NIU Brings Down The House!

After a fabulous afternoon of master classes and clinics, the D99 jazz ensembles opened up for the renowned Northern Illinois University Jazz Ensemble, director by Ron Carter.  The NIU band brought down the house with exquisite repertoire played with maturity and soul.  District 99 Jazz owes a huge debt of gratitude to Ron Carter.  Coming to D99 since 1997, Professor Carter has brought numerous guest artists to North and South, and, has worked over time to improve the level of jazz performance in the student musicians at North and South. Thanks Ron Carter for all you have done for jazz education, and, for jazz in District 99!

 

 

NIU & D99 Jazz Exchange

Critically Acclaimed NIU Jazz Ensemble Tonight @ DGS

District 99 is pleased to host - in concert tonight - the Northern Illinois University Jazz Ensemble, annually ranked as one of the top collegiate Jazz Studies programs in the nation.

This evening's concert, which will begin at 7:00 PM in the Downers Grove South High School Auditorium, will feature opening selections by four District 99 bands (DGN Jazz Lab, DGS Jazz Lab, DGN Jazz Ensemble, DGS Jazz Ensemble).

Tonight's concert will feature jazz-great Donald Harrison, who is currently in residence at NIU as a guest-artist.  Harrison, as well as NIU Professor Ron Carter, will be working with District 99 music students in educational clinics this afternoon.

Tickets ($8 adult/$6 student) are available for purchase at the door.  Don't miss this great night of jazz in District 99!

Spencer Schillerstrom Day at North High

"Good morning. In recognition of earning first chair as the top jazz tenor saxophonist in the State at the recent ILMEA All State Conference, today is Spencer Schillerstrom Day at North High School. For any of us who have had the pleasure of hearing Spencer play, we know this is a very well deserved honor. Congratulations Spencer - on YOUR DAY - at North High School."

- Mr. Scott Kasik, Principal

DGN Jazz Ensemble @ 2014 IMEC - Concert Video

The Downers Grove North High School Jazz Ensemble (Brayer Teague, Director) - with guest artists Mark Colby & Fareed Haque - at the 2014 Illinois Music Education Conference (Peoria, IL).  Recorded live on Thursday, January 23, 2014.

Kansas City Shout (Wilkins)
Riley's Thang (Colby)
Blue Moon (Rodgers & Hart)
Libertango (Piazzolla/Sturm)
Banana Split for My Baby (Prima)
Overture to the Royal Mongolian Suma Foosball Festival (Mays)

Winter Guard - 3rd Place at Waubonsie Valley/Midwest Color Guard Circuit Competition

Congratulations to the DGN Winter Guard for earning 3rd Place honors at the Waubonsie Valley High School Winter Guard Competition!  In their first competition of the season, the DGN team placed third out of eight teams in their competitive class.

Great start ladies!  Go Trojans!

A Conference To Remember: ILMEA All State / IMEC 2014 Recap

The 2014 Illinois Music Education Conference will go "down in the history books" as one of the - if not THE - most successful ever for Downers Grove North High School and Community High School District 99.  

Congratulations to our record number of student musicians who performed as members of the All-State Band, All-State Honors Band, All-State Choir, All-State Honors Choir, All-State Orchestra, All-State Honors Orchestra, All-State Honors Jazz Band, and the All-State Honors Jazz Combo.  Congratulations to our two District 99 students who were selected to participate in the prestigious "Future Music Educators Symposium."  Congratulations to the members of our DGN Jazz Ensemble for their inspirational performance at the convention that garnered wide-spread acclaim.  Congratulations to our award winning composer who submitted an original composition to the All-State Music Composition Contest, and won first-place in his category.  

Congratulations to DGS Fine Arts Department Chairperson, Glenn Williams, for being named as the 2014 All-Sate Jazz Band Conductor.  

And thank you to all of our District 99 music faculty who made innumerable volunteer contributions to the success of the conference as Organizational Hosts, District Chairpersons, Piano Accompanists, Sectional Coaches, Sound & Audio Technicians, and as a member of the ILMEA Board of Directors.  The success of a conference that brings over 10,000 music students and music teachers together takes many hands.  District 99 should be fiercely proud of the contributions made to support the 2014 Illinois Music Education Conference.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All State Band

Congratulations to Katie Goldsmith (clarinet) for a great performance today with the Illinois All State Band.

All State Honors Band

Congratulations to Kevin Atwater (clarinet) and Ben Casey (tuba) for their outstanding performance this afternoon in the All State Honors Band at the Illinois Music Education Conference.

DGN Band students in All State Orchestra

Congratulations to Tommy Donnelly (trumpet) and Katherine Severt (oboe) for their outstanding performance this afternoon as members of the All State Orchestra wind section.

All State Jazz 2014

Congratulations to Rob Kulik and Spencer Schillerstrom for their selection to the All State Honors Jazz Band & All State Honors Jazz Combo. You both sounded phenomenal last night at the All State Jazz Concert!

DGN Jazz Ensemble Shares "Inspired Performance" With Hundreds

Performing to a "standing room only" crowd that spilled into the hallway of the Peoria Civic Center, the DGN Jazz Ensemble inspired hundreds of music teachers and professional performers attending the 2014 Illinois Music Education Conference. 

From the opening riffs of the Count Basie band's "Kansas City Shout," through the culminating Tenor Sax battle in the "Overture to the Royal Mongolian Suma Foosball Festival," the entire band played with passion, precision, and mature musicianship. 

Thanks to the wonderful support of BandSource in Downers Grove, the band was privileged to share the stage with two incredible guest artists during their IMEC set: Mark Colby (Tenor Sax) and Fareed Haque (Guitar). Both artists captivated the audience with their incredible renditions of "Riley's Thang" (Colby) and "Libertango" (Haque). 

The capacity crowd leapt to their feet at the conclusion of the band's performance, affirming for each DGN musician the impact they had made on those in attendance today. 

A special thanks is extended, on behalf of the band, to all of the parents who made the trip to Peoria to support the performance, as well as Mrs. Kristin Bormann - DGN Associate Principal for Student Activities - who was in attendance this afternoon. 

Following the performance, band members celebrated at a famous Peoria restaurant: Alexander's Steak House. 

Congratulations to all students and staff for a memorable performance at the Illinois Music Education Conference. 

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