2/8/08 Dist. 66 Soloists Shine

Congratulations to all of the band students who performed their solos at our annual solo festival on Saturday, January 19.  Mr. Ohlsen and I are very pleased with the progress that the students have made throughout this process.  We have many fine young musicians in the district.  The judges were truly impressed at the level of talent that many of our students showed. 

Twenty-five students received a perfect score from their judge.  These students performed for a panel of judges at the end of the day where four of them were selected as the outstanding soloists of the day.  Congratulations to Brooke N., Emily F., Mike R., and Steve B. for being selected as our outstanding soloists of the day.  All of the perfect soloists will be recognized at a future school board meeting.

It’s Solo Time Again

 Solo Festival Preparation To Begin Soon!!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year……you know the song. For me at least, I always look forward to the beginning of the solo festival season. I know that over the next nine weeks the band students will be playing more and more to learn their solos. Some of the kids look at this as a challenge where others dread it and reluctantly work their way through it. In either case, they will all become stronger as players and as individuals.

Each year, the music department from Dist. 66 hosts a solo festival for all band members in grades 5-8. This is also a part of our music curriculum that each child prepares and performs a piece on their own. Your child will soon begin preparing for this performance that will take place on Saturday, January 19, 2008.The purpose of having students prepare a solo is to help them improve and further develop their musical skills in many areas. The solo that every child plays is determined by their ability level. They will have plenty of time to prepare the solo for performance. By performing alone, it gives each child an opportunity to show off their skills. It also forces them to be independent and build some self confidence in their playing. Memorization is important because it shows that they have really spent a lot of time getting to know the solo in great detail.Students will be judged in the following areas:

Intonation – How well they play in tune.
Tone Quality – Is the sound that they produce clear and pleasing to the ear.
Rhythmic Accuracy – Are they interpreting the rhythm of the music correctly.
Technique – Can they play the piece fluently with correct tonguing, slurs, sticking, etc..
Musicianship – Did they play with some emotion, loud and soft, fast and slow, accents, etc…
Memorization – How well did the student memorize the piece.
Appearance – Did they dress well and preset themselves in an appropriate manner.

This is a wonderful and sometimes stressful experience for students no matter what their experience level. This has proven to be one of the best ways to improve a student’s musicianship. The quality of the band also improves during this time because the students are playing more often developing a stronger and more mature sound.Solos will be handed out within the next couple of weeks so be on the look out for it. By mid January you should know your child’s solo almost as well as they do!! (Good Luck)

More info to come!!

Mr. T

 

 

10/12/07 Lakeview Students Audition for Illinois Music Educators Association Band Festival

Illinois Music Educators Association (IMEA) Jr. Division Auditions  On Saturday, Oct. 13th, the IMEA organization will hold auditions for Jr. High school students to participate in the District 1 Concert Band, Jazz Band, Choir, or Orchestra.  The state is divided into several districts that hold auditions for their own district level ensembles.  Over 1300 students from the surrounding suburbs will be auditioning for a spot in one or more of these ensembles.  Less than a third will be chosen to participate.  I am proud to say that we have several Lakeview students who have taken on the challenge to audition for the District 1 concert band and/or Jazz Ensemble.  These students have voluntarily decided to put in many hours of extra practice time to prepare for the audition.  I am sure that it has made them a stronger player and person.  I would like to congratulate them for their efforts and wish them good luck on their auditions this weekend.  Despite the outcome of the audition, we hope that this experience is worthwhile and that they will make our ensembles here at Lakeview even stronger.  We hope that some of these fine musicians will be selected to represent our school and community at the District 1 concert in November. Best of luck to the following students:  Celeste Aguzino – Percussion Morgan Baade – Baritone Saxophone Alex Bahaveolos – Trombone Steven Birch – Euphonium (Baritone) Carmine Calabria – Percussion and Drum Set Tim Chow – Bass Clarinet Emily Foernsler – Clarinet Kelly Fortin – Percussion and Drum Set Jessica Gabric – Flute Rishi Iyer – Trombone Rosa Jacob – Clarinet Samantha Kotlicky – Trumpet Dan Kubik – Trumpet Justin Marquez – Alto Saxophone Sam Oury – Trumpet Erin Quinn – Flute Mike Ruth – Alto Saxophone Peter Stahulak – Trombone Danny Tedeschi – Trombone    Good Luck Everyone!!!

10/01/07- DGS Bands Making Sweet Sounds

I recently had the pleasure of attending the Downers Grove South Homecoming football game this past Friday.  It was great to see many of our Lakeview Alumni both on and off the field.  The football team is well on their way to having a great season.  The other DGS team on the field is also on their way to having a successful year.  I am talking about the Marching Mustang Band!! 

The Marching Mustangs have put together a terrific show that seems to be coming together at the right time.  Like the football team, this team of young musicians has put in hours and hours of practice and performance time.  Their show, “Fantastique” is worth going to see.  Mr. Glenn Williams, Mr. Craig Roslieb, Mr. Ron Hornish, and their staff have done a great job getting this group to perform at a very high level and one that will be competitive at their upcoming marching competitions. 

I am also proud to say that the majority of student leaders in the Marching Mustangs are Lakeview graduates.  They prepare the different sections of the band for both rehearsals and performances.  They are also some of the same leaders in the concert ensembles that will begin their performance season in November. 

Marching Mustang Music Bowl – Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007

This Saturday the DGS Music Dept. will be hosting their annual marching competition.  Over 15 of some of the finest high school marching bands will be performing and competing that day.  It is quite impressive to see 100, 150, or even 200 + musicians moving and playing in concert.  I am going to try to be there for at least part of the day.  I would like to invite you and your family to this event being held in our backyard.  For those eighth graders getting ready to move on to high school, this will give you a good idea of the opportunities that await you.  

 For ticket information and general information for the Music Bowl, please visit their web page at www.csd99.k12.il.us/south/music and go the Music Bowl link. 

Continued success to the Marching Mustangs!!  Hope to see you there! 

Mr. T 

9/26/07 Homecoming Weekend Events for the Marching Spartans

We have a busy weekend coming up to close out our Fall performances beginning with the Downers Grove South Homecoming Day Parade on Friday afternoon and the Plainfield High School Homecoming Day Parade on Saturday morning. Here are the details:

2007 DGS Homecoming Day Parade – Friday 9/28

All marching band students will need to bring their uniform to school on Friday so that they can change into it before we leave for the parade in the afternoon. All band members will be issued a garment bag to transport their uniform to school. They should transport their black shoes in a separate bag and keep them in their locker. The garment bags are just not strong enough to carry the shoes. The band members will hang their uniforms on garment racks in the hallway between the band room and the music room.

• We will be leaving school around 2:15 to line up for the parade.

• The Parade begins at 3:00. We will be the first band in the parade.

• Once we get to the high school, we will be able to watch the remainder of the parade.

DGS Parade Route: The parade begins on Springside which is the street that runs directly behind the home stadium stands by the football field. It runs south on Springside, east on Bolson to Dunham, north on Dunham until we reach the high school.

I realize that many of you work and are unable to attend this event but if you are able to it would be great to see you there. The DGS students and other spectators are very appreciative of our participation and performance.

We will be back at Lakeview between 4:15 and 4:30. Students can either change at school or take their belongings and change at home.

 

2007 Plainfield Homecoming Parade

Students should arrive in uniform with BLACK SHOES AND BLACK SOCKS no later than 7:00 (yes, that is the morning)

We will depart for the parade at 7:30.

The parade steps off at 9:00 (We are #36 in the parade so we are close to the beginning.

We will return to Lakeview around 12:00. Students should arrange to be picked up at that time.

Parents who are picking students up from the parade should follow the band back to the Plainfield H.S. The buses will be located in the Parking lot behind the football stadium on Fort Beggs Drive. Parking is very difficult to find so please plan accordingly.

If you are planning on watching the parade map of the parade route can be accessed through the Plainfield High School web site at http://www.learningcommunity202.org/.

The Homecoming information is under their community link.

Directions to Plainfield H.S.

Take I-55 south to the 126 “Plainfield “ exit

Take 126 to Rt. 59

Turn left on Rt. 59 (south) to Fort Beggs Drive.

This is where the parade will end. Please check the map to find the parade route so that you can follow us to the end.

There is parking near the high school and in the surrounding area. If you arrive before 8:15am you should be able to find parking near Plainfield H.S. Route 126 may be closed after 8:15 to stop traffic from coming into town. I would strongly recommend getting in the area early.

The Parade Route:

Begins at the Village Hall and heads east on Rt. 30 (Lockport St.) to Illinois Street. South on Illinois Street to Commercial Street. West on Commercial Street to James Street. South on James Street to the end at Plainfield H.S.

This parade is well attended and will probably be our largest audience to date. We hope to see you there!!

If you have any questions or concerns please let me know.

Thanks

Mr. T

 

 

9/24/06 Concert Band News

Rehearsals are in full swing for the concert band.  They are off to a great start and I am looking forward to a great year of performances.  There is a lot of talent in this group and I’m sure you will appreciate their hard work.  Please remember that there are rehearsals on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings.  I know the morning can be a struggle at times however I would like to start rehearsals as close to 7:10 as possible.  All of the lesson schedules, practice charts, events, etc. can be found by going to the district website at www.ccsd66.org, go to the Lakeview site and access the music page.  This is where you will be able to access the blog pages as well as all other necessary information.  I will notify you when there is new info on the blog page however you can access it at any time.  If you wish to contact me please do so through the web address that I use to notify you of new blog info. 

Have a great week.  I will be posting new information later this week.

Mr. T

9/24/07 Events Update

The full events calendar will be available by Tuesday, Sept. 25 on the Lakeview Music web page.  As we listed earlier this month,we are finishing up the Fall events over the next two weeks.  This weekend we are performing in our last two marching events with the Downers Grove South Homecoming parade on Friday and the Plainfield High School Homecoming parade on Saturday.  We will complete our Fall events with our Fall Concert on Thursday, Oct. 4 at 7:00 in the Lakeview Gym.  This performance is for the Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, and Jazz Ensemble.  The students will be wearing marching uniforms for this event.  We will be fitting them with their concert uniforms in October. 

Maching Band students will be issued garment bags this week so they can transport their uniforms to school on Friday, 9/28.  They will change into their marching uniforms in the afternoon before leaving by bus for the DGS parade.  I will provide parade routes for both events by Thursday. 

Much more info to come.  Have a great week!

Mr. T

9/20/07 Marching Spartans on the move-Again!

Thanks to everyone who came out on a beautiful day to support the kids at the VonSteuben Day Parade. The band did a great job for the first time out. We had many compliments from people on the street thinking this was a high school.

Next Marching Events

We have two more events scheduled for later this month. We will be participating in the Downers Grove South H.S. Homecoming Day Parade on Friday, Sept. 28 @ 3:00. We are the first group in the parade right behind the Fire engines and dignitaries. This parade will run through the neighborhood surrounding the high school. The students will be leaving from school around 2:00 to line up for the parade. They will need to bring their uniforms to school on that day. I will have the parade route next week.

We are also scheduled to march in the Plainfield High School Homecoming Day Parade on Saturday, Sept. 29 @ 9:00. This is a great neighborhood parade and is extremely well attended. We will depart from Lakeview approx. 7:30a.m. and return around noon. The parade itself should be done around 11:00. I will have the parade route and unit # so you know where we are in the parade next week.

More info about these and other upcoming events will be posted soon.

Mr. T

9/6/07 Branson Tour Proposal

Lakeview Jr. High School Bands

Music in the Parks Festival
Branson, MO
May 1-4, 2008

Tour Cost: $565.00 per person quadruple occupancy

Cost includes:

-Transportation via deluxe motorcoach (climate-controlled, semi-reclining seats, panoramic windows, VCR/DVD equipped, restroom on board)
-Three (3) nights accommodations at Branson area hotel featuring interior access rooms, modern fire/smoke detecting equipment, indoor swimming pool and game room
-Private security guard on duty each night

-Meals as indicated in the itinerary, including taxes and gratuities
- 3 Full Breakfast Buffets
-2 Dinners
-Picnic or Meal Money provided at the Park
-Dixie Stampede Dinner & Show

Admission to the following attractions:
Branson Zoo & Aquarium
Silver Dollar City Amusement Park
“Ride The Ducks” land/sea sightseeing tour
Full participation in the Music in the Parks Festival Program
Concert/Clinic scheduling assistance
Fully escorted in Branson by a Vanguard Tour Service representative, 24-hour emergency on-call pager service available
Printed final itineraries and luggage tags for each participant
All taxes and gratuities, including those to guides, escorts and drivers

Payment Schedule

Initial Deposit $100.00 Due Sept. 17, 2007

2nd DEPOSIT: $100.00 Due Jan. 18, 2008

3rd DEPOSIT: $100.00 Due Feb. 25, 2008

FINAL BALANCE DUE: March 1, 2008

( The final balance will also reflect money earned through the Dance-A-Thon and Fannie May fundraisers)

Please make all checks payable to : District 66 Music Boosters

Please send your checks to school in an envelope marked Band Tour Payment and include your child’s name. All trip payments should be delivered to Mr. Tedeschi or Mr. Ohlsen

9/6/07 Branson Sample Itinerary

LAKEVIEW JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL BANDS

MUSIC IN THE PARKS FESTIVAL BRANSON, MISSOURI

MAY 1 – 4, 2008

- SAMPLE ITINERARY -

Thursday – May 1

Morning Early departure from school, (6am) , via deluxe motorcoaches, traveling to Branson, MO
(Independent meal and rest stops en route – distance is approx 525 miles)

Arrival Late afternoon arrival in Branson area; proceed to your hotel for check in

(Pre-registration handled by Vanguard Escort; key packets distributed)
- Depart hotel for Dinner (included)
Evening – Free time to enjoy the hotel – indoor swimming pool, game room, etc.
11:00 PM Return to the hotel for overnight (Private security guard on duty)

Friday – May 2
Breakfast Full breakfast buffet (included)
Morning Visit the Branson Zoo and Aquarium
Explore ‘Predator World’ – Branson’s very own animal zoo and aquarium
Noon Independent lunch
Afternoon Experience the “Ride the Ducks” sightseeing tour

A one of kind adventure as you tour Branson and Table Rock Lake aboard an amphibious (land/sea) vehicle

Return to the hotel to prepare for performances
Dinner (included)

TBA PERFORMANCES at the Music in the Parks Festival
- Concert Band and Jazz Band performances
- Time and site of performances to be determined
9:00 PM Return to the hotel for overnight (Private security guard on duty)

Saturday – May 3
Breakfast -Full breakfast buffet (included)
10:00 AM Enjoy the day at Silver Dollar City Amusement Park
TBA Picnic Lunch (or meal money provided) and Awards Presentation at the Park
8:00 PM Dinner & Show at the Dixie Stampede (included)
10:00 PM Return to the hotel for overnight (Private security guard on duty)

Sunday – May 4

Breakfast Full breakfast buffet
Check out of hotel; load motorcoaches and depart for home
All Day Day of Travel – independent meal and rest stops en route
Evening Arrive back in Downers Grove (6-8pm)

Welcome Home!!

Customized Itinerary Prepared By:

VANGUARD TOUR SERVICE, INC.
“The Group Travel Specialists”
P.O. Box 5377
Lansing, Illinois 60438
(708) 895-0060
(800) 383-0061