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This past weekend, Oswego High School hosted the classic rock band 1969 at their semi-annual Band-O-Rama!!! As most people know, our marching show this year is “A Salute to Woodstock”, and 1969 did a set of music featuring many hits of that era, including songs by Joe Cocker, Jimi Hendrix, and The Band. Check out pictures below.

The Oswego East vs. Oswego High School game won the “NBC5 Prep Destination of the Week” this week, and was broadcast all over Chicagoland off and on during the morning news. The band’s featured segment was without sound for whatever reason , but the students had a great time, despite the early call time. (5:00AM!!!)
Check out pictures, as well as a link to a small segment of the broadcast. (it’s a little Oswego East heavy…)
Link to watch small chunk of NBC5′s telecast

Every year, OHS’ best and brightest band students audition for the Illinois Music Educator’s All-District Band. This year, we are having our pre-auditions on Thursday, September 15th, to select the 26 students we are allowed to send to audition. For some help with the auditions, students have a few resources.
1) NIU is putting out videos to help students with the tough audition material. Their pplied teachers play through the songs, and talk about tips on playing them. Students can access these great videos via their YouTube channel by clicking this link.
2) Elmhurst College is doing masterclasses for a $10 fee, and Harper College is doing them at no charge. Details for both of these can be found on the bulletin board in the band room.
3) Ms. Silosky and Mr. Schoenbach are always available to help students in need!!

On Saturday, September 10th, the OHS Marching Band joined about 1,500 other high school students at the annual Northwestern High School Band Day. The band got to rehearse with the Northwestern Band, perform at halftime, and feel the atmosphere of a real college football game. (Northwestern creamed Eastern Illinois 42-21)

Yesterday, several OHS band and choir students participated in ceremonies dedicated to the horrific 9/11 tragedy, and proving that Oswego will never forget. Besides playing some patriotic music outside the Church of Good Shepherd, there was an Empty Shoe Memorial along Main Street, with a pair of shoes lining the road for every person lost on that terrible day, and a dedication of a section of a steel beam from the World Trade Center at the Oswego Fire Depratment. It was a great day to be a Panther, and an American.
For a link to the story about the memorial on CBS news, click here

This year marks a new high in OHS band history…the most kids ever in the band and marching band!!! Our 160 odd members of the marching band had a great week of rehearsals, putting together the start of our halftime show, a salute to Woodstock. We debut the show tonight at the Panthers first football game vs. mighty Marian Catholic.

Last Saturday, the OHS band program said goodbye to one of the best senior classes ever. Many of them are going on to play in college, and we know they are going to do great!!! Goodbye to Eric Alpine, Jake Berry, Joey Corbino, Brad Donati, Jaime Feinen, Courtney Friesen, Cassie Johnson, Hannah Kaitschuk, Kayla Lee, Melanie Lloyd, Alex Mclean, Amanda Messmer, Amanda Muscato, Eric Novak, Jessie Parkhurst, Jeremy Perez, Spencer Prevett, Emera Reitor, Pat Riess, Jack Reuland, Bridget Rodino, Jessie Runyon, Brittany Smith, Erin Smith, Caitlin Strange, Mike Supej, Alex Takacs, Brittani Watts, Ben Wooley, and Ryan Zerna. Have fun, and know you will all be missed!!!!

The Band program had it’s annual Bandquet on May 26th, and several people won some serious hardware:) Pictures will be coming soon!!!
Outstanding Concert Band Members: Aaron Olsen, Amanda Hendricks
Outstanding Chamber Winds Members: Alex Conidi, Alex Perello
Outstanding Symphonic Band Members: Jessie Weise, Dan Thompson
Outstanding Wind Ensemble Members: Dougan Smith, Melissa Yates
Outstanding Wind Symphony Members: Ryan Zerna, Amanda Muscato
Outstanding Pep Band Member: Amanda Messmer
Jim Felts Spirit Award: Brittany Smith
Tim Lautzenheiser Leadership Award: Ben Wooley
Director’s Awards: Bridget Rodino, Hannah Kaitschuk
National Marching Band Award: Brittany Smith
Woody Herman Jazz Award: Brad Donati
Patrick Gilmore Band Award: Jessie Runyon
Louis Armstrong Jazz Award: Ben Wooley
John Philip Sousa Band Award: Ryan Zerna

Several senior band members distinguished themselves as being in the top 10% of the class, including Brad Donati, Courtney Friesen, Hannah Kaitschuk, Kayla Lee, Amanda Muscato, Jessie Parkhurst, Jeremy Perez, Jessie Runyon, Bridget Rodino, Mike Supej…Ben Wooley was even selected as our Salutatorian!!!!

Lastly, clarinetist Riley Vann had a day to remember at the state track finals. She was 13th in the 300M hurdles, 7th in the pole vault, and 2nd in the 100M hurdles, setting three new school records along the way.

Have a great summer everyone!!!!

All day long on Wednesday, May 18th, and Thursday, May 19th, the OHS Band Boosters are having a fundraiser at the Oswego Oberweis. Simply print out the attached coupon and bring it in, and they will donate 30% of every purchase back to our program. This would be great for going out for that post-concert ice-cream social!!!!
Coupon for Oberweis Booster Night

In March of 2012, the OHS bands will be touring , which includes . We’ll also be visiting , which includes .

More details will be shared soon, but know that the jazz bands, wind symphony, wind ensemble, and the marching band will be going.

On Monday, May 2nd, Marty O’Donnell, the award-winning music composer of the Halo video game series, paid a visit to our wind ensemble rehearsal. He spoke about how he got in to composing for such a big project, what classes got him to that point, and told us some great stories of life as a composer. He also listened to the band playing an arrangement of his tunes, and told us some of the things he was thinking about when he wrote the piece. After the class was over, he stuck around and answered more questions, and signed autographs for many students. It was a fantastic event that happened at the last minute.
To see Mr. O’Donnell’s Wikipedia page, click here