5.16.2022

MW/D62 Graduate Art Show on Display at the Des Plaines Public Library #207Now #art #arteducation @mainewestart @lahartanddesign2

Head on over to the Des Plaines Public Library May 16-25, 2022 to see the District 62 & Maine West GRADUATE SHOW, an art show showcasing work by 8th & 12th grade graduating students! More information about the show can be found at www.dppl.org












5.06.2022

Maine West Broadcasting Students Earn Awards from NATAS and MMEA! #207Now #broadcasting #mediaartseducation @wmth_mainewest

Students in Maine West's broadcasting program distinguished themselves as some of the best student broadcasters and filmmakers in the region by earning a number of awards at the Midwest Media Educators' Association (MMEA) Festival on Friday, April 29, 2022! Congratulations to all of the students on your incredible achievements! We are so proud of you!

Brooke Capper's piece, The Hope Wall, took home two awards: 

  • 1st Place and Crystal Pillar Winner from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) for Light News
  • 2nd Place News Package from the Midwest Media Educators' Association

Brooke Capper's piece, From Pain to Hope, took home 1st Place in Documentary Filmmaking from the MMEA


Ben Pluta's piece, Libraries of the Past: Terry Blue's Honor Flight, took home 3rd Place in Documentary Filmmaking from the MMEA. Ben's piece also received a NATAS nomination. 


Nitya Nair and Lindsey Kulesza's piece, How to Make a Dessert Charcuterie Board, took home 2nd Place in Demonstration Video from the MMEA.



Warrior Weekly- 4th Place News Program MMEA 
Anchors: Said Nonoal, Andrew Stutheit, Nitya Nair, Lindsey Kulesza 
Producers: Abby Wilson, Said Nonoal, Brooke Capper, Addie Webb, Ash Carmichael 
News Packages: Addie Webb, Brooke Capper, Leena Lugo, Nitya Nair, Lindsey Kulesza
Intro Video: Damian Liakopolous 
Head Editor: Sam Lightfoot 




Maine West Artist, Ash Carmichael, a Winner of Sun-Times' "The Imagination Project" Art Contest! #207Now #artcontest @Suntimes @mainewestart @lahartanddesign @mainewestfab


Ash Carmichael's piece, Spring is Near, has been named a winner of the Sun-Times' The Imagination Project art contest! 
Read the article about this contest in the Sun-Times HERE. In the article, two Chicago artists, Cheri Charlton and Molly Z., who reviewed the submissions, commented on Ash's work: Ms. Carlton said,“[Ash's] piece is an excellent example of artistic skill both technically and conceptually. I love all the attention to detail you see in the blades of grass, flowers and leaves. The storytelling is quite strong, too. We see a metaphor for the passage of time/seasons/life being created. It’s all heightened by the beautiful, atmospheric details in the sky through the way the clouds are drawn and the way light is used on the far right side of the piece.”
Molly Z. commented, “What an interesting study of the seasons, the passage of time and the beauty and uniqueness of nature! I like how [Ash] is exploring various techniques to render the details, creating both a realistic and mystic quality. This is such an amazing start at portraying how light interacts on the smallest of forms in nature.”

Congratulations, Ash! We are so proud of you!

5.05.2022

Congratulations to Band & Choir Students on a Wonderful Spring Concert! #207Now #musiceducation #musicinspires @mainewestband @mainewestchoir @wmth_mainewest @mainewesttechcrew @mainewestfab

Congratulations to the students in the Maine West band and choir programs on an incredible final concert of the school year! Each group performed with tremendous musicianship and demonstrated significant musical growth! 

All In Choir's performance brought down the house!

Will Beckman performed the 3rd movement of Rimsky-Korsakov's Trombone Concerto beautifully!

Congratulations to the Class of 2022! Mr. Gerstmayr and Mr. Schiffer honored members of the senior class, and recognized select students for their exemplary leadership and musicianship:

Semper Fidelis Award
Elena Bu & Alexis Delgado

Director's Award for Leadership in Choir
Pavlina Panagiotidis & Alexis Delgado

Louis Armstrong Jazz Award
William Beckman

National School Choral Award
Alexandra Krieger

John Phillip Sousa Award
Andrew Stutheit

Arion Award for Musical Excellence
Alexandra Krieger (Band) & Dulf Vincent Genis (Choir)

PROGRAM

Jazz Band
Theme from "Peter Gunn" by Henry Mancini, arr. Murtha
Mr. Blue Sky by Jeff Lynne, arr. Holmes
Take Five by Paul Desmond, arr. Lewis

Mixed Chorus
For Good from Wicked by Stephen Schwartz, arr. Huff
Soloists: Jaiden Maisonet, Addison Stutheit, Linzey Lucas & Irene Han

Symphonic and Concert Bands
Fanfare for a New Age by Michael Story
Happy Birthday, Ludwig! arr. Wagner
Shakespeare Meets Godzilla by Robert Buckley

All In Choir
We're Gonna Shine by Stuart Scotts and Tom Pease
Soloists: Ryan Wieczorkiewicz, Ali Krieger, Eamon McHugh & Haven Wallgren Lemmerman

Percussion Ensemble
Stool Pigeon by Julie Davila

Concert Choir
Taylor, The Latte Boy by Heisler & Goldrich, arr. Huff
Soloists: Emma Ohlson, Sage Miller, Amelia Foy & Nanty Chavez Amezcua

Percussion Techniques
Helix by Eric Rath

Chamber Choir
Somebody to Love by Freddie Mercury, arr. Emerson
Soloists: Dulf Vincent Genis, Jessica Mueller, Colin Jones, Aiden Williamson & Gabi Febus

Percussion Techniques
Mi Milagro by Ralph Hicks

Senior Choir Song
I Lived by Tedder & Noel, arr. Narverud

Jazz Band
Manteca by Dizzy Gillespie, arr. Sweeney
Angel Eyes by Matt Dennis, arr. Horney
Moanin' by Charles Mingus, arr. Homzy

Choraliers
One Call Away by Charlie Puth, arr. Sharpe
Soloists: Naomi Abraham, Alexis Delgado, Haven Wallgren Lemmerman & Ali Krieger

Wind Ensemble
Theme from "The Mandalorian" by Ludwig Goransson, arr. Murtha
Trombone Concerto in B♭ Major, III. Allegro by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, arr. Oliver
William Beckman, trombone
El Choclo (Argentine Tango) by A.G. Villoldo, arr. Longfield

Combined Choirs
We Don't Talk About Bruno by Lin-Manuel Miranda, arr. Brymer
Soloists: Alexis Diaz, Josh Hernandez, Mr. Gerstmayr, Julia Braswell & Natalia Cardona


More pictures from tonight's concert can be found HERE.

If you missed tonight's concert and would like to view it, please visit our WMTH-West YouTube Channel.

A tremendous thanks to the Maine West Fine Arts Boosters and parent volunteers for helping at tonight's concert!

Thanks to Mr. Peter McManus and the Auditorium Crew Technicians for your help with the sound and lights!

Thanks to Ms. Rebecca Orr and the WMTH crew for filming tonight's concert!







5.04.2022

You're Invited to the Final Band & Choir Concert of the Year - Tomorrow, May 5th at 7:00 p.m.! #207Now #musiceducation #concert @mainewestband @mainewestchoir @mainewestfab @mwactivities

 

Tomorrow, Thursday May 5th at 7:00 p.m. in the Maine West Auditorium, please join us for the Spring Band & Choir Concert! Admission is free.

For friends, family and fans not able to attend in person, we will have a video of the concert available on the WMTH - West YouTube Channel. Thanks to Ms. Rebecca Orr and her broadcasting team for filming the concert!

4.29.2022

Art Awards BBQ & NAHS Induction - A Wonderful Celebration of Achievement! #207Now #art #awards @mainewestart @lahartanddesign2 @mainewestfab

 


On Thursday, April 28th, Visual Art students gathered for an end-of-year celebration of achievement at the Art Awards BBQ & National Art Honor Society induction ceremony.

Students tie-dyed t-shirts and enjoyed a dinner grilled by grill master Mr. Cammarata. 
The evening ended with the acknowledgement of newly inducted members into the National Art Honors Society.
Congratulations to all of the visual art students on your achievements this year! 

A special thanks to all of the art teachers: Mr. Cammarata, Ms. Kljajic, Ms. Lahart and Ms. Lloyd for organizing this wonderful celebratory event!

More pictures from the Art Awards BBQ can be found HERE.








4.28.2022

The Des Plaines Choral Festival: A Huge Success! #207Now #62learns #choir #collab @62schools @mainewestchoir @mainewestfab

Today, Maine West welcomed over 275 singers from District 62 schools to the Des Plaines Choral Festival. The students participated in a variety of rehearsals with Mr. Jim Schiffer (Maine West's Choir Director) and with guest conductor, Dr. Jason Hawkins from Western Illinois University. 

Maine West students talked with all the District 62 students about singing at West and the opportunities they will have in high school!

The elementary choirs, middle school choirs and high school choirs all performed their own pieces, and then combined together for a massive finale, Walk Through Life by Pinkzebra. Here is a a glimpse of this finale from the rehearsal:


Thank you to all of the music teachers for collaborating and making this event happen!

More pictures from today's festival can be found HERE