This is your brain on improvisation.....

Important research being done on the creative process and the brain.  This great TED talk begins to unveil the important of the arts and creativity and how it interfaces with brain developments and activity.

2012 Fall Jazz Concert

Tonight the Jazz Workshop, Jazz Lab Band, and Jazz Ensemble presented a fabulous fall concert.  In total, the three bands performed 17 selections, ranging from Ellington to Basie, from Mobley to Golson.      

Just over 60 jazz musicians performed tonight, with close to half of them taking an improvised solo during the course of the evening.  Special congratulations and kudos to Jazz Workshop conductor Scott Oliver for doing such a great job on his first concert as a director in District 99.  

D99 Jazz Musicians team up to support D99 Foundation

Students from the North and South Jazz Combos joined forces on Monday night at Tom & Eddie's to perform at a District 99 Education Foundation fundraiser.  The students coordinated their performance collaboratively, and demonstrated through their music the great spirit of District 99.

Thanks are extended to each of these students for their volunteerism in support of District 99!

2012 IMEA District 1 Jazz Festival

South HIgh School in Downers Grove was well represented in the 2012 IMEA District 1 Jazz Festival on Saturday, November 10, 2012 at Lincoln-Way Central High School.  Thirteen student musicians from DGS auditioned into the combo and the four jazz bands.  Each ensemble rehearsed during the day with a guest conductor and presented a concert to culminate their learning.  

Just over 100 students from more than 40 high schools participated in this event.  Including the student musicians from North High School, more than 25% of the total student participation in the festival was from District 99.  Literally 1 in every 4 students at the festival is from either South or North High Schools.  

It was a great day indeed to be a Mustang Musician!  Special congratulations to the students below for their participation in the festival this year:

Nathaniel Gresik (11) – trumpet
Sean Hux (12) – tenor sax
Tommy Leinart (9) – piano
Joe Perillo (12) – drums
Chris Reusz (12) – alto sax
John Shimanek (11) – trumpet
Christian Siki (11) – alto sax
Danny Tedeschi (12) – trombone
Michael Tegeler (9) - trombone
Josiah Williams (12) – trombone
Ian Williams (12) – piano
Michal Witek (12) – guitar
Julia Wood (12) - bass