Celebrating the Stars of West's Got Talent! #207Now #talent @mainewestdrama @mainewestband @mainewestchoir @mworchestras @mwraices @mw_desidhamaka

What a night to remember! The annual West's Got Talent show was a smashing success, showcasing the incredible talents of our high school students. From soulful vocal performances to jaw-dropping dance routines, the performances were filled with moments that left us all in awe.

Our students put in countless hours of practice to perfect their acts, and it showed. The dedication to their craft was evident, and we couldn't be prouder of the hard work they've put in. The talent show is more than just a stage to perform; it's a platform for our students to express themselves and share their passions with the community.

A special shoutout to the teachers and staff who helped make this event possible: David Harmon & Lisa Jacob, co-directors, Jim Schiffer, vocal director, Jennifer Mullen, music arranger and orchestra director, Peter McManus, technical director, and Bobby Bonslater, audio technical director. Your support and guidance have been instrumental to the success of West's Got Talent. 

We're also grateful to the parents and community members who came out to cheer on our performers. Your enthusiasm and applause fueled the energy in the room!

A special thanks to Pati Coy, box office manager, and the volunteers with the Maine West Fine Arts Boosters. We couldn't do it without you!

The program from the show can be found HERE.

Over 1000 photos from the show can be found HERE.

Media Career Day 2023 a Success! #207Now #mediaarts @wmth_west @mthsfoundation @wgn9chicago @mainewestfab

 

On Saturday, October 21st, Maine West students participated in the 2nd Annual Media Career Day sponsored by WMTH and the Media Arts program, organized by Ms. Rebecca Fisher and funded by the Maine Township High School Foundation!

Students toured the studio spaces, as well as the News Nation spaces, with WGN producer (and Maine West parent) Adrienne Balow. We saw several control rooms, Bozo's dressing room, editing rooms, and several studios! Students had the opportunity to watch the Saturday morning anchors record their show live. 

Upon returning to Maine West, students heard from a panel of speakers from the media industry about their experiences in their career pathways. Students heard from the following speakers: 

Adrienne Balow- Producer at WGN and Maine West Parent
Alejandro Marin- Freelance Cinematographer
Brian Swanson-  Editor

A huge thanks to Ms. Rebecca Fisher for her tremendous efforts in organizing this experience for Maine West students. 

A special thanks to Ms. Adrienne Balow for affording us access to WGN! 

Thanks to WGN for welcoming Maine West students into your studio spaces so they could experience a professional TV studio!

Thank you to the Maine Township High School Foundation for supporting this wonderful educational opportunity through your transportation grant!

Thank you to the parent chaperones who helped make the trip a success!

More pictures from the 2nd Annual Media Career Day can be found HERE.

2023 Marching Warriors Showcase #207Now #marchingband @mainewestband @mainewestfab

Tonight, the Marching Warriors performed their final official performance of the season at their indoor Marching Band Showcase concert. Our talented students showcased their skills, playing their show, The Architect, among other pop tunes and drum cadences performed throughout the season, and, of course, the Warrior Fight Song. This event was a fantastic opportunity for our students to shine and for the audience to hear just how well they play, without the external noise of wind and fans!

We are excited to build on the musical momentum as the band transitions to the remainder of their concert band programming for the year!

If you missed tonight's concert, don't fret! We have a video of the program on our WMTH YouTube Channel for you to enjoy below:

HERE is a digital copy of tonight's program.

HERE is a folder full of more pictures from tonight's concert.

Congratulations to the seniors who performed in their final Marching Band Showcase tonight! Each senior and their families were honored tonight, and exchanged flowers with their parents. 

Lastly, we had some special guests at tonight's concert! The Varsity Football team and Coach Klupchak came to the concert to support the band, and joined in the performance of the fight song!

 

Congratulations to Maine West Musicians Earning All-District Honors! #207Now #ilmea #honors @mainewestband @mainewestchoir @mworchestras @mainewestfab @mwhs207 @mwactivities

Congratulations to the student musicians from Maine West High School who earned placement, by competitive audition, into the 2023 Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA) All-District Band, Choir, Orchestra and Jazz Band. These musicians submitted audition videos to the ILMEA, which were reviewed and scored by a panel of professional musicians. The scores were then ranked, and the top scoring musicians in the region were selected for participation in the District 7 ILMEA Festival, which will be held on Saturday, November 4 at Glenbrook South High School for Band, Choir and Orchestra and on Saturday, November 18th at Lake Zurich High School for Jazz Band.

Selection to the ILMEA district honors ensembles distinguishes these musicians as some of the best musicians in the region. It is also the result of many hours of practice on the extremely challenging audition material. The Fine Arts Department is extremely proud of these musicians.

We are proud to announce this year's group of musicians who earned placement into the District 7 ILMEA Honors Ensembles:

BAND
Gemima Eyeson (12), Flute

JAZZ BAND
Georgios Panagiotidis (12), Tenor Sax

ORCHESTRA
Aaron Grata (12), Violin

CHOIR
Irene Han (11), Soprano II
Addison Stutheit (12), Alto I
Haven Wallgren-Lemmerman (12), Tenor I

Composer Dr. Sáez Speaks with Maine West Choir Students #207Now #composer #guestartist @mainewestchoir @mainewestfab

On Friday, October 13th, Maine West's Concert Choir had the opportunity to Zoom with Dr. Diana Sáez (Choral Professor at Towson University- Towson, Maryland). Dr. Sáez is a Puerto-Rican American composer. She spoke with the students about how her Latina identity plays a role in her composition work, and also discussed the diversity of Latin American choral music!

Concert Choir is currently singing one of Dr. Sáez's pieces in class-- "Plena"-- a Puerto-Rican rhythm and dance. "Plena" will be performed at our Dimensions concert next month. This year, the theme of Dimensions is Identity so there were many rich connections students were able to make to their own identities during this Zoom session. The session concluded with Maine West students singing "Plena" for Dr. Sáez! 

Thank you to choral director, Mr. Jim Schiffer, for arranging this wonderful opportunity that afforded Maine West choir students the ability to converse with a professional composer!