Hindley pianist Christopher Li to perform at Carnegie Hall
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Hindley 4th grader Christopher Li won first prize at the Suzanne Curley 2022 piano competition! Christopher will perform at The Winners Recital and Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, June 29th, 7:30pm at Carnegie Hall. Congratulation to Christopher and his family and teachers!
DHS Band receives $5,000 donation
Jon Grauer conducts the DHS Wind Ensemble playing
the Ukrainian National Anthem
DHS band parent Erica Higgins saw a video of the DHS Wind Ensemble playing the Ukrainian National Anthem in an issue of DHS Happenings. She forwarded the video to her friend Suzanne Johnson, who is Ukrainian American. Suzanne was so moved by the video that she and her husband Ambassador Robert Wood Johnson made a $5,000 donation to Darien Music for Youth for the benefit of the Darien Band Program.
As music educators, we believe it is vitally important to teach students to use music as a way to connect people. "When I pick music for the kids to play I try to explain why I pick certain pieces," said Jonathan Grauer, DHS Band Director. "There is a lot of craziness in the world but I feel music is a way to connect. We played the Oxford High fight song in our winter concert after that tragic events this past November and obviously with what is happening in Ukraine I wanted to find a way to connect with the citizens of Ukraine." Music for Youth co-presidents, Tammy Sload and Irene Trautman, will work with Darien Director of Music Colleen Thompson and Mr. Grauer to determine how the donation will be used. Said Grauer, "We want to use the donation in a meaningful way that will impact band students in Darien for years to come."
Darien elementary ensembles receive superior ratings and Darien Elementary Music Festival
4th and 5th grade band, chorus and orchestra students were selected, by audition, to participate in the Darien Elementary Honors Ensembles. The ensembles performed at MMS on Saturday, June 4th for a panel of adjudicators and received superior ratings! Students celebrated with a trip to Lake Compounce. Congratulations to all involved!
Click here for performance videos from the festival!
