Established in the fall of 1964, Community High School District 99 Downers Grove South High School is located in DuPage County, 30 miles southwest of Chicago's Magnificent Mile.
The Fine Arts Department currently has six music faculty, a staff accompanist and numerous instrumental and vocal private teachers. More than 600 student musicians participate in band, orchestra and choir on a daily basis. Nearly 200 student musicians study guitar, pop music, and digital music on a daily basis. More than 500 student artists study 2D and 3D visual art on a daily basis. In total, just over 60 percent of the Downers Grove South student population will study either art or music in the course of a school year.
“Igniting a passion in the arts for every learner” is the vision for the Fine Arts Department at Downers Grove South High School. In 1992, the department received the “Outstanding Total Music Program” Award from the Illinois Music Education Association (IMEA). The department also received a 1999 “Grammy in Our Schools” Award as one of the top 250 high school music departments in the country.
The quality of education and opportunity at South can be found in every corner of the Fine Arts Department, within our classrooms and beyond, including these activities and awards during the 2011-2012 school year:
Student Artistic Participation in our Local Community
• D99/WPL Art Show
• Jazz at Fishel Park
• Darien and Downers Grove Independence Day Parades
• Woodridge and Downers Grove Memorial Day Ceremonies
• Village of Downers Grove Tree Lighting Ceremony
• Holiday performances at civic organization meetings
• Emerging Artist Exhibition
• Middle School Choral Festival
• Wind Ensemble Invitational
• Jazz Café
• Choir Show for Sender Schools
• Cross Town Classic combined National Anthem
• Student vocalists perform National Anthem at athletic events
• Student Handbook Designs and Artwork
Student Artistic Participation in our Broader Community
• Jazz Showcase performance
• Chicago Jazz Festival performance
• Symphony Center performance
• 2012 Scholastics Art Show Regional Exhibit (co-hosted)
Student Recognition at a Regional Level
• 56 Gold Key Awards
• 28 Silver Key Awards
• 45 Honorable Mention Awards
• 54 IMEA District Musicians (hosted band, choir and orchestra festival)
• Fremd 4x5 Show – 2nd and 3rd place category awards
• Elmhurst Art Museum Portfolio Show – 2 artists exhibited
Student Recognition at a State Level
• 14 student musicians accepted into IMEA All-State Ensembles
• Marching Mustangs 4th place at ISU Marching Band Championships
• Wind Ensemble performs at IMEC and at U of I Superstate
• American Vision Award Nominee
Student Recognition at a National/International Level
• National Scholastics Awards – one Gold medal, one Silver medal
• Jazz Ensemble at the 65th Midwest Clinic
Expanding the Boundaries of the Classroom
Bringing in outside experts:
Tom Garling, Tierra Negra, The Other Guys, WMU Jazz Nonette, John Mackey, Gaudete Brass, Muriel Anderson, Tierra Negra, Barrage, Cheryl Frazes and the CCPA Chorus
Experiences Outside the Walls of South High School
• Milliken University
• Roosevelt University
• RAKU Day
• West Suburban Arts Leadership Day
• Rome, Italy
• Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany
• Photo Field Trips to Chicago
Student Artistic Participation in our Local Community
• D99/WPL Art Show
• Jazz at Fishel Park
• Darien and Downers Grove Independence Day Parades
• Woodridge and Downers Grove Memorial Day Ceremonies
• Village of Downers Grove Tree Lighting Ceremony
• Holiday performances at civic organization meetings
• Emerging Artist Exhibition
• Middle School Choral Festival
• Wind Ensemble Invitational
• Jazz Café
• Choir Show for Sender Schools
• Cross Town Classic combined National Anthem
• Student vocalists perform National Anthem at athletic events
• Student Handbook Designs and Artwork
Student Artistic Participation in our Broader Community
• Jazz Showcase performance
• Chicago Jazz Festival performance
• Symphony Center performance
• 2012 Scholastics Art Show Regional Exhibit (co-hosted)
Student Recognition at a Regional Level
• 56 Gold Key Awards
• 28 Silver Key Awards
• 45 Honorable Mention Awards
• 54 IMEA District Musicians (hosted band, choir and orchestra festival)
• Fremd 4x5 Show – 2nd and 3rd place category awards
• Elmhurst Art Museum Portfolio Show – 2 artists exhibited
Student Recognition at a State Level
• 14 student musicians accepted into IMEA All-State Ensembles
• Marching Mustangs 4th place at ISU Marching Band Championships
• Wind Ensemble performs at IMEC and at U of I Superstate
• American Vision Award Nominee
Student Recognition at a National/International Level
• National Scholastics Awards – one Gold medal, one Silver medal
• Jazz Ensemble at the 65th Midwest Clinic
Expanding the Boundaries of the Classroom
Bringing in outside experts:
Tom Garling, Tierra Negra, The Other Guys, WMU Jazz Nonette, John Mackey, Gaudete Brass, Muriel Anderson, Tierra Negra, Barrage, Cheryl Frazes and the CCPA Chorus
Experiences Outside the Walls of South High School
• Milliken University
• Roosevelt University
• RAKU Day
• West Suburban Arts Leadership Day
• Rome, Italy
• Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany
• Photo Field Trips to Chicago
