December Band Updates

We started out December giving out the November Portillo’s Students of the Month. Check out the slideshow to see our winners! 

A few students did (or are doing) some pretty special things. Junior clarinetist Alexis Lane auditioned for and was named to the Illinois All-State Theater Festival Pit Orchestra. She has been rehearsing hard over the last few months, and has her big production in January. Alyssa Ladewski and Tommy Morgano were named to the Ball State Honor Band, and spent a glorious weekend in Indiana making music. And best of all, we had several students named to the Illinois All-State Bands and Orchestra or Future Music Educators. They were: Nathan Labora, trumpet; Gavin Davis, French Horn; Niyasha Johnson, clarinet; Jacob Anderson, Julia Woelke, and Tobi Osubodu, Future Music Educators. And our jazz bands travelled to Bednarcik Junior High for the District 308 Jazz Festival, where they all received clinics by saxophonist Rich Moore and bassist Stacy Jackson.

In our little band world, December means one thing...Crystals!!!! The music department hosted four sold out shows, with students participating in various large and small ensembles. (See fantastic pictures above)
During Crystals, Mrs. San Roman had apparently done some behind-the scenes work, and everytime Mr. Schoenbach left his office and came back, there were more presents for his upcoming baby girl. I tried hard to take a selfie with every student who brought her a gift. (see below)