We celebrate music that inspires, engages, and delights, and endeavor to connect individuals to the musical arts and local artists through live public concerts and music education programs.
We are passionate about music and firmly believe that the arts play a key role in the vitality of communities. That's what drives our vision of a vibrant and accessible musical arts community.
The Downers Grove Music Club (DGMC) was founded in 1927 with the mission to enrich our community through the musical arts. DGMC engages local music lovers and musicians through quality musical performances and educational opportunities. Based in Downers Grove, Illinois, our members also include residents of Westmont, Bolingbrook, Hinsdale, Elmhurst, Naperville, Lisle, Lombard, Woodridge, Darien, Brookfield, Oak Brook, Forest View and LaGrange Park.
The Downers Grove Music Club has a long-standing history of supporting student music education. The music club sponsored its first Student Piano Festival and Competition in 1943 to challenge and encourage local student musicians. Students receive invaluable experience and constructive critiques from experienced judges. Top ranked participants from the competition are invited to perform at an annual Honors Recital and compete further for cash awards.
Over the years, the Festival and Competition has become an established part of the music community in west suburban Chicago, with over 100 students participating each year.
For many decades the Downers Grove Music Club has also recognized local high school students each year with its prestigious Risings Stars Awards programs. In 2013, the music club added College Music Awards. Both programs provide monetary awards annually to up to eight student musicians who meet a high standard of musical education, talent, and accomplishment. More recently, with the help of a generous donation, the music club has expanded the student music award program to include support for the elementary and middle school orchestra program.
In 2014, strong financial support from members and generous donors permitted the music club to fund the restoration of a concert piano and the purchase of two new digital pianos at Downers Grove high schools as part of DGMC’s investment in community musical arts programs.
In 2015, the music club donated a Feurich Model 218 Concert I Grand Piano to the Downers Grove Public Library and formed a partnership with the library to jointly host and promote a public concert series to strengthen the musical arts vitality of the community.
While we are proud of our past and what we have accomplished, we are even more enthusiastic about the future. Our strong traditions and vision for a vibrant musical arts community continues to inspire us.
Fostering a vibrant musical arts community through free public concerts, student education programs, and making investments that strengthen musical arts development in our schools and community.
Fostering a vibrant musical arts community.
DGMC is commited to making quality music available to our community. Our varied music programs are held at the Downers Grove Public Library and are free to the public. In addition, DGMC hosts special events in support of student music education, such as our fund raiser house concerts, and student competitions and recitals.
As part of our commitment to music education, DGMC sponsors a student festival and competition, awards music scholarships to deserving students, plus makes investments in our schools and community that foster musical arts development. DGMC also maintains lists of local music teachers and accompanists as a student resource.
We can't accomplish our mission without you. All our support comes from membership dues and generous donations. Join DGMC and be part of a dynamic community of music lovers and musicians. Member performers get priority participation in concerts. Member teachers get fees waived in student festivals.
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