DGN All State Musicians Depart for Peoria

Best wishes to our DGN All State Musicians, traveling today to Peoria, IL to perform with the All State Bands, Choirs, Orchestras and participate in the All State Music Composition track.

CHORUS

Bridget Callaghan (12) – Soprano II

Cora Lingenfelter (12) – Soprano I

Ian Stagaman (12) – Bass I 

 

ORCHESTRA STRINGS

Stephen Cecil (11) – Viola 

Melissa Parkinson (12) – Double Bass

 

WINDS and PERCUSSION

Penny Ham (12) – Piccolo (Orchestra)

Cameron Hejny (11) – Clarinet (Orchestra)

Zachery Heppner (12) – Clarinet (Band)

Tabitha Irvin (11) – Bass Clarinet (Band)

Francesca Korbitz (12) – Flute (Band)

Ethan Martin (10) – Tuba (Band)

Kyra McComb (12) – Percussion (Orchestra)

Aarush Palli (10) – Flute (Band)

Ethan Weingust (10) – Bassoon (Band)

 

COMPOSITION

Sophia Hamelka (10) 

DGN Visual Artists Honored - 2022 Scholastic Art Awards

Aiden Robinson "The Inventor" - American Vision Nominee

Jack Oakes "Eclectic Anatomy" - American Vision Nominee

The Fine Arts Department at Downers Grove North High School is proud to announce the results of the judging from the 2022 Scholastic Art Awards. 948 student artists representing 186 arts educators submitted 2,351 works of art for adjudication. 657 total works were honored with recognitions. North High artists won a total of 99 awards, including 27 Gold Key Awards, 27 Silver Key Awards, and 43 Honorable Mention Awards.

“District 99 looks forward to hosting the Chicago-area regional exhibition at North High,” said Brayer Teague, Fine Arts Department Chairman. 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. The collection and adjudication of work, in the midst of a pandemic, was a Herculean task. I'm immeasurably proud of our District 99 faculty for their efforts to coordinate this regional exhibition, assuring this important opportunity for students and art educators all over Chicago."  

Two DGN Visual Artists garnered prestigious American Vision nominations. "The American Vision designation is the 'best of show' award for a Scholastic Regional Exhibition," said Teague. "Only five of these awards are given by the judges, in total, placing the works in the top one-quarter of one percent of all adjudicated pieces.”

CLICK HERE to view a portfolio of all DGN award winning artwork.

AMERICAN VISION - Best of Show (2)

John Oakes (Digital Art) Eclectic Anatomy

Aiden Robinson (Jewelry) The Inventor

GOLD KEY AWARDS (27)

Julia Arnold (Comic Art) Sleepover

Ethan Bell (Art Portfolio) The Ignored

Eva Conti (Jewelry) No Strings Attached

Zoey Etheridge (Drawing & Illustration) Fading Fall

Rylee Fox (Jewelry) Dizzy

Ali Hackett (Painting) A Connection Fred By Passion

Ali Hackett (Drawing & Illustration) Mood Swings

Ali Hackett (Drawing & Illustration) Self Reflection and Reconstruction

Eleanor Harris (Ceramics & Glass) Mod or Rocker

Ashley Hixon (Photography) Soulful

Ohana Jeron (Drawing & Illustration) Danger

Claire Meyers (Sculpture) Caged In

Charlie Michaels (Jewelry) Regal

Joni Murphy (Digital Art) Dear Diary

Emily Nemeth (Jewelry) Burning Blossom

John Oakes (Art Portfolio) Surreal Engravings

John Oakes (Digital Art) Eclectic Anatomy

Haley Phillips (Ceramics & Glass) Koi Pond

Matthew Poe (Photography) As the Day Fades

Christina Powell (Photography) Inverted

Makena Presson (Drawing & Illustration) A Fall Walk

Aiden Robinson (Jewelry) The Inventor

Aiden Robinson (Jewelry) Morning Coffee

Aiden Robinson (Jewelry) Moving On

Benedikt Strempfer (Digital Art) Supply

Molly Svoboda (Drawing & Illustration) Out of Body

Elena Tomchek (Sculpture) Contaminated Holy Water

SILVER KEY AWARDS (27)

Anna Bayasgalan (Ceramics & Glass) All of Life

Ethan Bell (Photography) Oops, Overexposed

Ethan Bell (Mixed Media) Put Together

Ethan Bell (Photography) How Did I Get Here

Sarisa Chulanon (Photography) Missed Connection

Eva Conti (Jewelry) Instability

Miguel Diaz (Jewelry) Seeds of Life

Henry Gwozdz (Jewelry) Luck is for the Optimist

Ali Hackett (Drawing & Illustration) A Moment of Sounder

Ali Hackett (Drawing & Illustration) Strung Out

Ali Hackett (Drawing & Illustration) Strangers Again

Ali Hacket (Drawing & Illustration) Intertwined Reality

Claire Meyers (Drawing & Illustration) Broken

Claire Meyers (Art Portfolio) Anatomy

Charlie Michaels (Jewelry) One Man's Trash

Mikayla Moran (Digital Art) Maya

Mikayla Moran (Printmaking) Dissolved

Joni Murphy (Digital Art) Strange Street

John Oakes (Digital Art) Unfortunate Desire

John Oakes (Digital Art) Demon High

John Oakes (Digital Art) Digital Age

Sarah Paul (Painting) Observe

Madeline Pearson (Sculpture) Golden Forest

Madeline Pearson (Jewelry) Resilient Oak

Harris Surrette (Photography) Undecided

Elena Tomchek (Jewelry) Unattainable Holiness

Ashley Wachel (Digital Art) Windows To The Soul

HONORABLE MENTION (43)

Anna Bayasgalan (Ceramics & Glass) Sesame Street

Ethan Bell (Mixed Media) The Experience is the Journey

Harley Blanchard (Drawing & Illustration) Red Rain

David Bromberek (Sculpture) Crystalized Fountain

Abigail Colucci (Ceramics & Glass) No More Stolen Sisters

Miguel Diaz (Sculpture) Viejitos

Miguel Diaz (Jewelry) Mother Nature

Christina Godar (Ceramics & Glass) The Storybook Cottage

Juliana Gomien (Photography) Woven Together

Henry Gwozdz (Sculpture) Subconscious

Ali Hackett (Drawing & Illustration) The Broken Maze Searching For Light

Ali Hackett (Drawing & Illustration) Time Stays Still

Ali Hackett (Drawing & Illustration) Subconscious Thoughts

Ali Hackett (Art Portfolio) Social Anxiety

Eleanor Harris (Ceramics & Glass) Mushroom Home

Madalyn Hyer (Drawing & Illustration) Lost

Ohana Jeron (Drawing & Illustration) Sun

Ohana Jeron (Art Portfolio) Sepia

Ohana Jeron (Painting) Serenity

Nathan Klasen (Jewelry) Time of Evangelics

Maura MacDonald (Painting) Portrait Painting Project

Gavin McCool (Drawing & Illustration) March On Main Street

Claire Meyers (Drawing & Illustration) Broken and Exposed

Charlie Michaels (Sculpture) Renewal of Spring

Joni Murphy (Digital Art) Cityscape

Joni Murphy (Art Portfolio) Memories

Autumn Neil (Comic Art) Fishing Isn't Worth It

Gretchen Nelson (Photography) Soulful

John Oakes (Digital Art) Silent Faces

Sarah Paul (Drawing & Illustration) Expression

Amelia Passero (Sculpture) "Journey Through the Night"

Haley Phillips (Ceramics & Glass) The Cycle of Life

Lake Ragnini (Digital Art) The Earth

Lake Ragnini (Digital Art) Venus

Chase Robinson (Drawing & Illustration) Aishite Aishite

Aiden Robinson (Jewelry) The Void

Aiden Robinson (Jewelry) Mechanical Marionette

Emma Salman (Jewelry) Polarized Energy

Madison Smith (Drawing & Illustration) Railside Attraction

Elena Tomchek (Jewelry) So-called Sinful Relationship

Jacob Tyszkowski (Drawing & Illustration) Fading away

Ashley Wachel (Photography) Through My Shattered Lens

Jayla William (Ceramics & Glass) Tink

Mary Poppins Tickets Now on Sale; Select Your Seats in Advance!

DGN Theatre, and @DGNActivities, is proud to present the 2022 DGN All School Musical: Mary Poppins. Performances are scheduled for March 10 & 11 (7 PM) and March 12 (5 PM).

Tickets may be purchased in advance using the GoFan website. All seats are reserved, and patrons may select their seats using a standard computer web-browser. (Note: specific seat selection is not available on mobile OS; please use a computer when purchasing tickets.)

tinyurl.com/DGNMaryPoppinsTix

Scholarship Alert (Freshmen/Sophomores/Juniors): Summer Study Grant in the Fine Arts! (DGN FOFA)

If you are interested in continuing your Fine Arts studies this summer at a music, theatre, or visual art camp/workshop, and would benefit from financial assistance to attend, please consider applying for a scholarship from the DGN Friends of Fine Arts, which annually supports $8,000 - $10,000 in Summer Study Grants to student musicians, thespians and visual artists.

To be considered, your application must be submitted by Sunday, April 17, 2022. The Summer Study Grant application is on a Google form, completely paperless. You may complete the form here:

tinyurl.com/2022DGNSummerFineArtsGrant

Scholarship Awards will be announced in early May.  Questions about the application process? Please ask Mr. Teague, Downers Grove North Fine Arts Department Chairperson.

Scholarship Alert (Seniors): DG Music Club College Music Award

The Downers Grove Music Club will present a $1,000 College Music Award to at least one student enrolled in Band, Choir or Orchestra in District 99. Award recipients will be selected based on the merit of their musical accomplishments, as described on the application form, and the quality of the musical performance provided on the video recording portion of the application.  The goal of these awards is to recognize and reward those students who have worked very hard in their musical pursuits and have achieved a high level of accomplishment as a musician.

Seniors may apply for one of the two possible College Music Awards ($1,000 each). Additional information, on the Downers Grove Music Club website, may be found HERE.

Who Is Eligible?
Any District 99 high school band, choir or orchestra senior, who will be graduating during the this academic year and who will be attending college in the fall of 2021, is eligible to apply.

How Can I Apply?
The application must be completed and submitted, along with a performance video recording, as directed on the submission website, by April 1, 2022.  Award recipients will be chosen only from among the applications received by the deadline date.

All entries must be DATE/TIME STAMPED by the deadline date of April 1, 2022 to be eligible for review.

Questions should be sent to:  musiced@downersgrovemusicclub.org.

Scholarship Alert (Freshman/Sophomores/Juniors): Downers Grove Music Club Rising Stars Music Awards

$400 Awards for Freshman, Sophomores & Juniors in Music

The Downers Grove Music Club will present multiple $400 Rising Stars Music Awards.  Awards are given to students enrolled in the District 99 high schools in the areas of Band, Choir or Orchestra.  Award recipients are selected based on the merit of their musical accomplishments, as described on the application form and the quality of the musical performance provided on the recording portion of the application. The goal of these awards is to recognize and reward those students who have worked very hard in their musical pursuits and have achieved a high level of accomplishment as a musician.

Freshman, Sophomores, and Juniors may apply for one of the multiple Rising Stars Awards ($400 each).  Additional information, on the Downers Grove Music Club website, may be found HERE.

Who Is Eligible?
Any  District 99 high school band, choir or orchestra student, currently in his/her junior year, pursuing a musical educational experience during the summer in which tuition is charged, is eligible to apply for a Rising Stars Award. Pianists may apply in the musical category with which they are affiliated.
 

Award recipients are required to perform the following year at the DGMC Rising Stars program, usually scheduled on a Tuesday evening in April.

How Can I Apply?
The application, and submission of performance video, must be completed online.

All entries must be DATE/TIME STAMPED by the deadline date of April 1, 2022 to be eligible for review.

Questions should be sent to:  musiced@downersgrovemusicclub.org.

Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp - Campus Interviews - February 15

The Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp (in Michigan) is one of the nation’s leading arts immersion camps.  BLFAC is a non-profit summer school of the arts specializing in two-week arts programs for intermediate and high school students. 

Because there is a strong tradition of highly qualified District 99 students attending Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, the institution actively recruits in our schools. Additionally, BLFAC sends a representative to our building each February to hear students play/sing, and review student art portfolios.  From those interviews, BLFAC frequently awards merit-based scholarships to attend the camp. This year’s BLFAC interviews will be held on Tuesday, February 15th.  If you are interested in meeting the BLFAC rep, please express your interest on a sign-up sheet in the Fine Arts Office (room 131). Please see Ms. Heppner or your Fine Arts teacher to sign up for a time. 

How should you prepare? Music students should plan to perform 2-3 min of music that you have been working on with a private music teacher, or in class.  This could be an etude, a solo, or a piece of literature that you have really enjoyed studying.  Pick something that shows off your abilities! The BLFAC representative will also ask you to play or sing several major scales of your choice. Visual Art students should bring a portfolio of 3-5 works of art to share with the representative. (Photographs of the art, on a Chromebook or tablet are acceptable.) 

The Blue Lake representative will share some basic information with the student to take home to parents.  In the meantime, you are encouraged to check out Blue Lake’s website at www.bluelake.org.  

Many DGN students have received significant scholarships to attend Blue Lake as a result of these interviews. Please consider this fabulous opportunity!

2022 DGN Choral Festival Welcomes Partner School Musicians

On Wednesday, North High welcomed student vocalists from Herrick Middle School and Jefferson Junior High School for the 2022 DGN Choral Festival. Donning DGN Choir t-shirts, students participated in large group rehearsal, vocal sectionals, and presented a performance in the Clarence Johnson Auditorium. 

Special thanks to the students and directors from our partner schools for taking the time to provide this experience for these singers. Based on what we heard and saw today, the sonic future is bright for our DGN Choirs at North High School.

Guest Musicians Join DGN Pep Band for Trojan Victory!

 

Congratulations to the members of the DGN Pep Band for a spirited performance at Friday night's win over conference rival York High School. Thanks and appreciation is extended to our guest musicians from area Middle and Junior High Schools; it was great to have you with us tonight, and we look forward to having you in the DGN Band in the years to come!

DGN Jazz Cafe: Hot Jazz on a Cold Night!

Congratulations to the members of the DGN Jazz Lab Band, and DGN Jazz Ensemble, for a terrific performance at the 2022 DGN Jazz Cafe!

If you missed the concert, and would like to see a recording, an archival copy of the LiveStream may be accessed HERE.

DGN Jazz Cafe 2022 - Tonight at 7 PM

The DGN Jazz Ensemble and DGN Jazz Lab Band will present the 2022 Jazz Café, tonight at 7 PM, in the North High School Learning Commons. Come out and support the members of the jazz bands, and allow the music to warm you up on a cold January evening!

Unable to be with us in person? The Jazz Café will be livestreamed on the DGN Fine Arts YouTube channel. Click HERE for a direct link to this evening's DGN Jazz Café.

Percussion Masterclass features Marimba and Hand Pan

DGN alumnus and current Northern Illinois University music student Ben Heppner was on campus today, with colleague Ethan Patterson, to present a percussion masterclass to DGN band students. The duo performed several original compositions by Heppner, and Patterson demonstrated Hand Pan techniques. Click HERE to view a previously recorded video of one of Heppner's original compositions for Marimba and Hand Pan.

Happy New Year from DGN Fine Arts!

The faculty and staff of the DGN Fine Arts Department extend to you a very Happy New Year!