DGN Musicians Earn ILMEA All-District Honors #99Learns #WeAreDGN

Congratulations to the student musicians from Downers Grove North High School who earned placement, by competitive audition, into the 2018 Illinois Music Education Association All-District Band, Choir, Orchestra, Jazz Band and Vocal Jazz Ensemble. Auditions were held on Tuesday, October 2 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.

“Selection to the ILMEA All-District ensembles is a distinct and significant honor for a high school musician,” said Brayer Teague, Fine Arts Department Chairperson. “Our faculty is excited for these students who will now have the opportunity to collaborate with the most outstanding musicians in our region.”

The music faculty, private teachers, and sender school music teachers associated with North High School are proud to congratulate the following students who have earned ILMEA All-District Honors:

CHOIR
William Berberich (11) – Tenor I
Renee Boone (10) – Alto II 
Kelly Brinkman (12) – Soprano I
Lily Buehler (11) – Soprano II
Delaney Durbin (10) – Soprano II
Peter Gartlan (11) – Bass II
Julia Isoniemi (11) – Alto I
Maureen Kelliher (11) – Alto I
Madeline Klockner (11) – Soprano I
MacKenzie McGuire (10) – Soprano I
Amber Moca (11) – Alto I
Travon Moore (11) – Tenor I
Amanda Smith (12) – Alto II
Kate Sosnovsky (12) – Alto II
Harry Stagaman (12) – Bass I
Caroline Weidman (12) – Soprano II
Caroline Young (11) – Alto II

ORCHESTRA STRINGS
Lucie Boyd (12) – Viola
Emma Duncan (12) – Viola  
Rebecca Edmundson (11) – Violin  
Amelia Korbitz (12) – Violin
Parker McGuire (12) – Violin
Braden Moore (11) – Cello  
Noah Pardue (10) – Viola 
Catherine Ramsey (11) – Harp 
Paige Sadler (10) – Violin 
Julia Szostak (10) – Cello 
Jesse Wei (10) – Viola 

WINDS & PERCUSSION (CLASSICAL)
Daniel Atwater (12) – Trumpet (Orchestra)
Sean Figuray (11) – Bass Clarinet (Band)
Emilija Irvin (11) – Bassoon (Orchestra) 
Justin Koblich (11) – Percussion (Orchestra)
Francesca Korbitz (9) – Flute (Band)
Angelica Kowara (10) – Trombone (Band)
Emma Krause (11) – Flute (Band) 
Owen Nystrom (10) – Bassoon (Orchestra)
Brian Perillo (12) – Euphonium (Band)
Aidan Purcell (12) – Bb Clarinet (Band) 
Miles Teague (11) – French Horn (Orchestra) 

WINDS & PERCUSSION (JAZZ)
Jeremy Blumka (12) – Bass Trombone (Jazz Ensemble II)
Ben Hodonicky (11) – Guitar (Jazz Ensemble III)
Kristen Karam (11) – Guitar (Jazz Ensemble III)
Ish Mistry (11) – Trombone (Jazz Ensemble II)
Jonathan Orjala (11) – Trumpet (Jazz Ensemble III)
Andrew Swenson (10) – Trumpet (Jazz Ensemble III) 
Miles Teague (11) – Piano (Jazz Ensemble IV)

VOCAL  JAZZ
Ellie Banke (12) – Soprano (Vocal Jazz Ensemble I)

DGN Choirs Open Fall Concert Season Tonight! #99Learns #WeAreDGN

Join us tonight at 7:00 PM in the Clarence Johnson Auditorium for the Fall Choral Concert featuring all DGN Choirs. This promises to be a wonderful evening of music that you won't want to miss and a fine start to the Fall concert season!

Trojan Marching Band Presents Sounds of the Stadium #99Learns #WeAreDGN

Congratulations to the members of the DGN Trojan Marching Band on their high-energy performance at the 2018 Sounds of the Stadium concert!

Gaudete Brass In #Bernstein100 Residency with DGN Bands #99Learns #WeAreDGN

The DGN Bands were pleased to welcome the Gaudete Brass to North High School today for the first of several campus residency visits. The Chicago-based professional brass quintet is collaborating with the DGN Wind Ensemble to present Leonard Bernstein's Suite from MASS on the upcoming October 30 concert, as well as a special performance at Cadogan Hall in London, England. 2018 marks the 100th anniversary of Bernstein's birth, and the DGN/Gaudete Collaboration is being recognized by the Bernstein Office as an official #Bernstein100 international performance. 

The members of the quintet worked with all three concert band classes today, both as performers and as clinicians. 

The DGN Fine Arts Department extends thanks to the DGN Friends of Fine Arts, the District 99 Education Foundation, and the Illinois Arts Council, for their generous support of this residency project. 

'Sounds Of The Stadium' Friday Night!

Join us Friday, October 5th at 7 PM in the Purple Gym to enjoy the Sounds Of The Stadium with the DGN Trojan Marching Band! This is a great opportunity to catch the band's Friday night football season repertoire without the threat of inclement weather or the challenge of chilly bleachers. Enjoy the continuous performance of the Trojan Marching Band with no gridiron action breaks. We hope to see you there!

Trojan Spirit Shines at Homecoming 2018 #WeAreDGN #99Learns

Congratulations to the members of the DGN Trojan Marching Band, DGN Jazz Ensemble, and DGN Chamber Choir for their spirited and musical contributions to Homecoming 2018! The morning Steps Show, the afternoon Homecoming Assembly, the Parade, and the Football Game performances were all outstanding.

Thank you to the DGN Band Alumni that returned to campus to perform with us at Pre-Game and Half-Time. It was wonderful to have you back on campus! 

Congratulations to DGN Band Alumnus, Staff Sergeant Kristin (King) Bowers, for receiving the prestigious DGN Alumni Award of Excellence. Thank you for joining us on campus, sharing your musicianship and advice with our current students, and for inspiring us to pursue our dreams!

Homecoming V-Show 2018 #99Learns #WeAreDGN

Congratulations to the members of the DGN Chamber Choir and DGN Jazz Ensemble for their collaboration on "This Is Me" from The Greatest Showman, in the 2018 DGN Homecoming Variety Show.

2018 D99/D58 String Fest #99Learns #WeAreDGN

The District 99 Orchestra was pleased to welcome string orchestra students from Herrick and O'Neil to String Fest 2018. Students spent the afternoon in large and small group rehearsals preparing for a collaborative concert to be held October 16, 2018.

Thanks to the members of the D99 Orchestra who served as mentors and facilitators today, and thanks to our D99 Orchestra parents for their part in coordinating the pizza dinner!

Please enjoy the trailer below promoting and celebrating the 2018 String Fest "Terra Sonus."

                       

D99 Orchestra at the Great Lakes Confucius Music Festival #99Learns #WeAreDGN

With a cast of over 500 performers, the District 99 Orchestra participated in the 2018 Great Lakes Confucius Music Festival.  The festival is a 5 day event that has more than 10 concerts, culminating in an epic combined performance at the Jay Pritzger Pavilion at Millennium Park.  The concert featured a wide range of musical styles and performers in addition to traditional Chinese dancing.

During the course of the day, visiting Chinese musicians hosted presentations and mini-classes on Chinese music and instruments.  Each participating student had the chance to learn to play up to three different traditional Chinese instruments.  The theme of the festival this year was "Friendship Celebration," promoting the cultural, musical and artistic connections between the China and the United States, Illinois and Chicago.

Special thanks to the parent chaperones who helped facilitate the experience during the day for the student musicians.  Special thanks also to D99 Orchestra director Jennifer Mullen for providing this transformational cultural exchange experience for the students in the District 99 Orchestra.