremd High School on Wednesday, May 2nd, from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.  The exhibition is free and open to the public. 

Winning the coveted ‘Best of Show’ honor – presented to only one student of the nearly one-thousand participants – was DGN senior Siga Kisielius (North-Sculpture). 

A ‘1^st Place’ award went to Rebecca Ridderoff (North-Drawing). 

Capturing ‘2^nd Place’ awards were Autumn Moberg (North-3D), Kenzie Niestrom (North-Relief) and Madeline Snyder (South-Drawing).

‘3^rd Place’ honors were awarded to Chris Behnke (South-Relief).

‘Honorable Mention’ recognitions went to Bridget Bicek (South-Digital Photography), Kevin Brinkman (North-3D), Jessica Bronke (South-3D), Emma Brzezinski (North-3D), Jack McGrath (North-Drawing), Ansley McLeod (North-Painting), Autumn Moberg (North-Relief) and Bibi Tambik (South-Digital Photography).

Dancing Choirs

DGN Choirs welcomed back guest choreographer Mrs. Kim Scerine today as they began learning choreography for the upcoming Choral Showcase.   Music selections this year include Broadway songs we love!  The Choral Showcase will be presented on May 8th at 7 pm in the Clarence Johnson Auditorium.

The Freshman Choir learning their movement for "Dancing Queen," from Mama Mia!

DGN April Jazz Concert

Congratulations to the members of the Jazz Workshop, Jazz Lab Band, Percussion Ensemble, and Jazz Ensemble, for a terrific concert Tuesday night!  Each group demonstrated outstanding musicianship and command of literature.  

A special thank you to guest-artist Rex Richardson for inspiring our students, and our community.




 
 


 
 

Welcome Rex Richardson!

North High School's Fine Arts Department is pleased to welcome visiting artist in residence, Rex Richardson (trumpet).  Mr. Richardson is in the midst of a two-day artist residency where he is working with three jazz ensembles, and three concert bands at DGN.

Mr. Richardson will perform as a soloist on the Tuesday evening 'April Jazz Concert', which will be held at 7 pm in the Johnson Auditorium.  Admission is free and open to the public.

Rex Richardson is a Yamaha Performing Artist, and his appearance is generously supported by the Yamaha Corporation of American, as well as the DGN Music Boosters.

2012 D99/WPL Art Exhibition

Opening on Wednesday, April 4, 2012 at the Woodridge Public Library, more than 100 student artists from North and South High Schools in Downers Grove collaborated with the Woodridge Public Library to create a breathtaking exhibit of student art work.

The visual art teams at DGN and DGS believe that finding a public venue to showcase student work is an essential element of a strong visual art program.  The collaboration between North, South and the Village of Woodridge is producing fabulous benefits for students, and, for the community at large.

In 2008, a joint committee comprised of members from schools, park districts, and government agencies on which Susan McNeil-Marshall , WPL Administrator, and Dr. Mark McDonald were members was convened. The purpose of this committee was to generate inter-agency cooperation within our community.

This committee met and serendipitously brainstormed the idea of a combined art show at the same time that the Woodridge/Great Frame Up store could no longer sponsor a spring show for both campuses.  The staff and students of District 99 extend a special hanks to Suzyn Mills for sponsoring a North and South Creative Self Expression Great Frame Up Show for nearly a decade.  Suzyn's dedication to student artists in District 99 has been phenomenal.

The show runs until April 23rd, and is available for public viewing during the normal operating hours of the Woodrige Public Library.

Additionally, each campus submitted eight pieces in multiple media categories.  The student work was then evaluated and ranked, producing a 3D best in show, a 2D best in show, and a top winner in each category.  The staff of teachers at South and North High Schools is proud to acknowledge these category award winners in the 2012 D99/WPL Art Show:


3D Best in Show
Emma Brzezinski – North
Kate McCann – South

“Creative Self-Expression” 2D Best in Show
Barbara Armstrong – North
Danielle Bonczkowski – South

Ceramics
Amanda Papp - North
Nick Herrara – South

Computer Art
Ellyn Cullotto – North
Jimmy Jagen - South

Design
Insiya Mansoor - South

Drawing
Jackie McGrath – North
Maddie Snyder – South

Jewelry
Julie McNeil – North
Bret Brugh - South

Painting
Ansley McLeod – North
Paige Miller - South

Photography
Morgan Sandacz – North
Hayley Gomoll - South

D99/WPL Art Showing Opening

The District 99 Visual Art team cordially invites you to attend the D99/WPL Art Showing opening, held tonight, April 4, from 6-8 PM at the Woodridge Public Library.  Nearly 100 works, created by students from both North and South, are viewable in this public exbition.  A brief ceremony acknowleding media category award winners and a 2D and 3D "Best in Show" from each campus will occur at 7 PM.  The show will remain in exhibition until April 23rd, 2012.  The show is viewable during normal operating hours for the Woodridge Public Library.