Student Musicians from Germany to Visit District 99 Schools, Perform

On Saturday, April 16, 2011, 65 high school student musicians from Germany will visit South High School and North High School in Downers Grove and perform two concerts. The visit is part of a 25-year music exchange tradition between District 99 and families in Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany.

On Monday, April 18 at 7 p.m. in the North High School Johnson Auditorium, the Bietigheim-Bissingen/Germany Music School ensemble JugenBlasOrchester will perform along with the North High Wind Ensemble and South High Wind Ensemble. The concert is open to the public and is free of charge.

A “Jazz at the Movies” concert will take place on Tuesday, April 19 at 7 p.m. at the Tivoli Theatre in Downers Grove. The German jazz band (called Musikschule – Big Band), the Jazz Lab from South High School and the Jazz Ensemble from South High School will all perform. The silent movie, “The Blacksmith” featuring Buster Keaton, with theatre organ accompaniment, will open the program. Tickets are $5.

 Students will stay with host families from both North High and South High and as part of their stay will visit classrooms at both schools. The students will return home on April 22.

“Our exchange program encourages the fact that music has no borders,” says South High School Fine Arts Department Chair Glenn Williams. “In just a short week, our students will be able to expand both their musical perspectives and friendships.”

“Both concerts are guaranteed to be good shows,” says North High School Fine Arts Department Chair Brayer Teague. “We all speak the same language when it comes to music.”

The District 99 Honors Band last visited Germany in 2008, and will return in the summer of 2012. The District 99 Orchestra visited in the summer of 2010.