Congratulations to members of the MIC Advanced Trumpet Trio, Filip Czarkowski, John Kinne, and Victoria Seliger, who performed with outstanding high school brass players from the greater Chicago area at Northeastern Illinois University’s Festival Brass on November 24th, 2014. Momoko Hasselbring, former Brass for Beginners™ student and current Sophomore French horn player at E.T.H.S. participated as well, and they all received a glowing report from NEIU’s Associate Professor of Trumpet, Dr. Travis Heath. More will be posted on the Chicago Brass Festival’s Facebook page in the coming days. You can see two videos posted on youtube by clicking here, and here.

Congrats!

Last summer, in July 2014, Angelina Escobar was selected to perform as soloist with the New Horizons Band under the direction of Paul Hefner at the Music Institute of Chicago. She performed Trumpeter’s Lullaby by Leroy Anderson, and her parents were kind enough to provide a video recording to share. Angelina is currently a freshman at ETHS performing in the Concert Band.  Congrats Angelina!

Many thanks to members of the MIC Natural Trumpet Ensembles for their performance at tonight’s Gala Fundraiser for the Music Institute of Chicago at the Four Season’s Hotel in downtown Chicago. The trumpeters ushered guests of the Gala into the ballroom before dinner- a welcome fit for a king! Enjoy some video and photos from the event.

Left to Right: Alex Wenzel, Jerry Sun, John Kinne, Michael Werner, Jefferson Wenzel, Charlie Clarke, Sawyer Lindland, Sasha Boutilier, and Director Chris Hasselbring

Michael was a finalist for the 12th Annual Jazz Improvisation Competition presented by the Union League Civic and Arts Foundation in February 2012. The final round was held at the Buddy Guy’s Legends blues club and Michael (youngest performer) finished third in his age group, winning $900 and the opportunity to play gigs in Chicago from March until next February with the other finalists.
In January Michael was named an Outstanding Soloist at the Purdue University Jazz Festival, and earned a scholarship to the 2013 Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshop at the University of Louisville,KY.
This past fall Michael was the first place winner in the Music Institutes’  Billy Strayhorn Songwriting Competition which was part of MIC’s three day jazz festival. His original composition, entitled “Battle Cry” was performed by a group of professional musicians during the final concert of the festival.  He won a $500 MIC scholarship. Also last fall, as a musician from Evanston Township High School Michael was named an All-District winner by the IMEA (Illinois Music Educators Association) and performed in the All-District jazz band at the Jazz Festival held at Lake Zurich High School.
Congrats Michael!

Michael at the 2013 ETHS Jazz Festival

Congratulations on a wonderful performance of J.S. Bach’s Fugue in G-Major by the MIC Intermediate Trumpet Ensemble at last Saturday’s Chicago Brass Festival!

Left to Right: Jefferson Wenzel, Charlie Clarke, Alex Wenzel, and Jerry Sun