Vocal Music Department News

Today our students received a packet of information with details about the upcoming Disney World Trip. The dates are Friday, Feb. 18- Monday, Feb. 21. Please look at the packets and attend the parent meeting on Thursday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. I will answer any and all questions about the trip. I hope your students willbe able to join us on the trip. It will be a wonderful musical experience for all!

Our students are busy preparing for their upcoming IMEA District 1 auditions. We continue to have rehearsals on Monday evenings at 6:30 for IMEA Choir music. Those auditioning for Vocal Jazz Choir can attend help sessions at 7:15 a.m. on Wednesday mornings or at 3:15 on Thursdays. I also have sign up sheets for one-on-one sessions for the next few weeks. Being at IMEA is so inspirational for the students who attend. I want everyone to have that experience!

There are several help sessions our students can attend outside our school. Tomorrow, Sept. 25, West Leyden HS will have sessions from 8 - 9 a.m. for girls and 9 - 10 a.m. for boys. They will work on Choir and Jazz music. If you want to attend, just go! It will be interesting to work with students from different schools!

Have a great weekend!
Mrs. Marelli

Ms. Suzanne Bartelson Displays Artwork at Chicago Gallery

Congratulations to Ms. Suzanne Bartelson, art teacher and professional artist, for the installation of her artwork at the Arcade Gallery in Chicago. Ms. Bartelson was awarded the Albert P. Weisman Grant, which allowed her to create her installation piece entitled 'pastmatters?' Her piece combines a 50-foot hallway with 5 audio channels on a three-minute loop. Ms. Bartelson explores how the past informs one's identity and her family's immigration to Chicago. The moments shared in this piece help the storyteller and listener gain perspective while fostering a sense of community through the universal themese of communication, family history, and surviving adversity.

Ms. Bartelson's work will be on display until October 14th. The Arcade Gallery is located at 618 S. Wabash, Chicago, Illinois.

Links to her work: http://www.pastmatters.net/ and www.blurb.com/books/1591555

Marching Band - Homecoming 2010

View the video below to see the Marching Band perform at the Homecoming football game. Congratulations to all members on a great show.

Instrumental Music Update

Parents sit back and enjoy a private concert from the marching band at last Thursday's Parent Night. Thank you to everyone who came!

Dear Instrumental Music Community,
What a great week we just had! Spirit week has come and gone, and the music department was marvelous! All the groups are off to a great start; take a look at our shutterfly photos from the last week in Jazz Ensemble and Orchestra!
Thank you to all the Families who came out to our first ever Parents night! It was a blast to see you all run through the show. I hope you enjoyed the evening as well. Be sure to take a look at the pictures on the shutterfly site!
Friday night was our Homecoming game. The marching band performed exceptionally well both in the stands and on the field. Several parents commented after the game that the band really contributes to the community atmosphere. Great job band!
Looking ahead, there will be a Music Sponsors meeting Tuesday evening in the choir room at 7:00 PM.
Orchestra festival will be on October 7th, the students are working hard on their parts and sounding great !
The Next home game will be Jr. High Night on October 15th. We look forward to working with all the 8th graders.
Congratulations to Dovas Lietuvninkas for being accepted to the Merit school of Music Wind Symphony.
Congratulations to Rafael Ruiz who just purchased a new Black Trumpet!
Our low brass teacher, Tom Kociela just had a life changing experience playing with the CSO on Sunday. The free concert was held at Millenium Park to celebrate the arrival of Riccardo Mutti as the new conductor of the orchestra. Tom played for a group estimated to be well over 30,000 people. Several students had the opportunity to attend and said they were amazed! Great job Tom!
Congratulations to Kelsey Dickenson, Alex Muntean, Anna McGonagil, Maggie McLaughlin, Molly Chaney, Kevin Dinh, Kyle Perfect, Scott Duda, Kelly Glavin, Jeremy Baiocchi, Dovas Lietuvninkas, Ben Mitchell, Adrien Witek, Paul Krause, Andrew Payton, and Brian Robertson who all received principal chairs for their respective sections!

Sincerely,
Mr. Baum and Mr. McOlgan
baumj@rbhs208.org and Mcolgank@rbhs208.org

Weekly Instrumental Music Update

RB Bulldog Marching Band Students Play the Fight Song for the reviweing stand and ABC 7's Janet Davis at Saturday's Von Steuben Day Parade.

Hello All,

Last Saturday the band participated in the Von Steuben Day Parade and German Festival. We had favorable weather despite concerns earlier in the day over rain. The students marched under cloud cover, and then changed into their street clothes and enjoyed the sun filled German Day Festival. The Bulldog Marching Band marched for thousands of appreciative fans shouting out in glee, “Go RB!” At the end of the parade the students played our Fight Song for the review booth, while Mayor Daley wasn't there, ABC's Janet Davis was! Many thanks to our chaperones, Paul and Debbie Cox, Dina Tardi, Carrie Sherman, Sue Sawyer, and Liz Cudecki, we couldn’t have done it without you! Check out the pictures on the shutterfly site!

Auditions are wrapping up for both band and orchestra. Looking ahead, the orchestra will perform its first concert on October 7th at 7:00 PM. The concert will be held in conjunction with the feeder school Orchestra Festival being held that day. We look forward to seeing you there!
On Thursday we will be holding a Parent Night open rehearsal. Students should come at 6:00 PM, parent should then join us on the field at 7:00 PM. Parent who come will be guided through the show by their students, and then be treated to a private performance of our show.

Friday is the big homecoming performance for band. The band will usher the entire student body to the football field for the pep assembly. That Night all band members should arrive to school at 5:30 PM to prepare for the performance that night. Come out, cheer with us, and cheer us on as we perform our Motown themed half-time show.

Congratulations to Neil Donegan who hosted a recital at his house last Friday night. Neil performed several works from the Suzuki method as a culminating event for the summer. Great job!

Please keep us up to date with all of your musical accomplishments!

Sincerely,
Mr. Baum and Mr. McOlgan
baumj@rbhs208.org mcolgank@rbhs208.org

Weekly Instrumental Update

RB Graduate Sam Lauritsen at the Chicago Jazz Festival performing his own original composition

Dear Instrumental Music Community,

We’re off to a great start! We had our first Home Game performance that looked and sounded great, the orchestra is working hard for their first concert (October 7th), and the jazz groups are swinging away on their music! It was also a pleasure to meet all of you last night!

Both the Orchestra and the Symphonic Band are currently holding auditions for chair placement.

As we look ahead, this weekend is the Von Steuben Day Parade! Students should arrive to the band room at 11:30 AM to change into their uniforms and load the busses. Come out and cheer us on as we march to Lincoln Square, and then join us for the festivities of the German Day Festival.

The first Tri-M Meeting will be held next Tuesday at 7:15 AM in the band room. Come “Try M” and see what this club is all about!

We would like to invite all parents and guardians to next week’s (September 16th) marching band practice for Parents Night. Come experience what your students experience while on the field! Parents who are interested should arrive to the field at 7:00 PM. Students need to arrive by 6:00 PM.

Many students are busy preparing their IMEA Etudes and Scales for auditions on October 12th. It’s not too late to get the music and have it prepared for the auditions, if you are interested please see Mr. Baum and Mr. McOlgan as soon as possible! This year the auditions will be held at Hinsdale Central High School.
Many of the private lesson teachers have begun teaching for the year! We have a great private studio program featuring some of Chicago’s most talented musicians. All of them are great teachers and can help your student realize his or her potential in music. If interested, please contact us!

Congratulations to former student Sam Lauritsen (2007) who had the opportunity to play at this year’s Chicago Jazz Festival. Sam played with the Roosevelt University Jazz Combo, and even played some of his own original tunes!

Also Congratulations to Drew Kohler, Tre` Edwards, and Chris Buh who were nominated by their peers to Homecoming Court.

Sincerely,

Mr. Baum and Mr. McOlgan
baumj@rbhs208.org mcolgank@rbhs208.org