Denton ISD Fine Arts

Congratulations to the nine Denton ISD music students listed below that have been selected to perform with the Texas All-State Band, Choir, and Orchestra in San Antonio, February 12-15, 2020 at the Henry B. González Convention Center as part of the 2020 Texas Music Educators Association Clinic/Convention, the nations largest convention of its kind. These students were chosen for this prestigious honor through a competitive process held this year across the state at District, Region, and Area levels. Only the top 2.6% of musicians who initially audition become All-State musicians. We are extremely proud of these outstanding students. Many thanks to their parents, directors, and private lesson teachers for supporting them on their journey towards this goal.

Eric Crenshaw (DHS jazz alto sax)

Matthew Garcia (DHS jazz tenor sax)

Audrey Lee (GHS violin)

Christian Luevano (GHS string bass)

Greta MacMillan (DHS flute)

Margaret Nicholson (DHS choir alto)

Ben Snethen (GHS clarinet)

Owen White (DHS jazz bass)

Kenia Zetino (BHS clarinet)

Read more about what it took for these students to become a Texas All-State member here.

National PTA's Reflections program has helped students explore their own thoughts, feelings and ideas, develop artistic literacy, increase confidence and find a love for learning that will help them become more successful in school and in life.

Each year, over 300,000 students in Pre-K through Grade 12 create original works of art in response to a student-selected theme. The theme for the 2019-2020 program year is Look Within. Students submit their completed works of art in one or all of the available arts categories: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, Visual Arts.

This year, Denton ISD had almost 350 entries from 26 campuses participate in PTA Reflections program. The schools advanced 142 student works across all six PTA Reflection Art Categories and Grade Divisions. Many thanks to Angie Morse, Denton Community Council of PTAs Vice President of Arts in Education, for coordinating the Reflections program for Denton ISD.

Special congratulations to these 23 DISD students that had works advance to the State level!

The Denton HS Lab Bands 1 and 2, under the direction of Jesse Woolery, were invited to perform at the Jazz Education Network's National Conference in New Orleans earlier this month. Both groups were featured performers at the JEN Conference but the students also experienced amazing clinics and workshops with some of the music world's greatest performers and jazz artists. Congratulations to Mr. Woolery and his students for this outstanding achievement and wonderful educational opportunity.

If you like what you see in our monthly newsletter and you want to see more of what's going on in Denton ISD Fine Arts on a more regular basis, visit and "LIKE" our new Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/DentonISDFineArts/.

The Denton ISD Fine Arts Facebook page is updated daily and features additional photos, news, clips, announcements, celebrations, updates, events, and more. Followers of the page will receive regular updates about new posts and reminders about events.

Our page started on January 8 and as of January 24 we already have 965 "likes"! This is a great showing of support for our outstanding Fine Arts students and teachers and the wonderful things happening in our programs. We are excited to be able to use the Facebook platform to share more with our community and followers interested in staying in the loop about everything happening in DISD Fine Arts!

DISD's dance teachers and four All-State dance students attended the annual Texas Dance Educator’s Association State Convention in Houston. The All-State students attended professional master classes at the state convention and learned choreography from famous dance artists from “So You Think You Can Dance” along with other selected All-State dance students from across the state of Texas. The TDEA All-State experience also opens up several scholarship opportunities for the students to continue their dance education at the college level. DISD is extremely proud of its outstanding dance teachers and students and for the exemplary way they represent the district at the state level. Congratulations!

Braswell HS

Dance Teacher: Kristina Shelburne

All-State Student: Courtney Arnold

Denton HS

Dance Teachers: Kerri Burgess and Jamitrice Keating-Lynton

All-State Student: Reece Domingue

Guyer HS

Dance Teachers: Rachel Simpson and Lauren Uddin

All-State Student: Lily Shuster

Ryan HS

Dance Teachers: Keli Jones and Roxanne Muncy

All-State Student: Adriana Nawrot

Guyer High School theatre does a third musical! Unprecedented for the program, Guyer Theatre directors and students have decided to take on a spring musical, making this the third musical in their regular season! After performing Little Women the musical and Elf the musical in the fall, directors and students just couldn't let the season end without tackling the hilarious but extremely difficult musical - A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder. The students wanted to approach the challenging score, which is operetta in style, as well as to meet the challenge of playing multiple roles. So rather than give up their dreams of doing the show, students took on the production in their Varsity theatre class, knowing that the experience of producing this show will help them be ready for the challenges of college theatre! Beginning the day after Elf closed in November, the students were handed scripts and music. Hot on the heels of recording the original cast recording of their summer project - the World Premier of A-Wop Bop A-Loo Bop, over the winter break, the students picked up rehearsals for Gentleman's Guide again as the break was ending!

The Plot: Monty Navarro is grieving over the loss of his dearly departed mother when he receives a visit from Miss Shingle - a woman "of a certain age" who claims to have known his mother...and his mother's secret! Apparently, Monty Navarro's mother was actually a D'Ysquith! The extremely powerful and wealthy D'Ysquith family, who inhabit the famed Highurst Castle, disinherited his mother when she dared marry for love and married outside the family's wishes. Eight D'Ysquith family members stand between Monty and the Earldom of Highhurst. Much comedy ensues as Monty first reaches out to the D'Ysquith family asking for help - but when he is brutally rebuffed, he sets out on a different plan...Murder...Can Monty knock off his unsuspecting relatives without being caught and become the ninth Earl of Highhurst? And what of love? Because murder isn't the only thing on Monty's mind....He must secure his wealth in order to keep the interest of his dearest love - the beautiful and fickle Sibella. Or is it Phoebe that he loves? Who will he choose?

A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder is a murderous romp filled with unforgettable music, non-stop laughs and only one actor playing all eight of the doomed heirs who meet their ends in the most creative and side-splitting ways. Come and see this hilarious musical! Bring your Valentine! One Weekend only!

February 13, 14, 15 @ 7:30pm

Directed by Eleshia Crotwell and Chris Crotwell

Tickets available at the door or online at the following link:

https://buy.ticketstothecity.com/purchase.php?event_id=8327

Students and teachers in Denton ISD Fine Arts programs are preparing for their major state assessments and contests that occur every spring semester. Our HS and MS bands, choirs, and orchestras will perform in the UIL Concert and Sight-reading Assessment where they are evaluated by three UIL judges on their prepared concert performance and sight-reading performance according to state music rubrics. Individual students and small ensembles in HS band, choir, and orchestra also perform in the UIL Solo and Ensemble Contest. Our HS and MS theatre programs will be evaluated by UIL judges according to their performance in the UIL One Act Play Contest. HS theatre programs that place in the top three at each level of contest will advance to the next round of competition for a chance at making the state level. Students in our visual art programs enter their works into the VASE and Jr. VASE (MS), Visual Arts Scholastic Event. The top HS VASE winners have the chance of advancing to the State VASE.

Every year, DISD FIne Arts students continue to perform and exhibit their skills at the highest levels in their art form. Preview concerts and events are planned and listed at the bottom of this newsletter. Plan to attend our students' shows and performances to see the great work they are doing. Results will be posted and celebrated as the contests and assessments occur throughout the semester. Best wishes to all of our Fine Arts students and teachers!

Winter Guard contest season has begun. Braswell and Guyer Winter Guards competed in their first contests on Saturday, January 18. At the Frisco Centennial High School the Braswell Varsity Guard won 1st place and was promoted to the Scholastic A classification. The Braswell JV Guard also had a fantastic performance and placed 7th in their class. Braswell's next contest performance is on February 1 at Arlington Lamar HS.

The public is invited to see all of the DISD Winter Guards in action on Wednesday, March 25, where each guard will be performing their contest show at the Denton ISD Winter Guard Showcase at Guyer High School.

All events will be at the respective campus unless noted. Visit the Fine Arts calendar for more details.

Jan 23-25, 27 - Braswell HS Theatre: The Wizard of Oz, 7pm

Jan 25 - Guyer Zone HS-MS Percussion Concert, 3pm

Jan 30-Feb 1 - Denton HS Dinner Theatre, 7pm

Jan 31 - Strickland MS Fine Arts: "Night of Shining Stars", 5-8pm

Feb 1 - UIL Region 2 Orchestra Solo and Ensemble Contest at Lewisville HS

Feb 4 - DISD MS Band Pre-UIL at Ryan HS, 9am-8pm

Feb 4 - Guyer HS Orchestra Pre-UIL Concert, 5:30pm

Feb 5 - Harpool MS Orchestra Pre-UIL Concert, 6:30pm

Feb 6 - Guyer HS Band Mid-Winter Concert, 7pm

Feb 8 - MS One Act Play Contest at Ryan HS

Feb 8 - Denton HS Jr. Fillies Dance Clinic, 9am-12pm, DHS Gym

Feb 8 - Ryan HS Strutters Jr. Drill Team Clinic, 9am-12pm, RHS Gym

Feb 8 - Vocal Majority Concert at Guyer HS, 7pm

Feb 10 - Ryan-Myers Orchestra Pre-UIL Concert at RHS, 5pm

Feb 12-15 - Texas Music Educators Association Convention, San Antonio

Feb 13 - Rivera Elem 4th & 5th Grade All-Star Choir Concert, 6pm

Feb 13-15 - Guyer HS Theatre Musical: A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, 7:30pm

Feb 18 - Guyer HS Band Concerto Competition, 6pm

Feb 18 - McMath MS Choir UIL Showcase Concert, 6:30pm

Feb 19 - Guyer HS Band Chamber Dinner Concert, 6:30pm

Feb 20 - Braswell Zone HS-MS Bands Pre-UIL Concert, 6:30pm

Feb 21 - DISD 5th Grade Honor Choir Concert at Ryan HS

Feb 21-22 - Denton HS Fillies Follies "Believe", 7pm

Feb 22 - HS VASE Region 11-North at Timber Creek HS

Feb 22 - UIL Region 2 Band and Choir Solo and Ensemble Contest at Lake Dallas HS

Feb 25 - Crownover MS Orchestra Pre-UIL Concert, 7pm

Feb 25 - McMath MS Choir 6th Grade Concert

Feb 25 - Strickland MS Band Pre-UIL Concert, 7pm

Feb 27 - Denton HS Jazz Concert, 5pm

Feb 27 - Braswell HS Band Late Winter Concert, 7pm

Feb 27 - UIL Region 2 MS Choir Concert & Sight-reading Assessment at Ryan HS

Feb 27-28 - UIL Region 2 Orchestra Concert & Sight-reading Assessment at Guyer HS

Feb 28 - Denton HS Percussion Bash, 2pm

Feb 28 - Ryan Zone HS-MS Jazz Concert, 7pm

If you have DISD Fine Arts news, events, or celebrations you would like to see published in our newsletter, click this link: SPREAD THE NEWS.

Dr. Jackie deMontmollin, Director

Eddy Russell, Assistant Director

Steve Bonham, Administrative Assistant

Email: sbonham@dentonisd.org
Website: https://www.dentonisd.org/finearts
Location: 230 N. Mayhill Rd, Denton, TX 76208
Phone: 940-369-0228