GREAT music opportunity this weekend ...

There is a GREAT opportunity for high school students to enjoy music FREE this Sunday at Ravinia!  Check out the link ... get a group of friends together ... and enjoy one of the best music festivals in the nation!  CSO.  The 1812 Overture.  Free food ... and free lawn admission.  Hard to imagine a better deal.  Go!!

http://backstage.ravinia.org/blog/2013/7/31/calling-all-high-schoolers.html

Summer Guard Prep Continues

The members of the DGN Marching Band Color Guard are hard at work this summer preparing for the 2013 season. Congratulations and thanks to this dedicated group of young women who are spending dozens of vacation hours refining base skills and beginning to learn routines prior to the official start of Band Camp.

District 99 Marching Band Celebrates the 4th of July in Downers Grove!

Congratulations to the members of the North High Trojan Marching Band and the South High Marching Mustangs as they combined forces to perform as the District 99 Marching Band in the Downers Grove 4th of July Parade.  The band performed with great energy, musicianship and spirit in the parade - entertaining the large crowds that came out to see the parade in the beautiful weather.  A big thank you to all of the students who participated in the parade today.  We appreciate your dedication to the DGN and DGS bands, as well as the District 99 community.  Best wishes to all of our band families for a great 4th of July and a wonderful summer.

DGN Performs at Famed Chicago Jazz Showcase

Since it's inception in 1947, the Chicago's Jazz Showcase has played host to nearly every great jazz musician who has lived.  This evening, the students of the DGN Jazz Ensemble had the honor of opening for the great Mark Colby Quartet.  Congratulations to the DGN Jazz Ensemble members (some who are very recent alumni) for an incredibly inspiring and swing-a-licious set.  What a terrific performance; you made North High - and all associated with District 99 - proud tonight!




 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 


 
 

DGN Jazz to open for Mark Colby at Jazz Showcase Tuesday Night!

The DGN Jazz Ensemble will be performing at the famed Jazz Showcase on Tuesday night this week, opening for the great Mark Colby and his Quartet.  Mr. Colby joined current DGN students, and recent alumni, for a rehearsal this past weekend in preparation for the gig.

Facebook users can follow this URL for details about the performance:

https://www.facebook.com/events/579642798734967/?fref=ts

Or, visit the official website of the Chicago Jazz Showcase:

http://www.jazzshowcase.com/

Tickets are $10 at the door ($5 for students/children).  Affordable parking, behind the club, is only $5.  DGN performs between 7:30 and 8:20 PM (which is earlier than the Jazz Showecase website states!).




 
 

Grove Fest

Congratulations to the DGN Jazz Ensemble for a great set at the 2013 Grove Fest!

DGN Jazz @ Grove Fest Today!

Don't miss the DGN Jazz Ensemble at Grove Fest this afternoon! The band will be headlining on the Main Stage from 2:15 - 3:30. Come out, cheer us on, and enjoy some great music!

Graduation Day!

It's graduation day!  The North High Fine Arts Department congratulates the Class of 2013, and sends all best wishes for a wonderful commencement this evening!

Thank you, seniors, for your involvement in the arts at DGN.  We wish you well in all your future endeavors!

Dr. Tim Inspires DGN Band Leaders

The North Fine Arts Department was pleased and honored to welcome Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser back to campus to work with the Trojan Marching Band Leadership Team.

Dr. Tim's unparalleled energy and vision for excellence was infectious as members of the band's Leadership Team began setting goals for the 2013-14 school year.  It was an amazing afternoon!

Chamber Choir's Farewell

Congratulations to the members of the 2012-13 DGN Chamber Choir for a wonderful year and a memorable Farewell Concert! Special thanks to the DGN Choir alumni that attended tonight and joined the Chamber Choir on stage for the final two selections. 

Webcast of DGN Chamber Choir Farewell Concert

The 2013 DGN Chamber Choir Farewell Concert will be webcast live, and for delayed viewing at:

http://www.highschoolcube.com/event/2013-dgn-chamber-choir-farewell-concert-311130

"Mr. Music" Returns to North High!

It was an incredible honor to have Mr. John Svoboda with us at North High this afternoon.  Mr. Svoboda (who is 91 years young!) was the District 99 Orchestra Director from 1951 to 1978, teaching in literally every elementary, middle and high school in our community.  We found the 1957 yearbook in the Alumni Room; the "Cauldron" was dedicated to him that year: "Mr. Music."

Mr. Svoboda's grandson, Thomas Svoboda, has been a four year member of our orchestra and jazz bands.  Thomas will graduate from North High this Friday.

DGN Jazz Heading to Chicago's Famed Jazz Showcase

Graduation is just days away, but earlier this week members of the 2012-13 DGN Jazz Ensemble learned that their school year is being 'extended' in a very exciting way:

The DGN Jazz Ensemble has been invited to perform at Chicago's Famed Jazz Showcase on Tuesday evening, June 25th, at 7:30 PM.  Opening for the Mark Colby Quartet, the DGN Jazz Ensemble will have the opportunity to share their music in one of the most famous jazz clubs in the United States.  

"Very few high school or college bands have the opportunity to play the Showcase," said Fine Arts Chairperson and band director Brayer Teague. "We are very honored that Mark Colby has invited our group to open for his quartet.  I'm sure this will be a performance that our students will remember for many, many years to come."

The cover-charge for the show will be $10 for adults ($5 for students).  Additional details will be posted as the become available.  Because the show was just announced, it does not yet appear on the official Jazz Showcase calendar of events.

Follow the Jazz Showcase on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/JazzShowcase

Official website: http://www.jazzshowcase.com/

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The Jazz Showcase is the oldest jazz club in Chicago, Illinois, founded in 1947 by Joe Segal, who still owns and operates the venue.  Many famous musicians play (or played) at the Showcase on tour, including Dexter Gordon, Bunky Green, Count Basie, Kenny Burrell, Milt Jackson, Jimmy Smith, Bill Evans, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, Sonny Stitt, Joe Lovano, Dizzy Gillespie, George Benson, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Art Farmer, Freddie Hubbard, Chris Potter, Frank Morgan, Danilo Perez, Larry Coryell, Paul Wertico, McCoy Tyner, and many others.  

DGN Bands Contribute Honorably to Community Memorial Day Events & Services

Thank you - and congratulations - to the men and women of the DGN Trojan Marching Band for their outstanding community service in both Woodridge and Downers Grove this morning.

Drums Lead Woodridge Parade

The DGN Drumline was up and moving early this morning at the Woodridge Memorial Day Parade.

Next stop ... Downers Grove.

Memorial Day Marching Band Performance Details

Tomorrow morning the DGN Marching Band will participate in several community performances.  For any student/parent who needs to refresh on performance & uniform expectations, the information sent home two weeks ago may also be found here:

https://www.box.com/s/ow6z0br67xdzwn9imur8

Orchestra Concert Video Replay

Did you miss tonight's D99 Orchestra Concert?  Or were you playing in the concert, and would like to see/hear it?  Check out the video from High School Cube:

http://www.highschoolcube.com/event/d99-orchestra-spring-concert-2013-310570

D99 Senior Celebration Orchestra Concert

Kudos and congratulations to the student musicians in the District 99 Orchestra and their conductor, Jennifer Mullen, for presenting an outstanding Senior Celebration Concert this evening.  In addition to excellent performances by the Concert Orchestra and Symphonic Orchestra that featured works by Glinka, Beethoven and Ginastera, other highlights included student soloists, a harp duet, a string quartet, and a tremendous senior solo by cellist Sean Hux.

A special tribute at the end of the concert featured all current orchestra members and numerous alumni performing The Final Countdown in tribute to the orchestra class of 2013.  This piece was conducted by District 99 Orchestra director emeritus John Svoboda.  Mr. Svoboda founded the orchestra programs in District 99 and District 58 thirty six years ago.  Mr. Svoboda's grandson is currently a senior bassist in the D99 Orchestra.  A former student of Mr. Svoboda read a stunning tribute to his work that elegantly connected students and the community forged in the music making process as a commonality across time.  The patrons in attendance responded with an authentic standing ovation after the concluding number, acknowledging the work of the student musicians, the senior class,  and the tribute to the founding patriarch of string education in Downers Grove.