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D O W N E R S G R O V E M U S I C C L U B . O R G ❖ Celebrating the musical arts since 1927
DGMC rings in the New Year with virtual concerts Finally, we can say goodbye to 2020! Each of us faced unprecedented challenges that truly reshaped our focus and
priorities. Like other organizations, the Downers Grove Music Club found new ways to connect with our members and
friends so we could continue our mission to advance the musical arts and support student music education in our
community. Due to the pandemic, we tailored our
approach to conduct club activities and engage our
community by entirely virtual means.
Even though in-person contact has not been
possible, we are pleased that we still awarded the
full complement of student music awards last year,
hosted a dozen streamed music performances,
held our Fall Benefit Concert online, published and
distributed our print newsletters, posted a number
of articles on our blog webpage and engaged our
members and friends via Facebook, among other
accomplishments.
As we move into the new year, we look forward to
a time we can see each other face-to-face and share our passion for music together as a community. Connect with us
today through membership and also share what’s on your mind through email, our website contact form, or via
Facebook. You can also leave a comment at our online concerts. We’d love to hear from you.
Piano Festival & Competition
Due to Covid-19, the Piano Festival and Competition will
be a virtual event this year conducted entirely online. The
date of the Festival & Competition remains the same,
March 7, 2021. The Honors Recital is scheduled for March
21, 2021 and will also be online. Complete Entry
Requirements and the List of Required Compositions are
posted on the website (downersgrovemusicclub.org).
Online registrations will be open through February 7,
2021. Please follow the new procedures for student
submission of video performances posted on the DGMC
website. In particular, note that videos are due by noon on
March 7th. All students who take part will be evaluated by
experienced judges and will receive constructive written
critiques soon after the video submission deadline.
Students who attain a high level of excellence will have
their performances showcased in a virtual honors recital
event held online. Cash prizes will be awarded to the first
and second place winners of the students who enter at
the competition level.
Vol. 29 No. 2 Downers Grove Music Club Newsletter January 2021
Fostering a vibrant musical arts community through free public concerts, student education programs, and making investments
that strengthen musical arts development in our schools and community.
Applications due: February 7, 2021 (no extensions!)
Video submission deadline: Sunday at noon, March 7, 2021
Virtual Honors Recital (selected students): Sunday, March
21, 2021
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D O W N E R S G R O V E M U S I C C L U B . O R G ❖ Celebrating the musical arts since 1927
The Student
Music Awards
Benefit Video
Concert features
works by
Debussy, J.S.
Bach, Beethoven,
and Handel, as
well as
appearances
from past
student award
winners.
Student Music Awards Applications for the Rising Star, College Music and
Elementary and Middle School (Private Lesson) awards are
now open for the 2021 season. Applications must be
completed on-line. Registration forms are found under the
Education menu tab on the DGMC website.
Each spring, the Music Club presents cash awards to
deserving music students attending a District 99 high
school. Winners are chosen from applicants based on their
musical ability and willingness to share their talent with
our community.
Applications must be completed by April 1st. The music
awards are funded by our benefit concerts, which are
always well supported by friends and members of DGMC
who give generously to our education mission.
100% of the proceeds from our benefit concerts and
donations go towards the awards. In addition, all
musicians who perform for the benefit concert donate
their time.
DGMC gives out up to six $400 Rising Star awards to
underclassmen attending a District 99 high school. We
give out at least one $1,000 College Music Award to a
senior who is planning to attend college in the fall
following graduation. Thanks to the Shelby Bulut
Memorial Fund, DGMC also presents multiple Private
Lesson Awards to 5th –7th grade students enrolled in the
Orchestra program in District 58. These awards, which
cover the cost of 12 lessons, are given to students who
have never had private string lessons but are judged to be
very motivated to take advantage of more instruction.
More information about the music education awards may
be found on our website.
Fall Benefit Concert Our first virtual Benefit Concert was held on November
29th. The streamed video event featured performances by
Chris Garofalo (piano), Dan Moroz (saxophone), Eric Pidluski
(violin) and Ethan Weingust (piano). In addition, former
DGMC student award winners Jack Sifuentes, Kristina
Mucha and Diana Kwak made appearances to describe
how the music awards helped further their music
aspirations. Proceeds to date from this event, the first of
two benefit concerts this season, have reached $1480.
As a virtual event held online, you can still view the
performance online and support the benefit with a
donation. 100% of the proceeds raised by the concert are
used to fund the Rising Star and College Music Awards,
which are competitively awarded each year to talented
local high school music students. We hope the wonderful
music of this benefit concert will inspire you to make a
generous donation in support of student music education
in our local community.
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D O W N E R S G R O V E M U S I C C L U B . O R G ❖ Celebrating the musical arts since 1927
UPCOMING VIRTUAL EVENTS FROM THE 2020-2021 CONCERT SERIES
Check the DGMC website for the latest event schedule developments and concert web links.
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D O W N E R S G R O V E M U S I C C L U B . O R G ❖ Celebrating the musical arts since 1927
Sunday, January 24, 2021 — Natasia Preys
performing her composition "Darr" — streamed
event
Listen to the performance that won 1st place in the
national Thanksgiving Online Piano Competition
2020. There is no doubt why Natasia won this
award!
Sunday, January 31, 2021 — Louise Kelly
performing her composition "We Belong to the
Earth" — streamed event
What a lovely thought as we start the new year.
Performing with Louise are Dorothy Deen (cello),
Kelly Jozwiak (violin), Marie Bennett (flute), Jack
Murray (bass), Scott Liebenow (drums).
Sunday, February 7, 2021 — Chris Garofalo
performing Duke Ellington’s “Reflections in D” —
streamed event
Piano Reflections (1953) is considered the most
important recording by Jazz legend Duke Ellington as
a pianist. Chris Garofalo performs the piece
“Reflections in D” from this album.
Sunday, February 14, 2021 — The Korbitz family
performing Carulli’s “Duo No. 1 for Violin and
Guitar” and Holst’s “Four Songs for Voice and
Violin” — streamed event
Here again is violinist Amelia Korbitz, who won both
a Rising Star and College Music Award, as she plays
two more selections – Ferdinando Carulli's Duo No. 1
with her father, Ron Korbitz, and Gustav Holst’s
“Four Songs for Voice and Violin” with her mother,
Angela Presutti Korbitz.
2021 Piano Festival & Competition — streamed
event
Noon on March 7, 2021: video submission deadline
Well-established, adjudicated event open to piano
students in Downers Grove and its surrounding
communities. This will be an online event.
Piano Festival Honors Recital
Sunday, March 21, 2021 — streamed event
Online recital featuring the piano students who
excelled at the 2021 Piano Festival and Competition.
Spring Benefit Concert
April 16, 2021 — streamed event
Our second fundraising event for the 2020-2021
season. All proceeds are used to fund our student
music awards given to talented local high school
music students. This will be an online event.
Rising Stars Concert
Month of April 2021 — streamed event
This wonderful concert featuring 2020 Rising Star
recipients, will be an online event with performances
distributed on Sundays during the month of April.
Additional concerts and events may be added in the future. Check the DGMC website for the
latest developments. It is also hoped that in-person events will resume during the 2021 calendar
year once it is safe to do so; however, we will continue to offer web-based concerts until then.
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D O W N E R S G R O V E M U S I C C L U B . O R G ❖ Celebrating the musical arts since 1927
Musicians for Hire
DGMC is pleased to announce a
new initiative, Musicians for Hire
– a great way to find quality
music for your event while
supporting our local artists.
Need music for a private party,
corporate function, wedding,
church service or other event? Musicians for Hire can
help you find talented performers for your function
that offer music in a wide array of styles, from classical
to standards to jazz and contemporary.
Note that fees are negotiated between
you and the musicians and that DGMC
receives no compensation from either the
client or the performer. We are compiling
this directory as a service to the
community but make no representations
of the listed musicians. However, all
musicians are current members of DGMC who have
performed at our public concerts.
Contact us if you are a DGMC member musician or group
interested in being listed.
ORGANIZATIONS and EVENTS Many of the following organizations are now offering streaming events. Check the indicated sources for details.
Downers Grove Choral Society: begins its 62nd season. For more information, visit www.dgcs.org.
Grant Street String Quartet: This quartet was formed in 2010 by four professional musicians in the
western suburban area of Chicago. For more info, visit http://www.grantstreetstringquartet.weebly.com.
PianoForte Studios: Thomas Zoells, Director, and Owner of the PianoForte Chicago piano store.
Visit https://pianofortechicago.com/concerts-events/ for information on upcoming piano concerts at the
PianoForte Studios, 1335 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago. You can also call for information at (312) 291-0000.
Sinfonietta Bel Canto: with Dan Pasquale D’Andrea, Artistic Director/Conductor. For more information,
please visit www.SinfoniettaBelCanto.org or call 630-384-5007.
Spirito! Singers: offers young singers between 5th – 12th grades the opportunity to learn and grow
through exceptional vocal and musicianship training, discipline and performance. For more info, visit
www.spiritosingers.org .
West Towns Chorus: Chartered in 1948, the group is one of the premier men’s a cappella choruses in the
Chicago area. More information is available at www.westtowns.org.