16th November, 2009
Fourth grade students chosen for national choir
Congratulations to fourth grade students John McKee, Erica Hsieh, Jacob Shkrob, and Sam Morin for being chosen to participate in the 2010 Kodály National Children’s Choir! The four students will travel to Dallas in March to take part in this fabulous group of 170 fourth and fifth grade students across the nation.
Posted at 12:05 pm | Comment (0)
15th November, 2009
U-High Students at IMEA District 1 Jazz Festival
On this past Saturday, November 14, U-High musicians Sam Frampton, guitar, and Andy Zheng, tenor saxophone, participated in the IMEA district jazz festival held at Lyons Township High School. Sam was in a combo directed by Tim Coffman. Mr. Coffman is on the jazz studies faculty of DePaul University. Andy was chosen to perform in one of the big bands, led by Kevin Carroll, who directs the jazz ensembles at St. Patrick High School in Chicago.
Sam and Andy were chosen by audition back in October. Saturday’s event consisted of all day rehearsals and sectionals, followed by a late afternoon performance by all the ensembles. It’s quite an honor to be selected, and it speaks well of the dedicated students involved in our jazz ensembles, and the leadership provided by Mr. Gustafson in the middle school, and Mr. Piane in the high school. Congratulations again to these two outstanding young musicians.
Posted at 7:24 pm | Comment (0)
4th November, 2009
Connections Across Schools
Andrew coaching 5th grade students
Today U High senior Andrew Sandwick presented a mini masterclass for Ms. Janovjak’s fifth grade clarinet class. Andrew began playing clarinet at Lab in fifth grade. He continued through middle school and branched out into jazz in the upper grades, playing in both the Middle School and High School Jazz Bands. In addition to his music participation at Lab, Andrew has played in many outside groups including the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra, CYSO’s Encore Chamber Orchestra, Interlochen Arts Camp and Northwestern’s National High School Music Institute. Most recently he was selected to participate in the Illinois Music Educator’s Association District 1 Festival Orchestra on November 21, 2009. Andrew studies clarinet privately and plans to continue his music studies at the university level.
Andrew focused on beginning concepts with the fifth grade students - basics of tone production, breathing and articulation. He played excerpts from movement II of Brahms’ Symphony #3, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and Rimsky Korsakov’s Cappricio Espagnol. It was exciting to see the inspiration and eagerness in our student’s faces as they considered the ideas Andrew presented. All in all, it was a great student to student experience across the schools at Lab!
Posted at 1:58 pm | Comment (0)
3rd November, 2009
U-High Musicians and IMEA
On October 13 of this year, U-High musicians auditioned for various district festival groups hosted by the Illinois Music Educators Association (IMEA). We are pleased to announce the following students were selected to participate in upcoming district groups events this month.
Sam Frampton and Andy Zheng will be participating in the jazz ensemble on Saturday, November 14, at West Leyden High School in Franklin Park. Ellyn Butler was chosen for the symphonic band. Henry Bergman, Andrew Sandwick, and Catherine Zhou were selected for orchestra. The band and orchestra festival will be held on November 21, at Lincoln Way West High School, in New Lenox.
Our students will be gathering with student-musicians from throughout the Chicago area, rehearsing for the entire day, and then performing late in the afternoon. It’s quite an honor, and we are all proud of their efforts.
Posted at 2:36 pm | Comment (0)