Monday, March 30, 2020

Virtual Concert Hall - Concert Replay - 2019 Fall Choir Concert

             
Enjoy this replay of the Fall Choirs Concert from October 10, 2019.  

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

DGS Senior Earns "Equitable Excellence" Scholarship


Senior cellist Therese Malinowski was awarded a $2,500 scholarship by the financial company Equitable.  The Equitable Excellence award is given to hundreds of students across the country who are making a difference in their communities.  Malinowski's essay focused on Project Dandelion, an Illinois campus sexual assault database that she has been working on for the past year.  Malinowski's award also comes with a grant for South High School.  Congratulations to Therese for earning this award and for making such a tremendous difference in our community!



Sunday, March 22, 2020

Virtual Concert Hall - Concert Replay


Please enjoy this rebroadcast of the Wind Ensemble and Indiana University Concert Band from February 19, 2020.  Find other archived performances on the South High Fine Arts YouTube Channel.  Enjoy!

Thursday, March 12, 2020

2020 Vocal Fest



Over 30 students participated today in the 2020 Vocal Festival.  Students prepared and performed art songs for an adjudicator.  Immediately after the performance, the judge provided the student performers with immediate formative feedback on their performance.  This feedback is done in front of an audience of observers in a master class setting, so the audience members can learn from the teaching as well as the performer.

After a day of performing, there are after school call-backs for students to earn a spot in the District 99 Honors Vocal Festival on Monday, March 23, 2020 at Hinsdale United Methodist Church at 7 PM.  We are extremely proud of every participating performer today for making the investment into studying and performing these songs.

Special congratulations goes to the students that earned special recognition from the judges, and, that earned a spot to perform on the Monday, March 23, 2020 at Hinsdale United Methodist Church at 7 PM. Thanks also to the parents volunteers from today who provided hospitality and who assisted with the logistics of the festival during the course of the day.

These students will perform on the D99 Honors Vocal Recital for 2020:


Zoe Boyd
Megan Fogarty
Amber Kass
Diana Kwak
Sydney Richardson
Gwen Royle
Kayte Salgado
Stefan Tambik



These students were a part of the run-off finals:

Zoe Boyd

Mary Davenport
Megan Fogarty
Suheily Gomez
Amber Kass
Abby Knight
Zach Mead
Casey Muzykansky
Max O'Connor
Sydney Richardson
Gwendolyn Royle
Kayte Salgado
Jackie Sumida
Stefan Tambik

These students earned an Honorable Mention citation:

Alyssa Ancell
Samantha Bachara
Kyra Cain
Elizabeth Carlson
Juliana Crooks
Megan Fox
Cathy Gadomski
Georgia Genin
Sophia Girik
Mark Haddleton
Megan Harmon
Emily Leatherwood
Matt Leinart
Faith Nelson
Alexa Miecag
Kassem Ossman
Abby Rook
Jordan Stewart
Delaney Turner
Alyssa Whitman
Samantha Wiggins

Monday, March 09, 2020

Mustang Musicians at IHSA Solo and Ensemble


Student musicians from South High School in Downers Grove participated in the 2020 Solo and Ensemble Contest sponsored by IHSA and hosted this year at Rich East High School.

Students prepare solos and ensembles and play for an expert adjudicator, receiving both a score and a rating, and, formative feedback for improvement.  Additionally, students performing solos must play scales from memory, demonstrating technical fluency on their instruments outside of their prepared solo work.

In total, over 50 students participated in over 30 different events.   27 students performed as soloists, and 20 students formed 4 different ensembles during the course of the day.  Students from both the bands and the orchestras from South High School participated in this event.

"Regardless of rating or score, we are proud of every student for choosing to pursue musical growth through this process."  said Fine Arts Department Chairman Glenn Williams.  "The individual growth that occurs through studying and performing chamber music is substantial."

Two events, soloists Therese Malinowksi and Matthew Leinart, earned a Citation for being the "Best in Room."  After listening to events for an entire day, the judge considered both Leinart and Malinowski's solos the most outstanding musical event during the course of the day in that specific room.

Here are the students that earned a Division I rating, described on the judges sheet as "a superior performance - outstanding in nearly every detail."

Elizabeth Colip - oboe
Joseph Cox - violin
Luidas Davies - violin
Sierra Donaldson - viola
Matthew Fischer - trumpet
Martin Harmon - oboe
Gabrielle Hewawissa - flute
Mackenzie Johnson, Kate Stanley, Saahil Sorkayla - woodwind trio
Mackenzie Johnson - flute - PERFECT SCORE
Mackenzie Johnson, Sally Lichner, Katie McGuire, Madolyn Werner - flute quartet - PERFECT SCORE
Matthew Leinart - alto saxophone - BEST IN ROOM CITATION
Therese Malinowski - cello - PERFECT SCORE AND BEST IN ROOM CITATION
Katie McGuire - flute - PERFECT SCORE
Philip Okunev - violin
Philip Okunev, Leka Davis, Timothy Neuman - string ensemble
Kelsey Ohlsen - trumpet
Derek Reynolds - trombone
Liana O'Rourke - violin
Olivia Roti - viola
Saahil Sorakayla - bassoon
Jonah Sprandel - alto saxophone - PERFECT SCORE
John Smetana, Leka Davis, Mason Taylor, Therese Malinowski - string ensemble
Katie Steffgen - clarinet
Ben Tunney - trumpet
Madolyn Werner - flute
Nathan Wiechec - trombone

Here are the students that earned a Division II rating, describe as "an excellent performance with minor defects."

Andre Beikircher - violin
Sierra Donaldson. Aidan Visak, Ellen Place, Olivia Roti, Timothy Neuman, Olivia Roti - string ensemble
Allison Ford - trumpet
Christopher Kuper - bass
Ryan White - tuba




Thursday, March 05, 2020

2020 Winter Choirs Concert










Congratulations to the students and staff affiliated with the South High School Choirs for presenting a fabulous 2020 Winter Choir Concert.  The combined choirs "Orlando Preview" portion of the concert was a patron favorite!  Well done tonight DGS Choirs - it was a great night to be a Mustang!

If you were unable to join us in person in the auditorium this evening, please view the archived broadcast on the South High Fine Arts YouTube Channel:

            

Wednesday, March 04, 2020

Mustangs Bands welcomes Ron Polancich back to D99



South High School Fine Arts and the Mustang Bands were proud to welcome Ron Polanicich back to District 99.  Mr. Polancich worked with Wind Symphony and Wind Ensemble today, responded to performed repertoire and offering insightful ideas for immediate improvement.  Students in both ensembles were energized and enthused by the clinic time today.  Thanks for dropping by Mr. Polancich!