North High Visual Artists takes “Best of Show” at the Elmhurst Art Museum Portfolio Exhibition

Two North High artists, Megan Degen and Allison Novak, have had their art portfolios selected for exhibition at the inaugural Elmhurst Art Museum Portfolio Exhibition.

Megan Degen’s work was selected for the coveted “Best In Show” award by the adjudicators. Megan will receive a one-year individual membership to the Elmhurst Art Museum, and a free summer session of life drawing classes at the museum.

Megan’s mentor teacher, Mrs. Barbara Hertko, stated that this is the first time a North High portfolio comprised primarily of jewelry and metalwork pieces has been selected for this kind of regional honor.

Further information regarding this special exhibition of high school student works from across the Chicago suburban region may be found at the museum’s website, ElmhurstArtMuseum.org.

Congratulations Megan and Allison!

DGN Choral Festival

Several hundred Middle School and Junior High School students joined
members of the North High Choirs this evening for the inaugural DGN
Choral Festival.

Purdue Jazz Fest '08

Congratulations to the members of the North High Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Lab Band, and Jazz Combo on their outstanding performances at the 2008 Purdue Jazz Festival, held this past Saturday, January 19, in West Lafayette, IN.

The Jazz Combo was recognized with multiple awards, including the Outstanding Ensemble Award for their competition room, as well as the Judges Award, in recognition of their creativity, musicianship and programming. Kyle Stephens (Jazz Combo, Piano) was recognized as the outstanding individual pianist and was invited to share the stage with the All-Star Jazz Combo on the Saturday evening festival-culminating concert. Jamshed Jehangir (Jazz Combo, Drums) received one of only two scholarships awarded from the competition room.

The Jazz Ensemble was awarded a "Division I" rating in the Big Band category, and the Jazz Combo was awarded a "Division I" rating in the Combo category.

Other recognitions of note included the following "Outstanding Soloist" Awards presented to North High musicians:

• Adrian Cabrera (Jazz Ensemble, Trumpet)
• Michael Benning (Jazz Ensemble, Bass)
• Mark Dortwegt (Jazz Ensemble, Alto Sax)
• David Musselman (Jazz Ensemble, Alto Sax)
• Emma Sassano (Jazz Ensemble, Piano)
• Kyle Stephens (Jazz Ensemble, Piano)
• Michael Walser (Jazz Lab Band, Alto Sax)
• Josh Williams (Jazz Lab Band, Tenor Sax)

Featured video - Senior Kyle Stephens (Piano) performs with the All-Star Jazz Combo

DGN Alumni at Symphony Center

DGN Fine Arts alumni Natalie Lorch (Oboe) and Sarah Younker (French Horn) performed with the nationally renown University of Illinois Wind Symphony on the Orchestra Hall stage of Symphony Center on Wednesday, December 19th.

The University of Illinois Wind Symphony, Prof. James Keene, conductor.

Following the concert (from left to right) Bill Miller, Sarah Younker, and Brayer Teague.

A mosaic of Mosaic

Holiday Mosaic 2007

Members of the Auditorium Crew Technicians operate the lighting and sound boards during the annual Holiday Mosaic Concert. This year's Mosaic Art Show and Concert featured music and visual artwork from more than 800 students, and was seen by nearly 5000 people.

Chamber Choir performance at Hillcrest Elementary

Mosaic Art Show 2007

Congratulations to the faculty and students of the North High Fine Arts Department for a spectacular exhibition of two and three dimensional work in the 2007 Mosaic Art Show.


















Visual artist Meredith Vavra is pictured with her grandmother, Johanna Larson (Downers Grove High School Class of 1940), who was herself an artist in school and sang in A Cappella Choir.

Sophomore Singers - Santa Breakfast 2007

IMEA All-State Musicians Announced

Eighteen 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, thirty-two student musicians were selected for All-State from Community High School District 99, the largest representation by any two-school district in the state.

The All-State Band, Choir, Orchestra and Jazz Band will convene for a series of rehearsals in Peoria, IL, January 30 through February 2, 2008. Their concerts will be held at the Peoria Civic Center on the evening of February 1, and the afternoon of February 2, 2008.

All-State Band

Emily Kirkegaard – Oboe (Senior)

Kurt Meyer – Clarinet (Junior)

John O’Hara – Clarinet (Junior)

All-State Choir

Emma Bolam – Alto II (Senior)

Nathan Cornish – Tenor I (Senior)

Jane Duffy – Alto II (Junior)

Rania El-Kareh – Soprano (Senior)

Trevor Franger – Bass II (Senior)

Jordan Frank – Bass I (Junior)

Matthew Hall – Tenor I (Junior)

Hannah Hudson – Alto II (Senior)

All-State Orchestra

Chloe Burnham – Violin II (Sophomore)

Mark Dortwegt - Clarinet (Senior)

Jamshed Jehangir - Percussion (Senior)

Colette Mondragon – Violin II (Sophomore)

Lauren Rush – Cello (Senior)

Katie Schranz - Viola (Senior)

All-State Jazz Band

Kyle Stephens – Piano (Senior)

DGN Jazz Combo plays the North Pole

Members of the DGN Jazz Combo performed for children and parents as they disembarked from the "Polar Express" Metra Train today at the North Pole (Aurora, IL).

DGN Band - Santa Parade 2007

Muriel Anderson - back in town!

DGN Alumnus, and guitar virtuoso Muriel Anderson is back in Downers Grove this week for her annual Thanksgiving Weekend concert (Saturday, November 24, at North High). This week Ms. Anderson visited with members of our guitar class, fielded questions about music and the music industry, and performed several works from her CDs.

XTENSION CHORDS visit North High

The XTENSION CHORDS - from the University of Illinois - were on campus today to perform two in-class concerts for DGN music students. Ed Vettel - DGN Choir alumnus - was welcomed back to room 136 with thunderous applause. It was certainly a memorable performance for the students of North High.

Thanks XTENSION CHORDS!

High schools work together to bring music back to New Orleans

By Samantha Nelson, snelson@mysuburbanlife.com

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Photo by Dennis Sieron
Downers Grove resident Brenda Miller, a sophomore at Downers Grove South plays the trumpet at band practice Monday. Students in Downers Grove South and North’s jazz bands are leading an effort to collect instruments for bands in New Orleans that will culminate at the annual Jazz Cafe concerts in January.">

Photo by Dennis Sieron

Downers Grove, IL -

When the bands at Downers Grove North and South high schools drive to the New Trier Jazz Festival, they are hoping to take a truck load of instruments with them — and leave them there.

Jazz members at both schools are working to gather enough donated instruments and funds to build two full bands for high schools in New Orleans affected by Hurricane Katrina. The initiative is part of an effort started by New Trier High School in Winnetka, which asked 10 competing high schools to donate $400 for their “Hey NOLA- We Didn’t Forget About You” project instead of their regular entrance fees. The Downers Grove schools paid the $400 but decided they wanted to do more.

A small start The first instrument to be donated to Downers Grove North and South high schools effort to build bands for New Orleans was a coronet a freshman trombonist bought at a flea market. To make a donation, call Fine Arts Department chairmen Glenn Williams at Downers South or Brayer Teague at Downers North.

“It’s important for New Orleans, it’s important for music education and it’s important for our students because we have such a bounty in front of us. We sometimes don’t get what’s going on entirely,” said Glenn Williams, chairman of the Downers South Fine Arts Department.

Both Downers Grove schools are organizing instrument donation drives, which will culminate at their annual Jazz Cafe concerts Thursday and Friday, Jan. 24 and 25. North High’s Cafe has benefited charities every year since it started in 1994. Last year, the schools teamed up for the first time to raise funds for Nothing but Nets, a group distributing malaria nets. The collaboration worked well, and the schools decided to work together again in 2008, said Brayer Teague, North High’s chairman of Fine Arts Department.

While the jazz bands are the main force behind the project, Williams said he hopes to generate more buzz among the rest of the student body. Because the Jazz Cafes also bring in middle school students, they may get more of the community involved. The District 99 two-band goal would require about 60 instruments.

Teague said reaction was very good when the new beneficiary was announced at the school’s monthly Music Boosters meeting. He said music is deeply important to the culture of New Orleans, and Hurricane Katrina has nearly destroyed the region’s ability to teach jazz.

“With the passing of time, it becomes easy to forget about the rebuilding that is still enveloping the citizens of that great city,” Teague said. “This is our small way of raising awareness and trying to support the schools in New Orleans.”

Click here for original story.


Financial donations are also being accepted to support the costs of refurbishing donated instruments to get them in good playing condition. Donations should be made to the "Michael David Samel Spirit of Music Fund" and may be directed to the Fine Arts Departments of either North or South High School. All donations will be acknowledged by the Spirit of Music Fund for tax purposes.

Congratulations Jeanette Hansen

The Fine Arts Department of North High congratulates Jeanette Hansen, Class of 2007, for having visual art selected by the Scholastic Art Awards to be showcased in our nation's capital. The exhibition is being held in the United States Department of Education in Washington, D.C. through November 5, 2007.

Dr. Piekarz, guest condutor - District 300 Choral Festival

Congratulations to our very own Dr. Frank Piekarz who was invited to be the guest conductor of the 37th Annual District 300 Choral Festival on Monday, October 15, 2007.

The Typewriter

District 99 Symphonic Orchestra
2007 Fall Orchestra Concert
Leroy Anderson's The Typewriter
Mrs. Regina Ozog & Mrs. Eileen Sejnost, guest soloists

North High places 55 musicians at IMEA All-District Festival

55 student musicians from Downers Grove North High School were selected, by competitive audition, to the 2007 Illinois Music Educator’s Association District Band, Choir, Orchestra and Jazz Band. Auditions were held on Monday, October 8, at South Suburban College. The top placing scores were selected for participation in the District Music Festivals, to be held during the month of November.

“We are very proud of all our students who participated in the IMEA audition process,” said Brayer Teague, Fine Arts Department Chairperson at North High. “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

Mark Dortwegt – Clarinet (Orchestra)

Jamshed Jehangir - Percussion (Orchestra)

Emily Kirkegaard – Oboe (Band)

John O’Hara – Clarinet (Band)

Brandon Broholm – Tuba (Band)

Kurt Meyer – Clarinet (Band)

Hannah Shatzer – Oboe (Band)

Kaitlin Sheber – Clarinet (Band)

Michael Walser – Alto Sax (Band)

Lisa Witek – Bassoon (Band)

Kendall Gretsch – Clarinet (Orchestra)

Marie Kirkegaard – Clarinet (Orchestra)

North High School Choir Students

Emma Bolam – Alto II

Thomas Cannan – Tenor II

Nathan Cornish – Tenor I

Katherine Crider – Alto I

Erica Crosswhite – Soprano II

Jane Duffy – Alto II

Rania El-Kareh – Soprano II

Corina Emmanouilidis – Alto II

Trevor Franger – Bass II

Jordan Frank – Bass I

Taylor Fregeau – Soprano II

Matthew Hall – Tenor I

Hannah Hudson – Alto II

Alexander Karge – Bass I

Timothy Kelley – Tenor I

Kristen Lemke – Alto II

Hayley Makowski – Soprano II

Lauren Niemi – Soprano II

Lindsay Prerost – Soprano I

Laurel Schmitt – Alto I

Jonathan Schroeder – Bass I

North High School Jazz Ensemble Students

Mark Dortwegt – Alto Sax

Nicholas Goergen – Drum Set

Caroline Hlohowskyj – Trumpet

Jamshed Jehangir – Drum Set

Michael Benning – Bass

Jonathan Rush – Drum Set

Bryn Sitkiewicz – Trombone

Kyle Stephens – Piano

Zachary Wetta – Tenor Sax

North High School Orchestra Students

Chloe Burnham – Violin II

Shannon Drobney – Violin II

Kelly Kedzior – Double Bass

Michael Benning – Double Bass

Colette Mondragon – Violin II

Victoria Nogle – Viola

Rudy Rendek – Violin I

Nicholas Rudy – Cello

Lauren Rush – Cello

Katie Schranz – Viola

Natalie Stawarski – Violin II

Luke Tecson – Violin II

Ayden Zarkhah – Violin II

Fine arts program offers students chance to excel

Link to original article:

http://www.chicagosuburbannews.com/downersgrove/news/x1615370978/index.html#

By Annie Reed, areed@libertysuburban.com

Downers Grove Reporter

Thu Oct 04, 2007, 04:40 PM CDT

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Downers Grove, IL -

Downers Grove North and South High school students of the arts have the opportunity to take their studies to the next level.

The fine arts honors program, rolled out this year, brings honors level and Advanced Placement classes to the busy — and often paint-spattered hands — of students.

“In surrounding suburban schools and national schools, we were one of the few districts maintaining a national reputation for fine art that didn’t offer AP options,” said teacher Brayer Teague, fine arts chairman for District 99. “This has been the dream of art and music teachers here for a decade.”

The courses are called honors-weighted, not AP, Teague said, but visual art students have the option to submit their work to the College Board for review.

With added sophistication to the program comes added rigor to the workload, and Teague said it’s not a shoe-in program for anyone with a passing interest in music or visual art. Students will be expected to perform an honors recital or present their body of visual work along with an artist’s statement at one of the schools’ art shows.

Serious about fine art Community High School District 99 was awarded the top high school music award in the state in 1990 by the Illinois Music Educators Association. About 1,000 students in the district have taken classes in the fine arts program this year.

Of about 1,000 District 99 students enrolled in art and music courses, 37 students at both North and South high schools were selected for the program this year, including North junior Alex Karge.

Basically, Dr. (Frank) Piekarz (head of the choral program at North) said it was my choice to join the program, but it’s going to be hard and he’s not going to give out many As,” Alex said.

But Alex is willing to put in extra effort if it means improvement in his singing. It is a common theme among high-achieving students.

“I really liked this program because it forced me to motivate myself to practice,” said North senior Lisa Witek, a drum major for the marching band.

Lisa has benefited extensively from the District 99 Fine Arts Department. As an eighth-grader, she noticed the band was lacking a bassoon, a 4-foot-long woodwind instrument. With the financial help of the Music Boosters, Lisa took private lessons and went to summer camp so she could start a bassoon section in the band.

“I don’t know if I would have continued on, especially with the bassoon, without so much support from the program,” she said. “And then I definitely wouldn’t have had the leadership opportunities and be as happy as I am now.”