Fox 6 Drum Line Interview

In preparation for the Reagan Drumline's second annual performance in the MPS Battle of the Drumlines, Tony Clarke from Fox 6 stoppped by to see how things were going...

Check it out here:
http://beta.realmilwaukeenow.com/2011/tony-gives-drumming-a-try-at-ronald-reagan-high-school/

Milwaukee Holiday Parade Welcomes the Reagan High School Marching Band

The Reagan High School Marching Band made its first appearance at the Milwaukee Holiday Parade on November 19th 2011.  This televised downtown performance was a crowning achievement for the band that was formed only four months ago!  The students represented the school with tremendous pride and were glowing with excitement as they marched 75 members strong through the streets of Milwaukee.  Thankfully the weather cooperated and we made it back to Reagan in time for hot chocolate!  We look forward to making this parade an annual holiday tradition.

A Night At the Opera

This past Friday, 50 Reagan Music students attended the Puccini opera Turandot at the Performing Arts Center performed by the Florentine Opera and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. The students attended a pre-concert lecture and demonstrated excellent concert etiquette during the performance. For the majority of the students, this was their first opera and first time at the Performing Arts Center. The students were inspired by the amazing singers and instrumentalists. The students will also have an opportunity to interact with four of the singers from the performance in an exchange at Reagan later on this month.

A HUGE thanks goes out to the Florentine Opera for making it possible for these students to attend this unique event! We are excited about this new community partnership and its impact on our young Reagan musicians!

Reagan Marching Band Debuts New Uniforms at Cooper K8 Halloween Parade

On Thursday October 27th the Reagan Marching Band unvieled their new uniforms at the annual Cooper K-8 School Halloween Parade.  This parade marked the first official public performance by the marching band since its inception in August. 

Principal Jennifer Doucette presented the band with a donation for the music department and each marching band member received a tasty bag of candy from Cooper's Home and School Council.  The costumed Cooper K-8 students were excited to be led by the marching band and the Milwaukee Police Department Motorcycle Squad through the streets of the Claytown Crest neighborhood. 

We are excited to make the Cooper Parade Halloween Parade an annual tradition!

 

Wheaton Conservatory of Music Donates Folder Racks!

Thank you Wheaton Conservatory of Music and Dean Michael Wilder for your donation of folder racks to the Vera J. Zilber Music Department.  A very special thanks goes to Daniel Wilder, Dr. Wilder's son, who personally delivered the equipment from Chicago!  The racks will help our students organize their music folders and IB Developmental Work Books.
 

Seen above: Mr. Johnson shows his support for Wheaton as Mr. Murphy accepts the donated folder racks from Daniel Wilder, senior cellist at the Wheaton Conservatory of Music.

1st Annual BAND CAMP!

The Reagan High School Band under the direction of Adam Murphy and Nicholas Johnson are kicking off the school year with our first-ever Reagan Band Camp! 30 students have spent the week learning new repertoire, mastering marching steps and building community before the school year begins!

Mr. Adam Murphy shouts out marching commands during outdoor rehearsal!

Students practice basic marching steps with their instruments

The newly-formed Reagan High School Drumline is also kicking off the school year with the help of guest percussionist Bony Plog-Benavides.

EXTREME MAKEOVER: Take 2!

Last summer, 30 Reagan music students gave up a week of summer break to help renovate, clean, paint and organize the music department. Over the course of the week, previously run-down rooms transformed into beautiful spaces for music-making and learning. This summer, we spent another great week following up on projects from last summer and tackling some new projects such as:

• painting and construction on choral risers


• assembling and spray painting Wenger music chairs


• organizing music for the coming year


• assembling developmental workbooks


• wiring and cleaning practice rooms/recording studios


• and much much MORE!

Thanks to all of the students who came out to help this year!


Even our music department alumni Derrick Schaeffer and Victoria Ortiz came out to lend a helping hand!

Freshman Cassie Glad assembles music department Developmental Workbooks- an essential component of the IB Middle Years Program curriculum for the arts!

Thank you JOE VOITH!

Special thanks to the music department's "Carpenter in Residence" Joe Voith, Spanish teacher at RRHS! Over the past two years he has graciously offered to build some essential organizational tools for our music department. Last summer he built six music folder racks for our performing ensembles. This summer, he custom-built three beautiful wood guitar racks that will be the home for our new class set of guitars for music appreciation. The music department will benefit greatly from his efforts this coming year as Mr. Johnson starts a Guitar Club in the fall (more details to come). Thanks Joe!

Ruadhan Ward and Sin Nombre perform encore performance at the WSME Backyard BBQ

91.7 WMSE hosted their annual Backyard Barbeque in Cathedral Square Park on Sunday July 31st where Ruadhan Ward and Sin Nombre (Victor Jasso, Luis Jasso, Jesus Suarez, Eddy De La Torre and Alan Guerrero) performed for a crowd of fun seeking festival goers.  Our emerging student musicians performed with excellent musical taste, displayed professional musicianship and shared their delightfully honest stage presence with their enthusiastic crowd.  Congratulations to our young musicians!  We are looking forward to covering your future gigs!

Ruadhan Ward performed a collection of original songs and a tribute to the late Amy Winehouse. 

 Sin Nombre got the crowd dancing with a mix of Latin favorites and a special farewell guest appearance by Reagan Alum Emmit Williams aka Heaven's Favorite

Ruadhan Ward and Sin Nombre Perform at the East Side Green Market

Ruadhan Ward and Sin Nombre Perform performed Saturday morning at the East Side Green Market located in the Beans and Barely parking lot.  We would like to thank Todd Leech of Sweet Water Organics for organizing this wonderful performance opportunity for our talented pop musicians!

 Ruadhan performing at the East Side Green Market!

 Sin Nombre's debut public performance at Beans and Barley!

BAND CAMP! August 8th - 12th

STRIKE UP THE BAND!  

We are excited to announce that the first annual Reagan Band Camp will be August 8th - 12th from 9:00am - 12:00 Noon.  The challenge is to create a marching band in one week!  All Advanced Band students are invited to be involved in this exciting musical opportunity.

Band Camp will end with the first annual Band Picnic on August 12th from 11:00am - 1:00pm.  All Advanced and Beginning Band students are invited to share in the festivities, including the Epic Band Dodge Ball Tournament!  A detailed letter and permission slip have been mailed to all students currently signed up for band.

Drum Line's Debut Exhibition Performance at MPS Battle of the Drum Lines

The Reagan Drum Line made its debut exhibition performance at the MPS Battle of the Drum Lines on January 22nd 2011.  Mr. Johnson's confident group of percussionists opened the show at Rufus King IB High School.  Over ten drum lines from MPS were in competition and the Bay View High School Drum Line emerged victorious.  The Reagan Drum Line watched enthusiastically anticipating and planning for their debut competition performance in January 2012!

Interested in joining the Drum Line?  Observe a rehearsal Wednesday after school in room 135 or speak with Mr. Johnson.

Graduation Band Performs at the Riverside Theater

Members of the Advanced and Beginner Concert Band joined forces to perform before the 2011 Graduation Ceremony.  The students had the opportunity to practice and perform at the historic Riverside Theater which has recently been renovated with the assistance of the Zilber Family Foundation.  The Reagan Advanced Choir and Chamber Choir also performed the National Anthem and two musical tributes to the graduating class.  Congratulations Class of 2011 and what a wonderful year for music at Reagan High School!

Second Annual Music Department Awards

The Music Department hosted the second annual Music Department Awards Ceremony.  Recognition and honors were given to exceptional musicians, graduates, and rising stars.   The ceremony was followed by the customary Band versus Choir Dodge Ball Tournament and Ice Cream Social.  CHOIR upheld their reign as Dodge Ball Champions defeating the BAND for a second year in a row.  Mr. Murphy is currently hand selecting teacher referees for next years battle.

 

Seen above are graduating senior music department students.  Class of 2011 you will be missed!

The Reagan DJ Club spins at Wedgewood Park Middle School Luau

On April 29th 2011 the Reagan DJ Club spun at the Wedgewood Park International Middle School Spring Luau!  Upperclassmen DJ's Teisha, Mimi, Ehab, and Jeremy worked as a team of young professionals and kept the crowd of younger International Baccalaureate students on their feet.  We even met a few future DJ Club members!  The DJ Club is thankful for Wedgewood's continued support of our club and we had a blast putting on the show for you!

Want to hire the Reagan DJ Club for your Middle or High School Dance?  Contact Mr. Murphy at murphya[at]milwaukee.k12.wi.us

DJ Club partners with DJ Horse Force

The Reagan DJ Club was excited to have DJ Horse Force as an instructor during the 2010-11 school year! DJ Horse Force aka Ben Pintar is a graduate of the Berklee School of Music and spins dub music throughout the Milwaukee metropolitan area. Thanks DJ Horse Force for your expertise and guidance this school year!

Students interested in joining DJ Club should attend a Friday after school meeting in room 135 for more information.

Chamber Choir

The Reagan High School Chamber Choir is an elite a cappella ensemble made up of junior and senior choir students at Reagan. This year the choir has had many unique opportunities such as:

• Performing at the WSMA District and State Solo-Ensemble Festivals
  
• Singing for various school events and assemblies
• Performing as "featured music" for the Superintendent Gregory Thorton and all of the Principals in MPS
• Singing on the Reagan Music "World Tour" around MPS along with the drumline and wind ensemble

Reagan Music Featured on 88.9 Radio Milwaukee

This past February, the Reagan High School Music Department was featured on 88.9 Radio Milwaukee as a part of the MAKE MILWAUKEE campaign, which seeks to highlight ways in which Milwaukee is a creative city! RadioMilwaukee producer Adam Carr spent a day with our students and interviewed them about unique musical opportunities going on at our school! Click to hear their stories:

THEY CONTROL YOUR MOOD

CLICK TO LISTEN:


http://www.radiomilwaukee.org/initiatives/make-milwaukee/make-milwaukee-they-control-your-mood

RADIO REAGAN

CLICK TO LISTEN:

http://www.radiomilwaukee.org/initiatives/make-milwaukee/make-milwaukee-radio-reagan-88nine

DRUMLINE

CLICK TO LISTEN:

http://www.radiomilwaukee.org/initiatives/make-milwaukee/make-milwaukee-drumline-reagan

CHOIR? BROWNIES?

CLICK TO LISTEN:

http://www.radiomilwaukee.org/initiatives/make-milwaukee/make-milwaukee-choral-brownie-bribery

EMMITT "Heaven's Favorite" WILLIAMS

CLICK TO LISTEN:

http://www.radiomilwaukee.org/initiatives/make-milwaukee/make-milwaukee-emmitt-heavens-favorite

School House Rock Cast on TV!

The talented students in the cast were featured on Fox 6 News. Click to watch!

Musical: School House Rock LIVE!

This year Reagan High School Performed our very first musical ever! School House Rock Live was a HUGE success, with over 700 audience members in attendance.

Next year's musical will be "THE BOYFRIEND"-- a 1920s british "spoof" musical! Performances will be January 27, 28 and 29.

Welcome to the Vera J Zilber Music Department at Ronald Reagan High School

Welcome to official blog of the Vera J Zilber Music Department at Ronald Reagan College Preparatory High School.  We are a Milwaukee Public School located at 4965 S 20th St Milwaukee WI 53221.  Be sure to friend us on Facebook or check back often for our latest news and updates!


For more information about the Vera J Zilber Music Department and Ronald Reagan College Preparatory High School see: http://rrhs.schoolwires.net