Homecoming Halftime Show - DG Patch

DGS Alumn Melissa Tussing continues to provide excellent coverage for our Marching Mustangs in the DG Patch, a new electronic newspaper.

Check out this link:


http://patch.com/A-BFj

Homecoming Parade 2010

And bringing up the rear of the 2010 Homecoming Parade, your award winning Marching Mustangs!!!!!!!!!

Jazz Ensemble Rocks the Pep Assembly

Jazz Ensemble provided spirited musical support during the 2010 Homecoming Pep Assembly.

Great job Lakeview Junior High School Marching Band!!!!!!

Another superior performance in the DGS Homecoming Parade by the Lakeview Junior High School Marching Spartans. Great job kids! Great job Mr. Tedeschi and Mr. Ohlsen!!!

Bagels with the Band 2010

Another 20 year tradition at DGS is the Marching Mustangs performing in the courtyard on Homecoming Friday. Recently, "Bagels with the Band" has attracted many staff members to come in the morning and listen to the students perform their show music in the acoustically ambient DGS courtyard. 8:10 AM, two performances down............................

Homecoming in the Hallway

In high school, certain events occur every year that connect students across time. In other words, a student attending DGS in 1990 would have similar experiences at certain benchmark points during the year as a student attending DGS in 2010. Once these events become ensconced in the fabric of a school, they are called traditions.

One tradition at DGS is the Marching Mustangs marching through the hallways on Homecoming Friday playing the Fight Song. Staff members gather at their doors and smile as the band marches past. Today, the Marching Mustangs continued a DGS tradition as they marched through the hallways at 7:20 AM. Great work this morning Marching Mustangs!!!!

DG Patch Cross Town Classic Story

A new online newspaper, the Downers Grove Patch, is now currently operational. DGS alum Melissa Tussing has created two exceptional pieces about the marching bands at DGS and DGN. To view the most recent story, go to this link:


http://woodridge.patch.com/articles/crosstown-showdown-north-vs-south-marching-bands

5th Annual Morton Invitational GRAND CHAMPIONS!

The Marching Mustangs continued their successful season start in 2010 by earning the title of GRAND CHAMPION at the 5th Annual Morton Invitational. The Marching Mustangs earned caption titles of Best Winds and Best Guard with a score of 66.75. Way to go Marching Mustangs!!!!!!!!

2010 Cross Town Classic

The 2010 Cross Town Classic coalesced with collaboration. The Marching Mustangs and Trojan Marching Band combined on several numbers; the DGS and DGN Choirs along with activity groups from both campuses combined to lead the crowd in the singing of our National Anthem; the Athenas and Fillies combined on an exciting half-time dance tune. Although the evening revolved around a football contest, the collaboration between and among the arts between DGN and DGS was abundantly evident on this glorious fall evening.

DGS Patch Story by DGS Alum Melissa Tussing

DG Patch article about D99 Marching Bands

Lake Park HS Lancer Joust Results

Congratulations to the members of the 2010 Marching Mustangs for opening their competition season with resounding success.

In preliminary competition, with a score of 68.30, the Marching Mustangs earned first place in Class AA and 5th place overall out of 18 competing bands. Additionally, the Marching Mustangs earned awards in Class AA for Best Music Performance, Best General Effect and Best Auxiliary. During prelimiary competition, the top 10 bands qualify to compete in the finals in the evening. For the second year in a row, the Marching Mustangs have qualified for the finals at the prestigious Lancer Joust.

In finals competition, the Marching Mustangs finished in 8th place with a score of 65.30. "We are so proud of the students and their continued success on the field." said Fine Arts Department Chairman Glenn Williams. "Their score indicates a continued trend of upward improvement from the successful season in 2009."

For more information about the Marching Mustangs or about DGS Fine Arts, contact Glenn Williams at gwilliams@csd99.org.

DGS Symphonic Band - Unraveling

The DGS Symphonic Band, under the guidance of student teacher Will Brocker, prepared the piece Unraveling for Dr. Boysen's visit. This piece is also featured in the Marching Mustangs Show, "Beyond the Storm." The melody, based on a diminished scale, is in a constant state of acceleration, creating a sense that the piece is beginning to come apart during performance. The Symphonic Band students showed much musical growth in their ability to listen to one another and recreated the sense of "unraveling" by keeping their accelerando unified.

DGS Wind Ensemble - Relentless

The DGS Wind Ensemble prepared Dr. Boysen's piece titled Relentless. Relentless is an intense, aggressive, wild ride of a piece that maintains energy and excitement throughout - even through the silences. Structured in sonata form, the music incorporates sparkling use of unusual orchestration, such as aleatoric whistling passage for the brass, and passages where the clarinetists play through their mouthpiece and barrel only. This piece is also featured in the Marching Mustangs show "Beyond the Storm," so the student musicians are afforded the opportunity to connect with this music in multiple formats.

DGS Wind Symphony - I Am

The DGS Wind Symphony prepared the piece I Am for Dr. Boysen's visit this morning. This work was written in memory of an Iowa High School band member who wrote a poem entitled I Am just days before his untimely death. A celebratory piece rather than an elegy, this powerful work features an aleatoric selection and singing from members of the ensemble. Dr. Boysen worked with the students on the aleatoric section of the piece, enfusing significant referential sonic meaning to the symbols on the printed page.

DGS Concert Band - Tricycle

The DGS Concert Band prepared Tricyle for Dr. Boysen this morning. Written for Northshore School District 112, Tricyle musically commemorates the consolidation of three school districts into one school district. Each district is represented by a theme, and at the end of the piece, the three themes come together musically. This piece is in 5/4, and at a fast tempo, which provides the students with numerous opportunities for musical growth.

The Marching Mustangs’ 2010 Season kicks off Saturday, September 11th with the Lake Park Lancer Joust at Lake Park High School’s West Campus in Roselle, IL.
Lake Park West High School is located at 500 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., where it intersects with West End Rd. Tickets for this competition are $10 for adults, $7 for children and $25 for a family consisting of two adults and 2 children. The Marching Mustangs performance in the prelims is at 2:00 PM. Please note: The Competition consists of a Preliminary Performance and Finals Competition (Top 10 Bands). Make time this Saturday to support your Marching Mustangs - 2:00 PM at Lake Park High School!!!!!

Welcome Dr. Andrew Boysen to D99!!

The 2010 Marching Mustang Show title "Beyond the Storm" features the music of Dr. Andrew Boysen from the University of New Hampshire. On Thursday, September 9, Dr. Boysen worked with the DGN Wind Ensemble, then, came to DGS and worked with the Marching Mustangs. Having the composer of the music working elbow to elbow with student musicians can ignite artistic passions in an amazingly unique manner.

Marching Mustangs - 09-03-10

Another great job tonight by the Marching Mustangs - both on and off the field, the students loked and sounded fabulous!