York High School's Annual Fine Arts Week Kicks Off Feb. 22

Submitted by Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205.

Elmhurst, IL - York Community High School in Elmhurst will be celebrating its annual Fine Arts Week during the week of Feb. 22-26.

For over 30 years, Fine Arts Week has recognized the talents of York’s student musicians, dancers, actors, visual artists, singers, orators, poets, and unique performance artists.

In addition, several nationally and locally recognized artists and groups representing a wide variety of artistic endeavors host workshops that provide information and inspiration to the students. Performances and seminars are scheduled during each class period throughout the week. Teachers are invited to bring their classes to the auditorium as well as other specified locations to enjoy the diverse talents of its student body, faculty, and outside performers and speakers.

This year, York is excited to present legendary musician and record producer Steve Albini as one of Fine Arts Week’s featured artists. Albini will be presenting during two periods in the auditorium on Monday, 2/22/16 and will also be visiting with York student musicians for a Q&A during a third period. York is also very fortunate to feature the Chicago rock band, Twin Peaks, on Wednesday, 2/24/16 performing a live set in York’s auditorium followed by a Q&A session.

Twin Peaks have received national attention for their first two albums, Sunken and Wild Onion. Their third LP, Down in Heaven, is due out in May of 2016. York will also feature Blood Red Boots, a local band comprised of a couple York grads. Blood Red Boots is gaining national attention and continues to play regular gigs in and around Chicago. Other professional artists visiting York’s Fine Arts Week 2016 are Sandip Burman, and Indian Classical Muisician, and Whitaker Trebella, a video game designer and composer.

One of the more popular attractions during Fine Arts Week are the student Talent Shows. York possesses such an eclectic mix of talent that there are three separate Talent Show (50 minute) segments. The Talent Show culminates with an evening performance open to the public on Thursday, February 25th at 7pm in the York Auditorium. Revenues from the evening performances ticket sales provides funding for the following year’s Fine Arts Week. Additional funds are raised through community concerts and grant writing.

On Tuesday, February 23rd, the Fine Arts Week committee will host an FAW event at 7pm at Fitz’s Spare Keys in downtown Elmhurst. This special off-campus concert will include the soulful blues-rock of York student group, They Found Us, the “stubborn American rock” of The Rented Mules (comprised of three York teachers), and headliners, Blood Red Boots.. A suggested donation of $5 will be accepted at the door.

Countless hours of planning and coordination make the week run smoothly. Faculty coordinator, Mr. Chris Gemkow, along with a dedicated student committee, have been working since early September to recruit outside talent, design original artwork for posters and t-shirts, and schedule the logistics for a week’s worth of presentations and entertainment.

Faculty advisor, Chris Gemkow, looks forward to this year’s events, “Fine Arts Week gives York’s students a chance to express their creativity and artistic abilities in ways rarely offered in most classrooms. One of the best things about Fine Arts Week is that the events are largely planned, promoted, performed, and directed by the students. The entire student body benefits from the student and professional performances scheduled throughout the week.”

Student committee member, Adela Skowronski, adds, “Fine Arts Week seems to invoke a kind of increased awareness of others in the student body. You’d be hard pressed to find another York community event that connects with almost every single student at York the way that Fine Arts Week does.”

More information available at yorkfaw.com.