Musicians & Music

Meet the extraordinary men and women of Northshore Concert Band who have dedicated their lives to making music!

MELANIE PAULSEN

Melanie plays the French Horn and has been with the Northshore Concert Band since 2017. She is a music educator and lives in St. Charles.

When and why did you start playing?  I started playing in 5th grade because I wanted to be cool and play an instrument like my sister.

What do you enjoy most about playing?  It helps me take a step back and forget about my problems. And also it’s really fun to play “adult” music after teaching elementary music all day.

Do you have a favorite musical memory?  My first warm-up in my college concert band.

What are your musical influences?  Being the best teacher I can be to my students, and keeping my passion for music alive.

Who was your most influential music teacher?  My grandma was my piano teacher. She started it all and even as an 87 year old Alzheimer’s sufferer in a nursing home, can play pretty much anything from memory and on command.

Does anyone in your family play music?  My grandma, my mom and my sister

What’s on your iPod?  Basically anything and everything. I LOVE Taylor Swift! (#sorrynotsorry)

Do you have any advice for young musicians?  You will never regret the decision to pick up a musical instrument.

What makes performing with Northshore Concert Band different than performing with other groups?  It really makes me a better musician!

List three words to describe the Northshore Concert Band.  Intense, incredible, fun

Please add anything else that you would like our audience to know about you.  I grew up on a farm in Iowa, and my parents’ cattle population was/is probably the most cultured group of livestock ever! I used to practice my French horn outside and they were my only audience.

 

Learn more about the Northshore Concert Band at http://www.northshoreband.org

Follow this blog to receive more informative and entertaining interviews of Northshore Concert Band members in this Musicians & Music series!

The Northshore Concert Band 12th Annual Silent Auction

The Northshore Concert Band is thrilled to announce our 12th Annual Silent Auction!

Proceeds from our Silent Auction, held on Sunday February 18, 2018 in connection with our Winter concert, will benefit our Lifetime of Music education and outreach initiatives.

Our 11th annual Silent Auction, held on February 12, 2017, was a resounding success thanks to the generous support of the community, area businesses, arts organizations, band members, family members, friends, and others who support our mission!

Please consider donating to this year’s popular annual event!  Gift certificates and tickets from your business and organization will not only enable you to support the Northshore Concert Band, it will allow you to gain new business!

Our 2017 Silent Auction included items from Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, Ballet Chicago, Begyle Brewing Company, Chicago Bears, Chicago Distilling Company, Chicago Human Rhythm Project, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Chicago White Sox, Costco, Dboehm Photography, DD Guitar Studio, DePaul University Athletics, Ensemble Espanol Spanish Dance Theater, Fix This! Instrument Repair/Horn Stash, Giordano Dance Chicago, Golfsmith, Goodman Theatre, Hackney’s on Lake, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, iO Chicago, Jarosch Bakery, Lou Conte Dance Studio, Music of the Baroque, Northwestern University Athletics, Portrait Innovations, Quinlan & Fabish Music Co., Reverb.com, Shedd Aquarium, Spacca Napoli Pizzeria, The Joffrey Ballet, Weiss Ace Hardware and many generous donations from people like you!

As a thank you for your generous donation, the Northshore Concert Band would like to offer you two complimentary tickets to our Winter concert TRULY WONDERFUL THE MIND OF A CHILD IS… on February 18, 2018. We will also acknowledge your contribution in our Spring concert program book as well as on our social media channels.

Follow this link to the donation form  https://goo.gl/LDd7E

If you have any questions about what you should donate or need help with your donation, one of our Silent Auction committee members would be happy to help!

Email us at info@northshoreband.org or phone 847-432-2263.

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12th Annual Silent Auction
February 18, 2018
Pick-Staiger Concert Hall lobby, Northwestern University campus, Evanston
Bidding begins at 2:00 pm!

*There is no fee to attend the Silent Auction but a ticket is required for the concert.

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The Northshore Concert Band is a not-for-profit (501c3) organization. Donations may be eligible for a tax deduction.

 

 

Musicians & Music

Meet the extraordinary men and women of Northshore Concert Band who have dedicated their lives to making music!

SANDY ELLINGSEN

Sandy Ellingsen plays the Flute and has been with the Northshore Concert Band since 1990. She is a college education license officer and lives in Buffalo Grove.

When and why did you start playing?  When I was 10 years old (5th grade).

What do you enjoy most about playing?  The beauty and expression of music. 

Do you have a favorite musical memory?  The NSCB trip to France and a small group of us went to England on the front end.

What are your musical influences?  My parents are very musical and I had great flute teachers and band directors.

Who was your most influential music teacher?  My flute teachers and high school band director.

Does anyone in your family play music?  My Mom played clarinet and my Dad played trombone and they both still sing in a group. I have 2 boys and they play trumpet and trombone.

What’s on your iPod?  All different kinds of music.

Do you have any advice for young musicians?   Have fun and practice. Some of your best friends will be band friends.

What makes performing with Northshore Concert Band different from performing with other groups?  The talent in the group and the caliber of the performances is excellent and fun.

List three words to describe the Northshore Concert Band  Fun, excellent, friends.

 

Learn more about the Northshore Concert Band at http://www.northshoreband.org

Follow this blog to receive more informative and entertaining interviews of Northshore Concert Band members in this Musicians & Music series!

Musicians & Music

Meet the extraordinary men and women of Northshore Concert Band who have dedicated their lives to making music!

MOLLIE MCDOUGALL

Mollie McDougall plays the French Horn and has been with the Northshore Concert Band since 2005. She is a Band and Orchestra Director and lives in Evanston, Illinois.

When and why did you start playing? Syracuse, NY – my grandmother used to play piano and everyone would stand around and sing – I wanted in on the action and started playing piano when I was 6 and horn when I was 10.

What do you enjoy most about playing? I love making music with others and finding what the greater group can create together. I love my friends in the band that support me and l love learning from them and passing on what I learn to my students.

Do you have a favorite musical memory?  Playing chamber music at Sarasota Chamber Music Festival with musicians from all over the world.

What are your musical influences? Gail Williams, Greg Miller

Who was your most influential music teacher? My high school band director, Andrew Perry

Does anyone in your family play music? My sister is a singer and violinist, my grandmother was a pianist and a great music appreciator.

What’s on your iPod? EVERYTHING – U2, Jazz, Rachimoninoff, Mahler, Bach, Beatles, Death Cab for Cutie, middle school band music….

Do you have any advice for young musicians? Stick with it! It gets more and more rewarding and fun!

What makes performing with Northshore Concert Band different than performing with other groups? Amazing leadership, musicianship and friendship

List three words to describe the Northshore Concert Band. Inspiring, motivating, engaging

Please add anything else that you would like our readers to know about you.  I teach middle school band and orchestra in Highland Park and have twin 3 year olds and a golden doodle.

Learn more about the Northshore Concert Band at http://www.northshoreband.org

Follow this blog to receive more informative and entertaining interviews of Northshore Concert Band members in this Musicians & Music series!

Musicians & Music

Meet the extraordinary men and women of Northshore Concert Band who have dedicated their lives to making music!

JASON LUCKER

Jason Lucker plays the Trumpet and has been with the Northshore Concert Band since 2015. He is a Musician with the Navy Band Great Lakes and lives in Waukegan, Illinois.

When and why did you start playing? I started playing in 6th grade because all my friends were joining band, so obviously I went along with them. I chose trumpet because lf the very first note in my favorite movie at the time: Star Wars.

What do you enjoy most about playing? I love trying to evoke a real emotional response from the people who here me (hopefully a positive one, if everything goes well). Whenever I hear a great performance that truly means something to me, I am inspired to try to make my next performance of whatever I’m playing, whether it’s Sousa or Husa, just as meaningful to the audience.

Do you have a favorite musical memory?  I will never forget playing for what seemed like 2000 children at a school in Manila, Philippines. We played a mix of pop tunes, jazz, classical pieces, and American marches, as well as a couple of Tagalog songs. But no matter what we played, the kids and their teachers gave a great response, smiling, clapping along, cheering, etc. It took a full two hours to get to our changing room after the concert because they all wanted pictures and signatures afterward. The whole experience was incredible.

What are your musical influences? I have many musical influences, but two stand out. First, I absolutely adore Chris Martin and everything that comes out of the end of his bell. I think his sound is the most beautiful trumpet playing I’ve ever heard. The first time I heard him play, I was in a rut when it came to my instrument, and I was entirely ready to give up and move on to other things. But Chris’s sound with the CSO brass section inspired me to get back in the practice room and never turn back. And having gotten to meet him after a NCB concert, he’s a great guy in person, too. Second is one of my best friends and my personal mentor, a middle/high school band director in a small school in Indiana. I’ve never met anyone who cared about or put so much of themselves into their daily job as her and if I can reach even a fraction of that amount of dedication to my instrument and my career, I will consider my efforts a success.

Who was your most influential music teacher? Dr. Robert Grechesky, former director of bands at Butler University. Not only did I learn a great deal about conducting from him, but I learned how to love band music under his baton. Before studying at Butler, I was very much an orchestra snob and thought little of wind bands and wind band music. But it’s literally impossible to dislike band working with a man like Dr. Grechesky and I’m very grateful for getting to work with him.

Does anyone in your family play music? Not in my immediate family. I have a cousin with a doctorate in church music who plays organ very well, but I don’t see him much.

What’s on your iPod? Literally everything from Ludacris to to Sibelius. Because I’m required to play a wide range of musical styles for work, I listen to just about everything so I can have a good grasp of what I should sound like. Plus, it’s easier to like what I’m playing if I can learn to find something to like when listening to it.

Do you have any advice for young musicians? You do not have to practice on days that you do not eat. That is not an excuse to choose not to eat.

What makes performing with Northshore Concert Band different than performing with other groups? Everyone in the group is there because they want to be. And because the musical expectations are set high by Dr. Thompson, everyone works hard to be prepared for our rehearsals and concerts.

List three words to describe the Northshore Concert Band. Fun. Dedicated. Engaged.

Learn more about the Northshore Concert Band at http://www.northshoreband.org

Follow this blog to receive more informative and entertaining interviews of Northshore Concert Band members in this Musicians & Music series!

Peter Lograsso: Fiddler on the Loose!

Our Spring concert, Giving Voice to the Silenced, honors Holocaust Remembrance Day and Earth Day through a musical program that offers a story of vitality, loss, contemplation, and possibility.

The centerpiece of the first half of this program is a specially constructed “Remembrance Suite” that includes Jack Stamp’s Scenes from Terezin, which is based upon the poems of Ava Scholsova and Fronta Bas, both of whom died in the Auschwitz concentration camp.  Our Suite also includes John William’s dramatic Theme from Schindler’s List, which features one of our own members, Peter Lograsso, on violin.

Peter, an orchestra director, has played the tuba with the Northshore Concert Band for 28 years.

We asked him share his thoughts on playing both the violin and the tuba.

The violin is actually my major instrument, not the tuba. I started playing the violin in first grade after hearing a performance by members of the Cleveland Orchestra at my elementary school. Shortly after that my parents enrolled me in a Suzuki violin program at our church. It wasn’t until the 5th grade that band lessons were offered at my school. I started learning the trumpet so I could be in the band with all my friends. During my years in school I played the french horn, trombone, and eventually the tuba. My band director needed someone to play the tuba and I figured, why not?

I’ve always enjoyed the dichotomy of playing the violin and the tuba. The two instruments play such different roles in an ensemble. As a music educator, I really feel that my experience with both instruments has helped me develop a deeper appreciation and understanding of the importance of every section of the band or orchestra. The violin is the soprano, the “diva” of the orchestra. In an orchestra the violin carries the melody the majority of the time, much like the flutes and clarinets in a band. The tuba is the bass, the “rock.” It provides the fundamental sound that everyone else must listen to and build upon.

I always ask my orchestra students, “What is the most important instrument in the orchestra?” Their answer is almost always the violin. I say to them “No, the violins just think they’re the most important!” It’s the bass that is the most vital instrument of all. Without a strong, stable foundation, you won’t have a strong ensemble.

We also asked Peter to share this thoughts on performing a solo with the Northshore Concert Band.

It’s a real thrill to play a solo with the Northshore Band. This is the second time that I’ve had the opportunity. In the Summer of 2001 the band toured the South of France and I played “Highlights from Fiddler on the Roof.”

I have such respect and admiration for all of my colleagues in the Northshore Band. I’ve been a member of the band for my entire adult life. John Paynter invited me to join the tuba section right after I graduated from Northwestern, and I’ve been here ever since.

Many of the closest friends in my life are members of the Northshore Band. We make music together every Wednesday night, but we share so much more.

Don’t miss Peter Lograsso’s solo violin performance during Giving Voice to the Silenced, 3:00 pm April 23, 2017 concert at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall on the beautiful Northwestern University campus in Evanston, Illinois.

Be sure to check out Peter in the NCB Tuba’s “Baseball Card” in the Giving Voice to the Silenced concert program book (pp 23-24)!

Hear the Music. See the Music. Feel the Music.

When you go to a concert hall you will hear the music, you will see the music and you will feel it come alive!

It is important that children develop an appreciation of the arts!  It develops their language and listening skills, increases their attentions span, and teaches them creativity, discipline and self-esteem. Taking children to live concerts helps them gain an appreciation for music. They are given the opportunity to see musicians that love performing music! There is an “event” quality to a live concert at a concert hall that children realize and appreciate.

The Lifetime of Music event, now in its 15^th year, is designed to introduce young musicians to the idea that “music is for a lifetime”.  It is an extraordinary opportunity for students to gain the experience of being a part of a large symphonic sound as they join the members of the world-renowned Northshore Concert Band to perform on the stage of the Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. It is also an extraordinary opportunity for children to sit in an audience and see other children performing on stage.

“This was such an amazing experience. I truly appreciated every part and it was an honor playing with a very well-known band. It’s my dream to eventually conduct a band as great as this one. I hope to come back and perform again!”                 –Alex Damato, Lifetime of Music student, Westchester, IL

This musical performance is a highlight of every season. In this year’s concert, titled Youthful Spirit, students and band members combine to perform exuberant music that expresses a cheerful American spirit with heartfelt optimism!

“The students truly enjoyed everything about the event and were inspired by the dedication of adults to the continuation of their musical journeys.  My seniors involved in this concert expressed their interest in signing up for band in college and continuing to play in a community band in the future because of the experience they had.”   –2016 Lifetime of Music participating band director

The Northshore Concert Band has brought music to the Chicago metropolitan area for 61 years. Their engaging music education programs demonstrate to younger musicians that there are opportunities for them to play and enjoy their instruments their entire lives, regardless of whether they choose a musical vocation.

 

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Concert Information: Youthful Spirit Sunday, February 12, 2017, 3:00 pm Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, Northwestern University, 50 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston, Illinois

Ticket Information: Individual concert tickets are $20 each, seniors $15, students/children $10. Tickets are available in advance or at the box office on the day of the concert. The box office opens at 2:00 pm on the day of the concert. Online Tickets are available here.

Bring A Group! To make these unforgettable performances accessible for music lovers of all ages we offer special group rates to groups of 10 or more.  Call us at 847-432-2263 or email adam@northshoreband.org  to customize your group ticket package today!

 

Experience the Musical Excellence of Northshore Concert Band www.northshoreband.org 

info@northshoreband.org

Music Is For A Lifetime!

THE NORTHSHORE CONCERT BAND CONTINUES ITS 61ST SEASON WITH YOUTHFUL SPIRIT!

In a highlight of the season, some of the most talented young musicians in the Chicagoland area join the Northshore Concert Band for our “Lifetime of Music” program.

This Lifetime of Music concert celebrates both the youthful spirit of our student guests and that same spirit that exists in all of us. Percy Grainger toured the British countryside, collecting folk songs and preserving them on wax cylinders. His colorful masterwork, Lincolnshire Posy, is a delightful depiction of both the folk songs and personalities of the folk singers that he recorded. The students and band members combine to perform exuberant music that expresses a cheerful American spirit with heartfelt optimism!  Our popular Annual Silent Auction will be held in connection with this concert and is held in the lobby of the Pick-Staiger Concert Hall.

 

Program highlights will include:

• Stampede – Steven Bryant
• Lincolnshire Posy – Percy Grainger/ed. Frederick Fennel
• Overture to Russlan and Ludmilla –Mikhail Glinka/arr. Matt Johnston

 

Concert Information:

Youthful Spirit

Sunday, February 12, 2017 at 3:00 pm
Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, Northwestern University, 50 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston, Illinois

Ticket Information:

Individual concert tickets are $20 each, seniors (65+) $15, students/children $10.
Tickets are available in advance or at the box office on the day of the concert.

The box office opens at 2:00 pm on the day of the concert.

Music is a natural part of everyone. It creates an atmosphere of fun, interaction and excitement. That is why children are naturally drawn to it. If we nurture this ability, music will provide a lifetime of enjoyment and creativity.

 

The Northshore Concert Band 11th Annual Silent Auction

The Northshore Concert Band is thrilled to announce our 11th Annual Silent Auction!

Proceeds from our Silent Auction, held on Sunday February 12, 2017 in connection with our Winter concert Youthful Spirit, will benefit our Lifetime of Music education and outreach initiatives.

Our 10th annual Silent Auction, held on January 31, 2016, was a roaring success thanks to the generous support of the community, area businesses, arts organizations, band members, family members, friends, and others who support our mission! Please consider donating to this year’s popular annual event!  Gift certificates and tickets from your business and organization will not only enable you to support the Northshore Concert Band, it will allow you to gain new business!

Last year’s exciting auction items included a backstage tour of the Civic Opera House, a family pass to the Kohl Children’s Museum, and a day at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Sports fans were eager to bid on a variety of tickets to sporting events including the Chicago White Sox, Loyola University Chicago basketball and Northwestern University football.

Also up for bid were many amazing performance tickets including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Center and at Ravinia Festival, Chicago Sinfonietta, The Joffrey Ballet, Music of the Baroque, Giordano Dance Chicago at Harris Theater for Music and Dance, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, comedy improv, a performance at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago or the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie, a play at the Goodman Theatre or Broadway In Chicago or the opening night of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University.

There were many music-themed items as well, including dance class certificates for Lou Conte Dance Studio and American Rhythm Center, private music lessons and instrument repairs, a membership with the Old Town School of Folk Music, a unique violin art piece and a gift certificate towards the purchase of a piano. Notably, the Paynter family generously donated two pieces of music history; a John P. Paynter autographed Northwestern Wildcats album and an inscribed conducting baton used by Barbara Buehlman!

As a thank you for your generous donation, the Northshore Concert Band would like to offer you two complimentary tickets to our Winter concert Youthful Spirit on February 12, 2017. We will also acknowledge your contribution in our Spring concert program book as well as on our social media channels.

Follow this link to the donation form  https://goo.gl/LDd7E

If you have any questions about what you should donate or need help with your donation, one of our Silent Auction committee members would be happy to help!                                        Email us at info@northshoreband.org or phone 847-432-2263.

11th Annual Silent Auction
February 12, 2017
Pick-Staiger Concert Hall lobby, Northwestern University campus, Evanston
Bidding begins at 2:00 pm!

The Northshore Concert Band is a not-for-profit (501c3) organization. Donations may be eligible for a tax deduction.

Thank you for supporting the Northshore Concert Band!

Learn more about the Northshore Concert Band at http://www.northshoreband.org

Follow this blog to receive the most up-to-date Northshore Concert Band news including  informative entertaining interviews of NCB musicians!

Make a Difference This Holiday Season!

Charitable giving  continues its upward trend!  This increase is testament to the growing role that charitable organizations play in our society.Make a difference this holiday season by giving to the Northshore Concert Band!

Here are 9 positive effects of giving.

1. You Will Feel Good!

Donating money makes you feel better.  It makes you realize that even if you don’t have much, you have enough to share with others.  A Harvard Business School study suggests that giving to others is directly correlated with an increased sense of happiness.

2.You Will Help Those In Need!

When you donate to charities that truly make a difference, you will feel the satisfaction that only giving can bring.  You will know that your donation has made a positive impact on that organization and the lives that it touches.

3. You Will Be A Part Of Something Bigger!

Even if you are only able to donate a small amount of money, your gift will be joined with the gifts of others and become something much bigger! A small donation really can make a big difference!

4. You Will Get a Tax Deduction!

A gift to a qualified charitable organization may entitle you to a charitable contribution deduction against your income tax if you itemize deductions. Be sure to consult your tax advisor for the federal, state, and local tax consequences of a charitable contribution.

5. You Can Support Something That is Close to Your Heart!

Everyone is passionate about something.  Making a donation to an organization that inspires you shows your support of their efforts and of their mission. Supporting a cause can give your life a greater purpose. This is one of the most valuable aspects of charitable giving. Everyone needs passion in their life.

6. Your Support Will Set An Example

Donating to a charitable organization shows everyone that you want to make the world a better place.  It will set an example to your children, grandchildren, friends and family and instill in them a desire to share and serve.  Those around you will be inspired and influenced by your generosity.

7. You Can Honor A Loved One

Making a financial contribution is an excellent way to honor someone in your life or to celebrate the memory of someone who has passed.

8. Your Generosity is Valued

Donors truly make a difference!  You can not underestimate how important you are to the organizations that you support. The financial generosity of individuals like you makes our many musical and educational activities possible.

9. You Can Donate Today!

While the act of giving is immediate, your relationship with the organizations that you support will be long-term!

Please make a generous contribution to the Northshore Concert Band so the music will continue to inspire, engage, and excite our audiences.  Your support in any amount is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for joining us in ensuring the ongoing success of the Northshore Concert Band.