NOLA 2012... A look back

With another New Orleans working trip coming up for the jazz program, here's a little reminder of the last trip.A look back NOLA 2012

Check out this note from Amy Jurczak about what it's like to play in the Iowa Hawkeye marching band!
http://tlzbb.blogspot.com/p/overheard.html

Jazz This Year!

This year's jazz concerts are December 3rd, February  26, and May 18. All concerts start at 7:30PM.
The jazz ensembles will also participate in the Northshore Jazz Festival at Glenbrook South on January 24th and the Rolling Meadows Jazz Festival on February 28. The Rolling Meadows Jazz fest will feature the Gordon Goodwin Big Phat Band and all parents and even non-jazz students are encouraged to attend!


In addition, from March 21-27, the jazz ensembles will be traveling to New Orleans to do some performing and community work, building homes and working on home improvement projects for local residents. This effort is made possible to HisHands2Go, a New Orleans Charity. If you would like to help out in some way, please contact Mr. Thompson.

Band Camp 2015

Mark your calendars. Band camp 2015 is scheduled for August 5-7, 2015 at Carthage College. We want everyone there-schedule your vacation another time if you can!
Thanks!

Crazy start to the year!!!

       The fall has flown by due to the wonderful home football schedule we had this year. Thanks to all the hard work and dedication of the students, our shows have still be effective and hopefully enjoyable. We finish our Marching season a week from tomorrow with a final tribute to the movies and the 15th annual version of the "Band dance." Can't wait!


       Today also marked the start of the Poinsettia and Turkey fundraisers. Who doesn't need both!


Next up is the always popular Band-O-Rama Concert on October 9th. This is a great concert to bring friends and family to. It's your chance to hear the marching band up close and personal, plus see the guard in action.


       With the end of marching season comes auditions for chair placement in concert bands. Everyone should be practicing and getting ready to show their best!


What a great privilege it is to be your band director and share great music with you!

Jazz Concerts 2013-2014 Recording Compilation

Band Concerts 2013-2014 compilation recordings

2013-2014 Pictures-Compilation

New LZ Band Alumni!

CONGRATS SENIORS 2014!!! Thanks for a GREAT 4 years!

http://tlzbb.blogspot.com/p/band-alumni.html

Leadership Application online form-Active

Marching band leadership applications are online this year. Please submit the application by Monday, May 12 at 3:30.
Thanks!

MB Leader App 2014

Senior Plans!!!

Seniors,
We want to know your plans for next year. Please click below and fill out the form before May 1.


Thanks!


Senior Plans 2014

Rough Sound from March 6 Band Concert

Here's Rough sound from our concert last night... Enjoy!


Concert Band
https://soundcloud.com/papajazz1973/concert-band-concert-march-6


Symphonic Band
https://soundcloud.com/papajazz1973/lake-zurich-hs-symphonic-band


Wind Ensemble
https://soundcloud.com/papajazz1973/lake-zurich-hs-wind-ensemble

Composer to visit LZ wind ensemble

Next Tuesday, composers Jess Langston turner will be working with the lake Zurich wind ensemble. Mr. Turner composed a piece for the consortium for the advancement of wind band literature, of which lake Zurich is one of huge 10 members. Each year a new composer is chosen to compose a piece for the group of schools.

This year is piece entitled Noche Triste is an exciting work that will be premiered at the annual lake Zurich wind ensemble invitational concert on.March 14. We look forward to learning a lot more about the composers intent and really working to play it the way he wanted it to sound. This will be a great chance for the band to see what it's like to compose new music and be part of the first performance of a new piece. For more information on the consortium, visit

http://tlzbb.blogspot.com/p/new-music-commissions.html

For more info on mr. Turner see his website at http://bluejaywaymusic.com

Concerts on the horizon

Next Wednesday is our February jazz concert. Lots of great jazz in store for you. Hope you can join us at 7:30 in the PAC. Both jazz ensembles will be playing as well as our jazz combo. Don't miss it!

Another Madrid article!

From a couple days ago...

http://lakezurich.suntimes.com/news/madrid-LZC-01162014:article

We also have a group of students going to present at next Thursdays board meeting about the trip.

Jazz Bands to Jazz in the Meadows Tomorrow

Both Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Lab band will be performing at the Rolling Meadows Jazz festival. This is Lake Zurich's 17th straight year participating in the festival. A LZHS jazz combo will also be performing at 9AM.  Jazz Lab band will perform at 1:30PM in the Women's Gym and Jazz Ensemble will be at 3:00 in the field house. For more info check out their website: http://rmhsmusicboosters.com/?page_id=1987


Anyone is welcome to attend-we'd love to see you there!

Wind Ensemble recordings from today

Here's our Recordings for today:
Holst
https://soundcloud.com/papajazz1973/holst-2nd-day-mixdown
Some things you'll hear-first sounds lack clarity...


Hounds:
https://soundcloud.com/papajazz1973/2nd-day-hounds-mixdown
You'll notice issues where percussion doesn't line up with the band. Areas in the slow part where the 2 melodic lines are fighting each other rather than listening to each other.


We'll try these both one more time tomorrow.
Neither of these are bad, but if you will listen, you'll hear what can improve...


Thanks!
T

Band Concert Coming! Educate Yourself!!!

Dear parents,
       Have you ever sat in a concert struggling to stay awake? Perhaps when your child plays its easier to stomach, but the music all starts to sound the same after a while. Each person's experience with classical and/or band music will make the concert different, but I can't tell you how many times I've fallen asleep listening to classical music and I'm a trained musician.


       I have a theory, and I've seen this proven MANY times. The reason we get bored is that we don' know what we are listening to. When we were in Spain at the Prado museum, I watched our high schools students walking around listening to the guide, absolutely captivated by what they were seeing. That doesn't ever happen to me when I just walk around a museum by myself. The reason was that the guide was showing them what to look at, adding historical perspective, training them to see the art in a new way.


       That being said, I want to put a challenge to you. This next concert, I want to ask you to prepare yourself for the concert and see if the experience isn't at least a little better for you. We've done this with the students and we see that their concert experience is vastly improved.  I want to ask you to watch/listen to the links below. I realize that this may take some time, but you have 3 weeks before the concert so you can take your time to get through them.  Of course, the more you listen to the recordings the more your reward-you'll get out of it what you put into it, but I know you will enjoy the concert a lot more even if you just hear them once.




Concert Band-Freshmen
On An American Spiritual-David Holsinger
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAQ7HY_QQI8&feature=kp


Chanteys-Robert Sheldon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dS7_JJX6by0
Folk Dances-Dmitri Shostakovich
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOhQBfWoeX8






Symphonic Band
Sundance-Frank Ticheli
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWnJbVW0_NY
Arabian Dances-Brian Balmages
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVSE1DGMuUM
Kirkpatrick Fanfare-Andy Boysen Jr.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-YFJBhotB0




Wind Ensemble
Hounds of Spring-Alfred Reed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AKOu8NODUs
The King of Love My Shepherd Is-Jess Turner
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zb25uwlOudE
Relentless-Andy Boysen Jr.
Recording to come!!!


As we get even closer to the concert, we'll try to send out some program notes on each piece so you can even better be prepared for the music you'll hear. I hope you try this!! You'll be surprised at the outcome!

All-Staters 2014

Congrats to our All-Staters, who leave today for the Convention in Peoria!


Flute-Katie Brown
Eb Clarinet-Megan Holbrook
Jazz Tenor Sax-Alex Pontious
Future Music Educator-Kaylie Rosenkranz
All-State Composition Award Winner-Casey Dahl


This is an incredible achievement. Good luck and MAKE US PROUD!!

Pics from Chicago thanksgiving parade.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cfaevents/with/11306317495/

This is a flickr feed from the parade association..

Enjoy.  There are a good 25 shots of the band or more.

       

Band Camp 2014 Dates

Band Camp Dates are set for August 6-8 back at Carthage College in Kenosha. Please set these dates aside and they are critical to our success each year. Percussion will also be in the Wed/Thur/Mon/Tues prior to camp. and Freshmen will have marching clinics on the Thurs/Mon prior to camp.