Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Mustang Pep Band @ United Center





Members of the DGS Mustang Pep Band joined the basketball team, cheerleaders, and Fillies in the opportunity to show school spirit and perform at the United Center on Saturday, December 19, 2009. The spirited group performed at a 2:30 PM DGS vs. Lyons Township game, then, after a brief trip to the rock 'n' roll McDonalds, returned for the Bulls vs. Atlanta Hawks game as spectatators. Great job Mustang musicians - way to start the Winter Break in a spirited style.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Tis the season ...

Tis the season to celebrate the DGS All-State Orchestra members.

Monday, December 14, 2009

DGS All-State Musicians 2010

Special congratulations to the 15 student musicians from DGS that will participate in All-State Band, Choir, Orchestra and Jazz Band in January of 2010 - way to go Mustang Musician All-Staters!!!

Friday, December 11, 2009

Mosaic and DGS Holiday Concert Photos

Here are a few photos from this week's Mosaic performance at DGN and the Holiday Concert at DGS.

800 Musicians, including DGS members of the District 99 Orchestra, performed as part of the Mosaic which was witnessed by over 4500 spectators over the various performances.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

2009 Winter Art Show and Holiday Concert


Preparations are in full swing for the 2009 Holiday Concert and Winter Art Show. The art show features more than 600 pieces of 2D and 3D student work, and opens at 6:00 PM on Thursday, December 10, 2009. A new feature this year is the Emerging Artists exhibit, which features work of emerging artists from O'Neill, Jefferson, Lakeview and Eisenhower. The Holiday Concert begins at 7:00 PM in the Main Gymnasium, and will feature the Combined Choirs of DGS, the combined Wind Symphony and Wind Ensemble, and the District 99 Orchestra. In total, more than 1,100 student artists will present their sights and sounds. Admission is free, and the public is cordially invited to attend.

Wednesday, December 02, 2009

DGS All-State Musicians


Fourteen student musicians from Downers Grove South High School were selected, by competitive audition, to the 2009-2010 Illinois Music Educator’s Association All-State Band, Choir, Orchestra, Jazz Band and Secondary General Music Composition Contest. Performance auditions were held last October at Hinsdale Central High School, musical compositions were evaluated by professional musicians and composers from across the Midwest.

“This is a tremendous honor for these students,” said Glenn Williams, Fine Arts Department Chairperson at South High. “All-State selection represents the pinnacle of musical achievement for a high school student musician. After placing a school record 61 student musicians into the District level ensembles, we expected a strong showing for All-State. We are very proud of our students, and look forward to hearing their performances in January.”

In total, 28 student musicians from District 99 were selected for this prestigious performance honor.

The All-State Band, Choir, Orchestra and Jazz Band will convene for a series of rehearsals in Peoria, IL, on January 27-30, 2010. Their concerts will be held at the Peoria Civic Center on the evening of January 29, and the afternoon of January 30, 2010.

All-State Band
Kelly Lamorena – Senior - Trumpet
Sherilyn Munoz - Junior - Clarinet
Lexi Osborn – Junior - Flute

All-State Honors Choir
Hank Gordon – Senior – Bass I
Tom Reusz – Senior – Bass II
Minh Tran – Senior – Alto II
Cory Wilson – Junior – Bass II


All-State Choir
Meredith Richard – Junior – Soprano I
Sam Worlton – Junior – Alto II
Kyle Wulf – Junior Bass II


All-State Orchestra
Chan Choi – Senior - Violin
Emily Levine – Senior - Viola
Michael Rau – Senior - Violin
Lisa Salazar - Junior - Viola

All-State Jazz Band
Matt Kowalski – Senior - Trombone

Monday, November 30, 2009

Passing of Bob Jacobs

It was with sadness that we learned this weekend of the passing of H. Robert Jacobs. Bob, as the District 99 Music Team knew him, was a community activist extraordinaire, and a dedicated member of the local Kiwanis Club.Through this organization Mr. Jacobs developed - in consort with then DGS Band Director Alan Roselieb - the International Music Exchange Program between the District 99 schools and the Musikschule of Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany.

Mr. Jacobs supported the music exchange program for nearly twenty-five years, hosting visitors from Germany on many occasions, and developing close friendships with many citizens of Bietigheim-Bissingen.
The photograph above shows Mr. Jacobs in June of 2008, meeting with the members of the District 99 Honors Band just moments before the students boarded buses for O'Hare and their plane to Europe. His message of friendship and compassion was always appreciated and inspiring. He was quick to recognize and point out to our students that "music knows no borders." We will miss Mr. Jabob's very much, and District 99 sends deepest condolences to his family.Click here, to view a 10 min. video documentary of the music exchange program that Mr. Jacobs helped establish.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Jazzed up Bonfield Express

Special thanks to the members of the DGS Jazz Ensemble who provided musical support to the participants in the Bonfield Express. Anchored by Mr. Roselieb on bass, these student musicians sounded great despite the slight drizzle. Well done today!

Monday, November 23, 2009

DGS - 61 students in District IMEA




Special kudos and congratulations to the 61 students musicians from DGS Fine Arts that participated in the IMEA District Festivals, including this past November 21, 2009 at Lincoln-Way West High School. Well done Mustang musicians!











Saturday, November 21, 2009

District 1 IMEA Festival - Orchestra


Concertmaster Michael Rau tuning up the Orchestra before their performance

The Orchestra stands after their performance and receives a standing ovation from the crowd

Emily Levine and Lisa Salazar smile after a long day of rehearsal and a successful concert

On November 21st, the District 1 IMEA Festival was held at Lincoln-Way West High School. District 99's Michael Rau served as the Concertmaster for the Orchestra and the following other District 99 Orchestra members also performed:

Violin: Chloe Burnham, Chan Choi, Daniel Field, Rudy Rendek
Viola: Lauren Kovanko, Emily Levine, Colette Mondragon, Lisa Salazar
Cello: Meghan Lyda, Nikki Mihelich, Erin Portman, Meghan Schmitt
Harp: Hannah Young
Clarinet: Marie Kirkegaard
Oboe: Kevin Gupana
Bassoon: Stephen Shatzer
French Horn: Carly Charles
Percussion: Emma Sassano, Issac Stevenson

Monday, November 16, 2009

IMEA Jazz Festival




Congrats to the 11 jazz musicians that participated in the District 1 IMEA Jazz Festival at Lyons Township High School.


Friday, November 13, 2009

DGS Bands Concert Week





On Tuesday, November 10, 2009, our Wind Ensemble hosted the outstanding bands from Eisenhower Junior High School and Lakeview Junior High School. Held at Downers Grove North High School, both junior high school ensembles played with poise and precision. The Wind Ensemble played the first movement of Hindemith's Symphony in Bb. On Thursday, November 12, 2009, the Concert Band, Symphonic Band and Wind Symphony performed at Wentz Concert Hall on the campus of North Central College. These outstanding groups sounded wonderful in this world-class performance venue. Well done, Mustang Band musicians!!!

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Fall Choir Concert - Take #2!!




Congratulations to the 280 student musicians in the DGS choirs who performed their fall concert on Monday, October 26, 2009 at 7:00 PM in the auditorium. Rescheduled due to a lightning strike, these students performed a wide variety of repertoire with professional musicianship and decorum. Thanks also to the staff, administration and tech theatre personnel whose flexibility led to making the re-scheduling of this event feasible.

2009 ISU State Finals - Marching Mustangs


A short video excerpt of the 2009 Marching Mustangs competing at the 2009 State of Illinois Marching Band Championships at Illinois State University on Saturday, October 24, 2009.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Marching Mustangs - Illinois State Finals




Your 2009 Marching Mustangs capped off a historical competition season with a performance of excellence at the State of Illinois Marching Band Finals hosted at Illinois State University. The band earned a score of 74.55, just .05 points away from being 10th place out of the 72 bands that competed over the course of the day. This is DGS highest state finals placing since 1977, and represents more than a 7.0 score improvement from our score earned last year at ISU. Way to go Marching Mustangs - another great show to end your season of signifigance!


Choir Concert - LIGHTS OUT!!!













On Thursday, October 22, 2009, the DGS Choirs started their fall concert. The opening National Anthem and the first two numbers of the Freshmen Girls Choir were truly stunning.
Then, lightning struck.
Outside of our building, lightning struck a transformer, which caused an area-wide power outage. The girls finished the selection they were singing when the lights went out, and, the audience stayed engaged listening. It truly was a remarkable moment. The photos above show how audience members powered up their cell phones (they were, of course, all powered down previously) to provide some illumination in the auditorium.
This concert will be performed, in its' entirety, on MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2009 at 7:00 PM in the DGS Auditorium. Thanks to students, parents, and staff for their flexibility to make this event happen.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

CYSO Encore Chamber Orchestra Performance



Saturday evening the CYSO Encore Chamber Orchestra performed their opening concert of the 2009/10 season at the DePaul University Concert Hall.

Five members of the District 99 Orchestras are members of the Encore Chamber Orchestra: Violin: Chan Choi and Michael Rau (Concertmaster); Viola: Emily Levine and Colette Mondragon; Percussion: Isaac Stevenson.

This performance will also be broadcast as part of WFMT's Introductions program on October 31st.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

2009 IMEA District Audition Results

On Tuesday, October 13, 2009, 114 student musicians from Downers Grove South High School auditioned at Hinsdale Central High School to participate in the 2009 Illinois Music Educators’ Association District Festivals. The music faculty, private teachers and sender school music teachers associated with Downers Grove South High School are proud to congratulate the 61 students in band, choir, orchestra, jazz band and vocal jazz who have been selected through highly competitive audition to participate in the 2009 IMEA District Festivals. "This is the highest total number of participating students at DGS since 2003, when we also had 61 students accepted into District Festival." said department chairperson Glenn Williams. “District 99 and DGS student musicians have had a long history of success with the IMEA, and we are excited to carry that tradition strongly into the future.”

For more information about DGS and IMEA Festivals, contact Fine Arts Department Chairperson Glenn Williams at gwilliams@csd99.org or at 630.795.8681.

BAND
Patrick Bartlett – tuba
Brad Jones – trumpet
Ashley Jovien – trumpet
Matt Kowalski – trombone
Kelly Lamorena – trumpet
Brenda Miller – trumpet
Billy Moroney – clarinet
Sherilyn Munoz – flute
Lexi Osborn – flute
Zach Plata – clarinet
Amanda Ruzek – flute
Steve Strantz – trombone
Tiffany Wu – flute

ORCHESTRA
Chan Choi – violin
Dan Field – violin
Emily Levine – viola
Nikki Mihelich – cello
Michael Rau – violin
Lisa Salazar – viola
Carly Charles – horn

CHOIR
Arjun Bajaj – tenor II
Ryan Breig – bass I
Billy Chengarry – bass I
Sonny Delrosario – tenor II
Colleen Derosa – alto I
Claire Drews – soprano II
Lars Feste – tenor I
Elise Floss – alto II
Hank Gordon – bass I
Jean Hesik – soprano I
Blair Janis – alto I
John Junk – bass I
Taylor Lane – soprano I
Paris Mcfall – bass I
Liam Merrick – tenor I
Jeff Novak – tenor I
Tom Reusz – bass II
Meredith Richard – soprano I
Lauren Santee – soprano II
Megan Schreck – sop I
Lily Space – alto I
Amanda Strolia – alto I
Minh Tran – alto II
Erin C. Walsh – soprano II
Erin M. Walsh – alto I
Megan Wanazek – soprano I
Cory Wilson – bass II
Sam Worlton – alto II
Kyle Wulf – bass II

JAZZ BAND
Elliot Bild – trumpet
Brad Jones – trumpet
Ashley Jovien – trumpet
Sam Kotlicky – trumpet
Matt Kowalski – trombone
Kelly Lamorena – trumpet
Tim Neumann – trombone
Steve Strantz – trombone
Josiah Williams – trombone
Ian Williams – piano
Lauren Wood – bari sax

VOCAL JAZZ
Jeff Novak - tenor

Saturday, October 17, 2009

8th Annual Music Bowl - Jefferson Junior High School





The 8th Annual Music Bowl began at 4:45 PM this evening, a balmy 71 degrees under the soft glow of the hallogen lights in the Main Gynasium. The event was moved inside due to field conditions and weather, but the sounds from the musicians remained warm and balmy. We extend a special thanks to the Jefferson Junior High School Band, Keith Carlson, director, for opening the Music Bowl with a wonderful arrangement of the national anthem done by Brian Balmages. Great job to all you Jefferson Junior High School Band members - based on what we heard this evening, we are already excited for your arrival in District 99 in the coming years.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Concert Orchestra, Symphonic Orchestra, Combined Orchestra






The District 99 Concert Orchestra performed with musicianship and precision. The nuances of Dreams of a Midsummer Night show the sonic strengths of this ensemble. Symphonic Orchestra performed all four movements of the challenging Simple Symphony by Benjamin Britten. The musical maturity and technical precision of this mature ensemble was evident in the professional performance of this masterwork.
The evening concluded with Concerto Grosso, conducted by DGN senior Rudy Rendek. Featured soloists Colleen Doyle (O'Neill MS,) Lindsay Klecka (Herrick MS) and our own Jennifer Mullen played kazoo along with the combined orchestra. Great job to all the students, staff and parents that collaborated to make this evening such a fabulous event.



D99 Orchestra Fall Concert - Herrick MS





On Thursday, October 15, 2009 our District 99 Orchestra presented their Fall Orchestra Concert. This concert is annually shared with our two sender school string programs in District 58. This year, the renowned Herrick Orchestra opened the evening. Led by conductor Lindsay Klecka, the group performed four selections, including the exciting Russian Sailors' Dance. Great job to these future District 99 string musicians!!

Thursday, October 15, 2009

District 99 Orchestra Fall Concert

The District 99 Orchestra performed it's Fall concert at Downers Grove North's Clarence Johnson Auditorium on October 15th. The performance featured the Herrick Middle School Orchestra, The District 99 Concert Orchestra and the District 99 Symphonic Orchestra.

The concert culminated in a performance of the Concerto Gross, conducted by District 99 Symphonic Orchestra member Rudy Rendek and featuring solo performances by Colleen Doyle, Orchestra Director at O'Neil Middle School, Lindsay Klecka, Orchestra Director at Herrick Middle School and Jennifer Muller, District 99 Orchestra Director on Kazoo.



Neon 10, a local band made up of students from Downers Grove who participate in various District 99 Musical ensembles, played their original songs in a pre-concert performance.

Friday, October 02, 2009

Homecoming Parade 2009












The 2009 Marching Mustangs completed their second performance of this Homecoming Friday, the parade through the neighborhoods adjacent to DGS. The band not only sounded great playing Joe Zawinul's Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, but their feet looked amazing (check out the feet in these photos.) Way to go Marching Mustangs!!!!