Category — Uncategorized

Two members of the staff at VanderCook College of Music came to Oswego High School in the last couple weeks. Director of Bands at VCM, Charlie Menghini, worked with our Wind Ensemble students on the Wednesday after Winter Break, finding new ways of teaching our new music.

Then, on Martin Luther King Day, saxophone professor and jazz band director Tony Kidonakis worked with the top jazz band students on their contest music, as well as showing off his vocal and piano chops.

All three jazz ensembles and a dixieland quintet started the holiday season off right with a great performance at Fox Valley Mall. The few hundred onlookers were treated to some audio Christmas cheer, as well as classic tunes by Duke Ellington and Stevie Wonder. Merry Christmas!!!

It has been a great last week for OHS band students, outside of the band world. First off, the OHS Mathletes finished first in the conference for the sixth straight year. Well over half the first place finishers were band students; they are Anna Howell, Andy Vogler, Cassidy Hartzog, Emma Sullivan, Sydney Lloyd, Kirby Schramuk, Tom Hartnett, Sarah Frantik, Spencer Seeger, Jonah Engel, Cameron Dosch, David Mateyka, Deanna Reichardt, Christie Parkinson, and Miguel Marchan.
Next up, at the Batavia Art Show, two OHS band students received major awards. Tom Mereness received a first place, and Ellyn Cramer received a Judge’s Choice Award.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, several band students were recently named Illinois State Scholars. This award is given to students based on their SAT, ACT, and class rank at the end of junior year. They are: Matt Adams, Collin Bradley, Meaghan Davey, Emily Ericson, Ryne Krall, Nick Langerveld, Morgan Long, Miguel Marchan, Dan Nagel, Coltan Parker, Chrsitie Parkinson, Austin peterson, Deanna Reichardt, Josh Stevens, Mike Swanson, Riley Van, and Maddie Vogler. Great job guys!!!!

What an incredible weekend…all told, well over four hundred students and forty diferent ensembles were heard at the four shows. There were a total of 2200 tickets to be had, and all but 46 were sold…shattering the previous record of two years ago. Thank you to all the parent volunteers who helped decorate, supervise, or just came to support our band program.

We got some great news last week when senior french horn player Deanna Reichardt was named to the All-State band. She previously participated in the All-District band the last three years, and we are so proud of her ascension into greatness. She will play in the ensemble at the All-State convention in late January. Way to go D!!!!

Various students from the Oswego jazz program have had a few gigs (paying, too) over this holiday season. They started by opening up for the Boulder Hill musical, then progressed to playing for a huge holiday party at the Navy Pier Crystal Gardens. Last weekend, they played at the Montgomery tree lighting ceremony. Below is a link for the video of that event, which features some great footage and audio of students Abby Kipper, Alissa Cullen, Robbie Weisshaar, and Anthony Ashner.

Click to watch video of the event!!

This coming weekend, the town of Oswego flocks to OHS for a real Christmas tradition, the annual Crystals performances. Every music student performs during each concert in a variety of different small and large ensembles. The concert is done without applause between each song, and is a sort of “audio collage”. Showtimes are Saturday, December 10th, at 5:30 and 8:00, and Sunday, December 11th, at 2:00 and 4:30. Tickets are $6, and are on sale at the OHS box office during lunch all week long, or can be purchased online with a credit card at www.ohstickets.org (you can click this link)

Thank you to everyone who made the 2011 Panther marching season a huge success. The vast number of parents that helped out in everything from summer band camps, to football games, to Panther Marching Band Review, deserve a huge thank you, making the experience of being a Marching Panther a great (and much more comfortable) one. Thank you to the students, especially the newcomers, for either giving it a try this year, or sticking around:) Thanks to the drum majors and section leaders, who helped make our job as directors that much easier. And a special thanks to our seniors, who will be marching at Ken Pickerell Stadium for the last time tonight. It will be a great night to be a Panther!!!! Enjoy some pictures below, and if you have any more that you feel worthy of adding to them, email me at kschoenbach0922@oswego308.org .

On Thursday, Elmhurst College band director (and former University of Illinois band drector) Peter Griffin stopped by to help the Wind Symphony put some finishing touches on one of their songs, Gustav Holst’s “Suite in Eb”.

This year, Oswego High School had 12 students selected to various IMEA All-District ensembles. Playing in the wind ensemble are Collin Bradley(trumpet), Nathan Krumholz(clarinet), Alex Athitakis(clarinet), Matt Adams(trombone), and Mary Watson(percussion). Being selected to the honors orchestra was Deanna Reichardt(french horn). Jazz Band had a great showing, with Maddie Vogler and Alissa Cullen playing lead alto and tenor in the top band. Cassie McLaughlin(vibes) and Anthony Ashner(piano) made the second band, and Coltan Parker(bari sax) and Dougan Smith(tenor sax) made the third band. Way to go Panthers….now to wait and see if anyone makes All-State!!!