The Darien 6-12 Choral Festival Features Over 600 Choral Students

The Darien Public Schools will be presenting the 2020 6-12 Choral Festival in the Main Gym at Darien High School on Wednesday, March 4. The concert will feature nearly 600 Choral students in grades 6-12 performing individual selections for their grade level Choruses and then joining forces to perform a grand finale, “Jumpin’ Boogie Medley.”  The featured ensembles are: 6^th Grade Chorus, Viva Voce, 7^th Grade Chorus, 8^th Grade Chorus, Camerata Singers, DHS Concert Choir, and the DHS Tudor Singers. Our Darien 6-12 Choral Directors are: Kim Sadler and Thomas O’Donnell from Middlesex Middle School and Rebecca Parnoff is co-directing the MMS 6^th Grade Viva Voce ensemble. Chris Andrade is the director of the Darien HS Choral Ensembles. To accommodate the large audiences, there will be 6:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. performances of this concert. Tickets are free, but a ticket is required for admission. (the snow date for this event is Thursday, March 5^th)

Music for Youth 2020 Contest Winners Announced

The Darien Public Schools are proud to announce the award recipients of the 2020 Music for Youth Jazz Poster, Writing and Music Composition contests. Award winners were chosen from hundreds of submissions and received a certificate, a cash prize, and either a Music for Youth water bottle or tote bag.  This year’s Jazz contests for Darien Public School students is in support of the Darien Music Department’s Curricular Focus Theme on Jazz music. Darien Music for Youth is able to provide these contests and other outstanding programming only through your generous donations. Their singular mission is to bring the arts to children in the Darien Public Schools.  Please support their mission by donating at: darienmusicforyouth.wordpress.com  All of the student work will be displayed in the lobby of the DHS auditorium at the April 13th performance of the Birdland Big Band.  Congratulations to all of the contest participants!

MMS Music for Youth Jazz Contest winners: L-R Lauren Valji, Remi Repsher and Lucie Smith (missing Keira Austen)

Ox Ridge MFY Jazz poster contest winners, Emma Williams, Madeleine Brown, Grace Long, Brianna Qin, Cole Kim and Cate Hendrickson with principal Dr. Luke Forshaw.

The Music for Youth Jazz Poster contest winners from Hindley, James Hetherington, Summer Erickson, Josh Rosenberry, Ally Kennedy, Gemma Peperone and Courtney Timmeny,  sporting their tote bags with principal, Mrs. Julie Droller.

Royle School winners of the Music for Youth jazz poster contest were Nora Lee, Griffin Lee, Baxter Selvey, Celine Samame, Teagan Josef and Hannah Huang.

Tokeneke School winners of the 2020 Music for Youth Jazz poster contest, Boden Wein, Emma Robeert, Tyler Urban, Avani Vijay, Ashton Morey and Adriana Gromelski,  pose with principal Mrs. Mary Michelson.

Music for Youth – Jazz! Contest Award Winners for 2020

Ox Ridge

K-2:   1^st  Emma Williams,  2^nd Madeleine Brown  , 3^rd Grace Long

Grade 3-5:  1^st Brianna Qin,  2^nd Cole Kim,  3^rd Cate Hendrickson

Tokeneke

K-2:  1^st Boden Wein,  2^nd Emma Robert, 3^rd Tyler Urban

Grade 3-5:    1^st  Avani Vijay,  2^nd  Ashton Morey  3^rd  Adriana Gromelski

Hindley

K-2:  1^st James Hetherington  2^nd  Summer Erickson 3^rd Josh Rosenberry

Grade 3-5:   1^st Ally Kennedy  2^nd Gemma Peperone  3^rd Courtney Timmeny

Royle

K-2: 1^st Nora Lee 2^nd Griffin Lee 3^rd Baxter Selvey

Grades 3-5:   1^st Hannah Huang    2^nd Celine Samame 3^rd Teagan Josef

Holmes

K-2:  1^st Sophie Echeverri    2^nd Madeleine Gironde   3^rd Millie Quinn

Grade 3-5:   1^st Avantika Jain  2^nd Kimball Atha 3^rd Victoire DeVillers

MMS Writing: 1^st Place:  Remi Repsher                                                                                              MMS Poster Art: 1^st Place: Lauren Valji 2^nd Place:  Lucie Smith  3^rd Place: Keira Austen

DHS Music Composition    1^st: Alex Sutanto  2^nd: John McGovern

DHS Poster: 1^st: Isabella De La Zerda

Jazz Group Performs for Elementary Schools

The David DeJesus Jazz Quintet is bringing their classic jazz music to all of the elementary students in the Darien Public Schools. Sponsored by the Darien Music for Youth organization, the jazz group is presenting the music of jazz greats such as Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Cannonball Adderly and Art Blakey for the students and reinforcing the lessons of the music teachers as part of the Music Department’s Curricular Focus Theme on Jazz. Members of the ensemble are: Nana Sakamoto, trombone, Jack Redsecker, piano, Adi Meyerson, bass, Daniel Criado, drums and leader David DeJesus performing saxophone and trumpet. Davis DeJesus is the leader of the Birdland Big Band in NYC as well as a professor at SUNY-Purchase.

The David DeJesus Jazz Quintet performs for the K-2 students at Hindley School on Monday, February 10th

From L-R: David DeJesus, Daniel Criado, Adi Meyerson, Nana Sakamoto and pianist Jack Redsecker at Hiondley on February 10th.  Their performance was sponsored by Darien Music for Youth.

Funky Dawgz Engergize DHS

The Funky Dawgz Brass Band performed for an enthusiastic crowd of concert attendees in the Darien High School auditorium on Friday, February 7th. The Funky Dawgz Brass Band was engaged to perform in Darien by the DHS Tri-M Music Honor Society. The Tri-M advisor is Ms. Jane Minnis.

The 7 member Funky Dawgz Brass Band, featuring Darien Elementary Band teacher , Colin Walters, (on leave of absence) performed at Darien High School on Friday, January 7th. 

Members of the Funky Dawgs Ensemble brought their music into the house as students moved and danced to the music.

Darien HS trumpet student, Frank Drugge, was invited to perform on stage with Funky Dawgz for their last two selections on Friday, January 7th. 

DHS, MMS and 5-6 Jazz Lab Present "Sweet Night of Jazz"

The Jazz Ensembles in the Darien Public Schools presented their "Sweet Nigh of Jazz" in the Darien HS cafeteria on Thursday, February 6th at 7:00 p.m. The concert featured the music of our 5-6 Jazz Lab directed by Mr. Matthew Curley, the Middlesex Middle School Jazz Ensemble directed by Mr. James Carter and the Darien High School Jazz Ensemble directed by Mr. Jonathan Grauer.

The students performed a wide range of jazz and blues arrangements that featured multiple soloists while the audience listened on and enjoyed a vast assortment of cakes, cookies, pastries and coffee donated by the parents. Special thank you to all of our supportive parents!

Mr. Carter conducts the MMS Jazz Ensemble performing jazz standard "Blue Bossa" on February 6th.

Mr. Jonathan Grauer conducts the award-winning Darien HS Jazz Ensemble in an arrangement of John Coltrane's "Moment's Notice"  at the annual Sweet Night of Jazz. 

Audience members look on and enjoyed coffee and desserts as the district's Jazz groups performed their music in a jazz club-like setting in the DHS cafeteria.

Elementary Beginning Band and String Showcases

All of the beginning 3rd Grade String students and 4th Grade Band students throughout the district have been featured in Showcase performances during the past two weeks. These Showcase performances are the first public performance of our new instrumental music students and demonstrate their musical progress to the parents as well as inform the parents of some tips to assist their children.

Our elementary Band and Orchestra teachers are: Dylan Spielvogel, Jane Minnis, Dawn Hanley, Krista DiPietro and Matt Curley.

Royle School 3rd Grade Beginning Strings performed on Thursday, January 23rd under the direction of Ms. Jane Minnis.

The Ox Ridge Beginning String Showcase took place on January 29th under the direction of Mr. Dylan Spielvogel.

The Royle School 4th grade flutes presented their first public performance performing "Good King Wenceslas." Our Royle Band Director is Mr. Matt Curley.

Holmes School 3rd Grade string instructor. Ms. Dawn Hanley leads her beginning string students in their first concert presentation on Friday, January 31st.