Friday, December 16, 2011

IHSA Girls Gymnastics at Lake Forest High School

Allison Schneider, puts on a grand performance in the vault competition representing Deerfield's Varsity squad, at Lake Forest High School's East Campus.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Deerfield's Ally Perbohner of the Varsity squad performs well, in the vault competition at Lake Forest High School's East Campus's gymnastics meet.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Colleen Hogan, Varsity gymnast of Deerfield HIgh School, executes her moves during the vault competition at a gymnastics meet in Lake Forest.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Junior Varsity gymnast of Carmel High School, Clarice Martin, pulls off her moves and performs in the vault competition at Lake Forest High School East Campus's Gymnastics meet.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Carmel High School's Junior Varsity gymnast, Nicole Hefner, concentrates as she accomplishes her routines in the vault competition at Lake Forest High School East Campus.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Junior Varsity of Carmel High School's Isabel Schneider, carries out her plan during the vault competition at Lake Forest High School's East Campus.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Lake Forest High School's Junior Varsity gymnast, Olivia Carr, concentrates tremendously, just before showing off on the balance beam at the Girl's HIgh School Gymnastics meet in Lake Forest.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Junior Varsity gymnast Lexi Lee, of Lake Forest High School, focuses one's mental effort enduringly, while on the balance beam at a Girl's HIgh School Gymnastics meet in Lake Forest.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Lake Forest High School's Varsity gymnast, Brittany Moccia, achieves brillance on the balance beam at a Girl's HIgh School Gymnastics meet in Lake Forest.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Deerfield Varsity gymnast, Christine Stitcher, concentrates hard on her next move to complete magnificence on the uneven parallel bars at a Girl's HIgh School Gymnastics meet in Lake Forest.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Girl's HIgh School Gymnastics meet at Lake Forest High School East Campus, on December 16, 2011, in Lake Forest, Illinois.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Orchestras Winter Concert

Fifth grader of Meridian's beginning orchestra, Eujin Choi, age 10, plays A Mozart Melody at District 102's Winter Concert at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Charles Hong and Brandon Lee, Sixth graders at Meridian school, playing "Dance of the Reed Flutes" on cello at District 102's Orchestras Winter Concert at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Plenty of members of the crowd pulled out their cameras and phones to capture precious moments of their children's lives, during the Orchestras Winter Concert at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Sixth graders of the Meridian Concert Orchestra, play a couple of Holiday inspiring tunes at the Winter Concert in Lincolnshire.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Charles Hong and Brandon Lee, Sixth graders at Meridian school, playing "Dance of the Reed Flutes" on cello at District 102's Orchestras Winter Concert at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Sixth grader at Meridian School, Daniel Wu, plays violin to "Dance of the Reed Flutes" during the Orchestras Winter Concert at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Sixth graders of the Meridian Concert Orchestra, play a couple of Holiday inspiring tunes at the Winter Concert in Lincolnshire.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Stevenson High School's Baroque Ensemble

Justin Doong of the Stevenson High School's Baroque Ensemble plays one of four violins, in their performances of pieces from Vivaldi and Pachelbe.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)  

Stevenson High School's Baroque Ensemble performed pieces from Vivaldi and Pachelbel. Boris Schwarzenbach playing the baroque Cello, which is shorter than a normal cello and also has wooden tuning keys, rather than the normal metal ones.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Raymond Cao, performs a solo, while playing his baroque Cello, during a piece from Antonio Vivaldi, of Stevenson High School's Baroque Ensemble.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media) 

Stevenson High School's Baroque Ensemble's Justin Doong solos with his violin, while performing a piece from Antonio Vivaldi's Concerto "Linverno".  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Stevenson High School's Baroque Ensemble performed pieces from Vivaldi and Pachelbel in the Recital Hall at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire. Brian Lin (left) playing baroque Cello and Gregory Chonko playing D Violone.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Stevenson High School's Baroque Ensemble performed pieces from Vivaldi and Pachelbel in the Recital Hall at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Third Annual Madrigal Dessert at the Sullivan Community Center

Edgar Nevares-Flores and Olivia Candocia, act as Jesters/Hosts of this year's Vernon Hills High School Chamber Choir performing its Third Annual Madrigal Dessert at the Sullivan Community Center.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Christopher Steinheiser, age 21 of Vernon Hills, enjoys watching friends perform the 3rd annual Madrigal Dessert, Christopher used to be in the Vernon Hills High School Chamber Choir when he attended High School.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Edgar Nevares-Flores and Olivia Candocia, act as Jesters/Hosts of this year's Vernon Hills High School Chamber Choir performing its Third Annual Madrigal Dessert at the Sullivan Community Center.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media) 

The Vernon Hills Chamber Choir performs its Third Annual Madrigal Dessert at the Sullivan Community Center of the Vernon Hills park district on December 10, 2011.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media) 

The Vernon Hills Chamber Choir performs its Third Annual Madrigal Dessert at the Sullivan Community Center of the Vernon Hills park district.  Including 21 students; 11 seniors, 6 juniors, and 4 sophomores.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Many families and friends come to enjoy the lovely renaissance music at this year's Madrigal Dessert, performed by the Vernon Hills High School Chamber Choir, with a dessert at intermission.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Many families and friends enjoy the charming renaissance songs and humor at this year's Madrigal Dessert, performed by the Vernon Hills High School Chamber Choir.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Festival of Lights Road Run

Nick Gabrysiak of Waterford, WI, finishes in first place at the 2011 Festival of Lights Road Run, in Zion, IL., the race is approximately 3.1 miles.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Nate McPherson, age 27 and Assistant Coach of Zion Benton Cross Country team, finishes in second place overall, in the Annual Festival of Lights Road Run in Zion.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

David Sherman, age 28 of Gurnee, takes an exhausting break, after running the 3.1 miles in the Annual Festival of Lights Road Run in Zion.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Head lights and glow sticks illuminate the finish area in the Annual Festival of Lights Road Run in Zion, where people run 3.1 miles, mainly in the dark of the night.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Glow sticks help brighten the finish line in the Annual Festival of Lights Road Run in Zion, where people run 3.1 miles, mainly in the dark of the night.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Brook Smith, age 7 of Zion, cheers on her family as they compete in the Annual Festival of Lights Road Run in Zion.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Many participate in the Annual Festival of Lights Road Run in Zion, where people run approximately 3.1 miles, mainly in the dark of the night on the roads, with several patrol cars for safety purposes.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Canadian Pacific Holiday Train

Canadian Pacific Holiday Train makes its annual stop at Viking Park in Gurnee, IL on December 3, 2011, a benefit for Northern Illinois Food Bank, sponsored by the Gurnee Chamber of Commerce.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Hundreds gather to view the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train as it makes its annual stop at Viking Park in Gurnee, sponsored by the Gurnee Chamber of Commerce, benefit for the Northern Illinois Food Bank.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Families and friends gather around to view the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train at Viking Park in Gurnee, with pretty decorations and live music, a grand show to start off this holiday season.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Hundreds gather to view the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train as it makes its annual stop at Viking Park in Gurnee, sponsored by the Gurnee Chamber of Commerce, benefit for the Northern Illinois Food Bank.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Canadian Pacific Holiday Train makes its annual stop at Viking Park in Gurnee, IL on December 3, 2011, a benefit for Northern Illinois Food Bank, sponsored by the Gurnee Chamber of Commerce.  Decorated with christmas trees and blinking lights, and putting everyone into a perfect festival mood.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Canadian Pacific Holiday Train makes its annual stop at Viking Park in Gurnee, IL on December 3, 2011, decorated with christmas trees and blinking lights, a beautiful mood setter for this celebrated holiday season.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Canadian Pacific Holiday Train makes its annual stop at Viking Park in Gurnee, IL on December 3, 2011.  Catia Maier, age 3 with mother Lori, relishing the incredible joyfulness, the excitement, and the celebration of Christmas cheer.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

Canadian Pacific Holiday Train makes its annual stop at Viking Park in Gurnee, IL.  Cameron Bentz, age 3, dancing on top of Grandpa Kevin Paddock's shoulders to the live music, this is Cameron's third year, loving the performances and the amusement of the entire shebang.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)

The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train at Viking Park in Gurnee, opens one of its Boxcar's into a stage with live music, performing cheerful Chistmas songs, wishing everyone happy holidays, and educating everyone how great it is to give to families that are in hard times, while also appreciating everyone and everthing that's in life.  (Mark Ukena/Sun-Times Media)