Jazz Ensemble plays for IASA Meeting

Congratulations (and thank you) to the members of the DGN Jazz Ensemble for their performance this morning at the Illinois Association of School Administrators meeting in Bloomingdale, IL.  The band sounded terrific and and received many ovations from those in attendance.  Thank you to the Jazz Ensemble for getting up extra-early this morning to represent DGN and District 99 in such a professional and musical manner.

DGN Bands Welcome Guest Artist Mark Colby

Today North High School welcomed Mark Colby (www.markcolby.com / DePaul University / Elmhurst College) to work with the Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Lab Band, Jazz Combo, and present a clinic to all three concert band classes. It was an exciting day of musical sharing in preparation for tomorrow night's concert.
Many thanks is extended to our North High Music Boosters for supporting Mr. Colby's work with our students.
Please join us at 7 pm, Tuesday, April 12th, in the Johnson Auditorium for the "Sharing Is Caring" Jazz and Percussion Ensemble concert. Mark Colby will be featured with both the Jazz Lab Band and Jazz Ensemble.

Jazz Cafe - TOMS Shoes

Congratulations to the members of the Herrick, Jefferson and DGN Jazz Bands for their terrific performances tonight. We commend our students and musical community for embracing the TOMS Shoes 'One for One' initiative.

DGN Jazz Ensemble @ Jilly's of Naperville

The members of the DGN Jazz Ensemble delighted jazz patrons at a standing-room only performance tonight in Naperville, IL.  Congratulations to the members of the ensemble for a terrific set!  And many thanks to the gracious and musically stunning Pete Ellman Big Band for the invitation to perform this evening.

Jazz Ensemble Class Lists

2010-2011 Jazz class lists are now posted.

Click here.

DGN Musicians Study Gershwin / Recreate History

The DGN Jazz Ensemble will present, as a part of the April 13th 'Sharing is Caring' Concert at North High, a recreation of the original 1924 performance of George Gershwin's Rhapsody In Blue.

A little known historical fact about Gershwin's "Rhapsody" - even among professional musicians - is that the piece was originally written for jazz band.  The work, premiered by Paul Whiteman's Jazz Orchestra in New York City in 1924, employs standard jazz band instrumentation, and adds violins, French horns, oboe, banjo, tuba, and orchestral percussion.

"Every effort has been made to recreate the sound of the original performance," said music teacher Brayer Teague.  "We rented reproductions of the original Gershwin manuscripts from the holding library in New York and have rehearsed from them so that our students could more fully appreciate Gershwin's compositional process in creating this master-work."

Junior Marie Kirkegaard will perform the solo piano part originally performed by Gershwin himself.

The concert begins at 7:00 PM in the Clarence Johnson Auditorium.  Admission is free, and the concert is open to the public.

NIU Jazz Concert

A fabulous day of jazz immersion concluded with the NIU Jazz Ensemble, led by Ron Carter, and featuring guest soloist John Fedchock. Mr. Fedchock's fluency is matched only by his artistry. It was an amazing evenving indeed.

Congratulations to the members of the DGN Jazz Lab Band and DGN Jazz Ensemble - as well as our cross-town colleagues - for terrific performances to open the concert!

NIU Jazz Clinics

Professor Ron Carter of Northern Illinois University worked with students from Jazz Lab Band and Jazz Ensemble today during a field trip to Downers Grove South.  Professor Carter's incomperable teaching style continues to inspire our jazz musicians at DGN.

DGN Jazz to perform at DGS with NIU Jazz Ensemble

The internationally acclaimed Northern Illinois University Jazz Ensemble will be in Downers Grove this Thursday, February 4, for a 7 PM concert at the Downers Grove South High School Auditorium.  High School Jazz Bands from both DGN and DGS will open the show, followed by the NIU band and guest trombone soloist John Fedchock.  Tickets may be purchased at the door.

17 Soloists Honored by Judges at 2010 Purdue Jazz Festival

Members of the Downers Grove North High School Jazz Bands took their show on the road this past weekend, participating in the 20th Annual Purdue University Jazz Festival. The Purdue festival, which draws outstanding high school jazz programs from Indiana, Michigan and Illinois, began on Friday, January 22 with a concert featuring the Dave Holland Quintet and continued all day Saturday, January 23 with hundreds of student musicians performing for panels of internationally recognized jazz musicians.

The DGN Jazz Ensemble performed in the Loeb Playhouse and earned a Division I rating.  Six students garnering Outstanding Soloist awards.  Congratulations to Caroline Hlohowskyj (trumpet/flugel horn),  Zach Schneeweis (trombone), Bryn Sitkiewicz (trombone), Nolan Schillerstrom (guitar),  and Michael Walser (alto sax).

The DGN Jazz Lab Band performed in the North Ballroom and earned a Division II rating.  Congratulations to Jim Blair (tenor sax), John Janke (guitar), Michael Garritano (trumpet), Sam O'Neil (trumpet), and James Tandaric (bass) for earning Outstanding Soloist awards from the adjudiators.

The DGN Jazz Combo performed in the Faculty Lounge, earning a Division II rating.  All six members of the combo were recognized by the judging panel as outstanding musicians and soloists.  Congratulations to Joseph DePeder (tenor sax), Michael Walser (alto sax), Bryn Sitkiewicz (trombone), Nicholas Goergen (drums), Rudy Rendeck (bass) and Nolan Schillerstrom (guitar).

"Our students enjoy the opportunity to attend this great Jazz Festival each year because we have the chance to hear so many wonderful jazz ensembles and soloists.  Having 17 students recognized with Outstanding Soloist awards is a credit to the hard work and dedication of our North High students. " said department chairperson and director Brayer Teague.

Come and hear the award winning DGN and DGS jazz groups on Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 7:00 PM in the DGS auditorium as they share the stage with the renowned NIU Jazz Ensemble with guest artist John Fedchock. Tickets are available at the door.

Jazz Cafe 2010 "Come Fly With Me"

Jazz Audition Call Backs

The following students are asked to report on Tuesday, September 8th (times listed below), to play additional audition material. Final class rosters will be posted (on this Blog) by 6 PM on Tuesday, September 8th. The first rehearsals/class periods for both Jazz Lab Band and Jazz Ensemble will take place on Wednesday, September 9th.

Call Backs:

Trumpets (6:45 - 7:05 AM): Megan Dylla, Sam Fiala, Mike Garritano

Alto Sax (7:00 - 7:20 AM): Brendan McBride, Augustine Calvino, Ryan Ford

Drums (6:45 AM - 7:15 AM): All percussionists who auditioned.

Bass (7:15 - 7:45 AM) Marisa Bellie, Steve Janke, Thomas Svoboda, Jessica Royston

Guitar (7:15 - 7:45 AM)John Janke, Alex Baggio, Connor Dimmick

* Guitarists should come prepared to demonstrate improv solo abilities in the Key of F.
* Percussionists should come prepared to demonstrated the following grooves: fast swing, medium rock, medium Latin.
* Bass players should come prepared to walk bass lines (without the use of music) in the following keys: Bb, F, C
* All others will play from the required etude "For Gil."

Jazz In The (Auditorium) Park

Inclement weather precipitated a venue change, however, the excellence of jazz performance in District 99 remained undaunted last evening. The DGN and DGS Jazz Lab Bands and Jazz Ensembles performed in addition to the D99 All-Star Band directed by Bill Miller and Craig Roselieb. Highlights included mambo dancers, vocalists, and faculty guest artists from both campuses.

Special thanks to the Downers Grove Park District for their continued support of this event, which kicks-off the Tuesday night Concerts in the Park series in Downers Grove.

Guest Artist - Russ Nolan

New York saxophonist Russ Nolan is on campus this week to work with DGN student musicians and perform on Tuesday night's "Sharing Is Caring" Jazz Concert. The concert, which begins at 7 PM in the Clarence Johnson Auditorium, will feature DGN Percussion Ensembles, the Jazz Lab Band, and the Jazz Ensemble. Admission is free.