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!