DGN Wind Ensemble and Gaudete Brass Thrill London Audience at Cadogan Hall

Congratulations to the DGN Wind Ensemble for a truly inspiring and musically rich performance this evening in London's Cadogan Hall! We are proud of you!

A special thanks is extended to the members of the Gaudete Brass Quintet for their collaboration on Leonard Bernstein's MASS. It was an honor to share the stage with you.

DGN Band Departs for London, England!

The DGN Bands are off to Merry England today, and will perform in the prestigious London New Year's Day Parade on Tuesday, January 1, 2019. Additionally, the DGN Wind Ensemble will perform at London's Cadogan Hall on Saturday, December 29. Both performances will be streamed live HERE.

Follow the DGN Band's tour via their Tour Blog, accessed HERE. The tour itinerary is available HERE. 

Congratulations are extended to students and staff for the many hours of musical dedication that has gone into preparing for these performances. The Downers Grove North and District 99 community extends best wishes for a successful and rewarding tour!

Suburban Life article, published December 26, 2018, may be accessed HERE, or by clicking on the image below.

DGN Bands Perform in Exchange Concert with Musashino

The Downers Grove North and South High School Bands were honored to host the Musashino Academia Musicae Wind Ensemble (with guest trumpet soloist Mr. Christopher Martin) for an exchange concert this evening. The ensemble, led by Indiana University Jacobs School of Music Professor Emeritus Ray E. Cramer, has traveled from Tokyo, Japan to perform this week at the prestigious 'Midwest International Band & Orchestra Clinic' in Chicago, IL, and stopped today in District 99 to share their musical artistry.

Congratulations to the members of the DGN and DGS Wind Ensembles for terrific performances to open this evening's concert!

DGN Trojan Pep Band @ DGN vs DGS Double Header - Welcome Back Alumni!

The DGN Trojan Pep Band is making their 2018-19 debut tonight as DGN faces DGS in a cross-town matchup. A special welcome is extended to DGN Band Alumni who are sitting in with the band!

DGN Trojan Marching Band Ready For London!

The members of the Trojan Marching Band held their final full-practice in preparation for the 2019 London New Year's Day Parade, culminating with a performance for family and friends. The band is poised to make a strong musical and visual contribution to the parade. Congratulations to the students and staff of the band for the hard work that has gone into preparing for the upcoming tour!

Video of the TV Zone is available HERE. 

Band Leadership Holiday Party

Thank you to our dedicated Student Leaders who give selflessly of their time and talents to support our DGN Bands!

That's A Wrap! DGN Band Leaders Support Giving Tree #99Learns #WeAreDGN

Members of the DGN Band Student Leadership were busy this past holiday weekend purchasing and wrapping gifts for needy children. Thank you to all of our DGN Band families who contributed time and resources to support this worthy cause; your generous spirit is inspiring!

DGN Band Students Perform at 2018 ILMEA District Festival

Congratulations to our DGN Band student-musicians selected to perform in the Illinois Music Education Association District Festival. Students from across the Chicago region were selected by competitive audition to participate in day-long educational workshops with highly respected guest conductors, and present a culminating concert for family, friends, and educators.

Daniel Atwater (12) – Trumpet (Orchestra)

Sean Figuray (11) – Bass Clarinet (Band)

Emilija Irvin (11) – Bassoon (Orchestra)

Justin Koblich (11) – Percussion (Orchestra)

Francesca Korbitz (9) – Flute (Band)

Angelica Kowara (10) – Trombone (Band)

Emma Krause (11) – Flute (Band)

Owen Nystrom (10) – Bassoon (Orchestra)

Brian Perillo (12) – Euphonium (Band)

Aidan Purcell (12) – Bb Clarinet (Band)

Miles Teague (11) – French Horn (Orchestra)

DGN Jazz Swings at ILMEA District 1 Jazz Festival

Congratulations to the DGN Jazz students who participated in the ILMEA District 1 Jazz Festival on Saturday, November 10, 2018 at Hinsdale Central HS. We are proud of your success as jazz musicians. 

Ellie Banke (12) – Soprano 

Jeremy Blumka (12) – Bass Trombone 

Ben Hodonicky (11) – Guitar

Kristen Karam (11) – Guitar 

Ish Mistry (11) – Trombone 

Jonathan Orjala (11) – Trumpet 

Andrew Swenson (10) – Trumpet 

Miles Teague (11) – Piano

Thanks you to our neighbors at Hinsdale Central HS for hosting the festival for the day - we appreciate your spirit of volunteerism!

Wind Ensemble at Veteran's Day Assembly #99Learns #WeAreDGN

Thank you to the members of the DGN Wind Ensemble for performing at this morning's Veteran's Day Assembly!

DGN Band Giving Tree Totals #WeAreDGN #99Learns

Thank you, and CONGRATULATIONS to the members of the DGN Bands who averaged $11 donations per student and raised an incredible $2,267 in three days to support needy children this holiday season. (Concert Band, $553; Symphonic Band, $591; Wind Ensemble, $1,123).  Wind Ensemble students had the highest giving average at $17 per student.  

We extend our deepest appreciation to all the band students and families who contributed, and extend our thanks to the members of our Band Board that will do the shopping for and wrapping of gifts!

Giving Tree Update - Day 2 (with 1 day left to give!)

One of our band classes gave $310 today! WOW! Which class was it? We're not telling ... because it's anyone's giving-contest to win! Every band class improved their giving percentage today, which is fabulous. 

In total our band has raised $902 in two days. This is indeed wonderful, but less than half of what we raised in total last year. We are hopeful that our most generous giving is still ahead!

With very genuine thanks to everyone who has already given as much as they are able to donate, we pose this question to those who have not yet made a donation (or who might be able to give again): is there anything you can do without this week - or some small sacrifice you could make - that would allow you to make a donation on Wednesday, our final day? 

Thanks to all our students for your consideration of those in need! Your giving-spirit is inspiring!

Giving Tree Totals - Day 1

Two bands - Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble - each raised exactly $157 today. Wind Ensemble is technically in "1st place" because their class had 67 members ($2.34 per person) compared to Symphonic Band's 67 members ($2.07 per person). 

Our total program giving, after day one, stands at $350. That's a great start, but an average of only $0.62 per band member. 

The DGN Band has adopted 21 children for the holidays. Thanks to all our students for your consideration of those in need!

Giving Tree Starts Monday!

For the 23rd consecutive year, the DGN Bands will work to support the “Giving Tree” initiative coordinated by the DGN Direct Action Club.  DGN annually supports 150 children and 25 senior citizens from the Humanitarian Service Project (HSP) in Carol Stream.  It is the mission of HSP “to alleviate the pain and suffering that poverty brings to needy seniors and children”.  Based on a screening process, HSP selects families for the Giving Tree from DuPage County and Kane County.

Based on our previous fundraising efforts, the DGN Band will adopt 20 children to support in 2018. 

We will pass an envelope in all band classes on Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday of next week. Students will be invited (but not required) to make donations each of these three days. This could be left-over lunch money, or a more substantial/purposeful donation. The only thing we ask (for the sake of efficiently counting and managing the donations after each class period) is that students refrain from donating coins). If your family would like to make a donation to this cause, via personal check, please make the check payable to “DGN Bands” and we will route the money through an account on campus prior to purchasing the holiday gifts for these twenty children. 

For fun, and to promote a friendly competition between band classes, we will track donations each day, and announce the average level of giving, per student, in each class.  The band class that has the highest average level of giving at the end of the three days will “win” a pizza party lunch, sponsored by Mr. Smith and Mr. Teague. 

We look forward to supporting the positive work of the HSP, and encourage your Band student to give, as he/she is able.

Congratulations Jazz Lab Band, Jazz Ensemble and Symphonic Band!

Congratulations to the members of the DGN Symphonic Band, DGN Jazz Lab Band, and DGN Jazz Ensemble Ensemble for their outstanding performances at tonight's Fall Band Concert!