Grammy Award Winning Artist - Jeff Coffin

Mr. Jeff Coffin worked with District 99 students on November 17, 2006. His one-day residency at North High was supported through grants from the North High Music Boosters, Music & Arts Centers, Yamaha, and Vandoren.

Jeff Coffin, well-traveled saxophonist, composer, and Grammy Award winning member of Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, rejects all labels and categories other than "music" and "musician." In the face of his epic 2005 release "BLOOM", even those once-broad tags fall short of defining the close coiling of sound, philosophy, and humanity that is the core of his art.

Since 1997, Coffin has traveled the world with the Flecktones, performing with musicians of all walks. Those with whom Jeff has shared the stage and/or the recording studio include such diverse artists as Baaba Maal, McCoy Tyner, The Dave Matthews Band, Umphrees McGee, Savion Glover, Branford Marsalis, Jeff (Apt. Q-258) Sipe, Mike Clark's Prescription Trio, Keller Williams, Mavis Staples, Garth Brooks, Van Morrison, J.D. Souther, Vinnie Colaiuta, Bob Moses, Stanton Moore, George Porter Jr., Anders Osborne, Jerry Douglas, Derek Trucks, John Scofield, Prasanna, Yonder Mountain String Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Wailers and many, many others. Along the way, Coffin has absorbed an astounding range of influences. "Whether it be New Orleans Second Line, African music, Indian Ragas, folk songs, Alan Lomax field recordings, jazz, or funk," he says, "the spirit and breath of the music is what I take away from listening and playing. It's what decides for me whether I like it or not."

Raku Firing

On Saturday, November 11, students from the Ceramics curriculum were invited to participate in a "Raku firing." Raku firing is done in an outdoor area. The glazed pottery is heated in the kiln to a shiny, red glow. Then the pottery is removed from the kiln with tongs and allowed to cool in a closed metal can filled with combustible materials. The result is generally a black piece of pottery contrasted by the colorful glazed areas of the piece. Students involved gain an appreciation of the process and the product of Raku art.

North and South visual art teachers colloaborated to provide students with an outstanding experience. Thank you to Mrs. Myles and Mrs. O'Brien-Prusa (from DGS) who worked along side Mrs. Miller and guest artist Carl Mankert.

Oliver Pit Orchestra

Fine Arts Department students participated in the All-School Musical November 10-12, 2006 in a variety of capacities. Many of the actors and actresses were from North High choral classes, and the instrumentalists of the Pit Orchestra were the top performing students on their instruments in their respective Band and Orchestra classes.

Congraulations to all North High students who participated in this year's All-School musical!

Featured Visual Artist - Senior Scott Parik

Scott Parik is a Senior at Downers North this year. He has been a student in the ceramics studio since his freshman year, when he had Mr. Marty Voelker as a teacher.

From the very beginning, Scott demonstrated a great knack for working with clay. His instructors state that his beginning level projects are worthy of being entered into his college portfolio.

Over the past four years at North, Scott has taken ceramics every semester, with Mrs. Amy Bernard as his teacher. Scott continues to produce high quality work, having pieces entered into both the Mosaic Art Show in December and the Spring Art Show in May, as well as the regional Scholastic Art Awards Show which takes place each January at the Elmhurst Art Museum. Last year, Scott won a Silver Key Award for one of his teapots, which are the focus of his AP Portfolio that he is currently working on this semester.

Over the course of this year, Scott will produce six teapots for his AP concentration, and eight other pieces which demonstrate a knowledge of the elements & principles of art & design. These pieces will be photographed and sent in slide form to the AP College Board in May. Scott will be evaluated on this portfolio, and may receive college credit for his hard work.

Among his other accomplishments in the area of Ceramic Arts, Scott was also the recipient of the Underclass Award in Ceramics last year at Underclass Awards Night.

Scott is a great example of an art student who strives to push himself to do better and better work each time he begins a project. Congratulations Scott!

IMEA All-District Musicians Announced

49 student musicians from Downers Grove North High School were selected, by competitive audition, to the 2006 Illinois Music Educator’s Association District Band, Choir, Orchestra and Jazz Band. Auditions were held on Tuesday, October 10, 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.

“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.”

For a comlete list of Downers Grove North High School musicians selected to the IMEA District I Festival, click here.

Marching Band Debuts New Uniforms

The North High community will notice a new look for the Trojan Marching Band in 2006. Having recently retired uniforms worn since 1995, the new uniform (which is primarily black and purple with white accents) is a contemporary garment that pays tribute to the past by combining many of the visual traditions of the North High Band program.

Congratulations Dr. Piekarz!

The faculty, staff and students of the North High School Fine Arts Department extend a hearty congratulations to music teacher Frank Piekarz, Ed.D., for successfully defending his dissertation to the Education Faculty of Northern Illinois University this past Friday, September 15, 2006.

Dr. Piekarz is pictured here with members of his 2006 Chamber Choir and a celebration cake, presented to him today by his faculty and staff colleagues.

Muriel Anderson visits DGN

Famed guitar virtuoso, and North High alumnus, Muriel Anderson (www.murielanderson.com) visited North High on September 1, 2006 to present a master-class for musicians from Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany.

Widely respected as one of the premier guitarists on the scene today, Muriel Anderson is the first woman to have won the National Fingerpicking Guitar Championship and is host of the renowned "Muriel Anderson's ALL STAR GUITAR NIGHT®."

Muriel Anderson’s unique approach to the instrument virtually transforms the guitar into a lyrical choir, then a marching band, then a Japanese koto, then a Bluegrass band, amazing audiences with her technique and endearing them with her sense of humor. As one of the country’s foremost fingerstyle guitarists, her facility across the genres of folk, classical, jazz, bluegrass and international music is revered by guitarists worldwide. Muriel is the founder of the Music for Life Alliance charity.

German Musicians visit District 99

Fifty-eight student musicians from Germany arrived on August 31 and stayed with host-families from District 99 for six days. This visit - a part of an ongoing cultural and musical exchange between the Village of Downers Grove and the German community of Bietigheim-Bissigen - included concerts by the German String Orchestra, Recorder Orchestra, and Guitar Orchestra. District 99 is scheduled to return student musicians to Germany in the summer of 2008.