High School Band Student Essay Contest
As this academic year came to a close, we ran an essay contest inviting Minnesota high school band students to compose essays about what band means to them. It was a privilege to read the heartfelt words shared with us by students across the state.
While we could only select two winners, each student’s words and stories made the case for why band is important. Band is community and connection, acceptance and a safe place, personal growth and joy. We are grateful to each student who submitted an entry for the time, effort, and thoughtfulness they put into crafting and submitting their essay.
The Minnesota Winds exists to give these students and their art form representation on the main stage.
Congratulations to Sarah Joy Piepkorn and Grace Sundt on their winning essays!
Sarah Joy Piepkorn of Wayzata High School
My name is Sarah Joy Piepkorn. I am a Junior at Wayzata High School. I started playing the alto saxophone when I was in sixth grade and since then, my love for music has grown exponentially. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that one day, I would still be playing in high school, let alone in a Wind Ensemble. I was born with a bilateral cleft lip and have undergone numerous surgeries throughout my life. Inevitably, there are many challenges and changes I have faced because of it, but my band community has been with me through it all. This next following essay is to magnify an extremely special moment in my life where band truly turned my world technicolor.
Vincent and I were finally home together in room E245: The band room. The place where I leave my worries at the door. Where intelligent conversations crescendo into double forte laughs echoing for miles down the hallways. Where inside jokes are bantered between a puddle of tuba spit on the floor next to a graveyard of discarded wooden reeds. After a double jaw surgery, three extended months of recovery, my third set of braces, ongoing battles with insurance, and many missed concerts, my doctor finally cleared me to play my alto saxophone, Vincent. The following day, I received a spontaneous offer from the Minnesota Music Education Association (MMEA), offering me a two week extension to complete their All State audition. Though this rigorous process typically takes two months, I accepted without hesitation.
What was I thinking? As I stared at the printed etude propped up on my music stand, its notes mockingly stared back, daring me to play. With every endeavor into the winding jungle of rhythms, my fingers found themselves twisted and trapped in between each measure. My mouth was a foreign stranger as I tried to replicate the perfect embouchure I once had. Instead, a cacophony of dissonant notes blared awkwardly out of tempo. Every three bars my lungs gasped for air as though I had just finished running an uphill mile. Flipping to the next part of the audition, my heart sank at the sight of five scales shaped like steep mountains; I felt my chances slipping through my fingers.
Dear Dr. K,
I regret to inform you I can not continue this process. After three months of not practicing my saxophone, two weeks is not enough time to learn these materials, perfect them, and then record the audition. I am sorry.
-Sarah
My hand hovered over the send button, shaking with uncertainty as a wave of disappointment washed over my thoughts. At that very moment, a notification appeared at the top of my screen entitled “All state annotated etude.” Saving the drafted letter to my band director, I opened the mysterious email with bated breath. It was from a senior saxophonist in my band; he was the designated class clown and had a wicked sense of humor but a true heart of gold. Stunned, I found no message, just a PDF file attached. The page lit up like a Christmas tree, glittering luminously before my eyes. A simple sheet of music had been transformed into a work of art. Each staccato, dynamic marking, and intricate rhythm was brought to life, highlighted in a myriad of vibrant colors. The once blank margins were scribbled in with handwritten notes offering advice and strategies. I deleted my drafted letter and got to work. I spent the next two weeks living in the practice room, magnifying each tiny detail on the page.
Repetitiously, I worked to rebuild and improve the technical skills that were lost after my surgery. My friend’s annotations not only served as my map and compass, but my reason to keep going. Recording after recording, the small pieces started to fit together in perfect harmony, forming a beautiful mosaic. As I took my final breath, my last note faded into silence. I hit stop. YES! I jumped triumphantly from my chair. The recording encapsulated my fervent passion for music, the unwavering support from my band family, and a victory in my medical journey. Beyond its dulcet melodies and complex rhythms, this etude will forever represent my journey from pain to strength.
Grace Sundt of Pine Island High School
My name is Grace Sundt, and I am a senior at Pine Island High School. At Pine Island, I am actively involved in numerous clubs and extracurricular activities, including Culture Club, Roots and Shoots Environmental and Outdoor Club, Art Scream, Student Council, Yearbook Committee, and Track and Field. Among these activities, my greatest enjoyment came from my participation in band class. My journey with music began in the fifth grade, when I first learned how to play the clarinet. From the start, I found myself captivated by the instrument, and I knew creating music was a passion I wanted to pursue throughout my middle and high school years.
Band has played a pivotal role in shaping the individual that I am today. Over the years, I have immersed myself in various aspects of our school’s band program, from jazz bands to pep bands to honor bands, and even serving in the pit orchestra of the school musicals for the past three years. Each experience has contributed to the development of a wide array of life skills that I know will continue to benefit me in the future. One of the profound realizations I have had is that while listening to music is enjoyable, the ability to create music is immensely fulfilling. This drive to become a better musician has pushed me to practice and refine my skills, cultivating a strong sense of responsibility and discipline. In addition, I developed strong listening, reading, and communication skills. I often found myself having to juggle these skills simultaneously when it came to watching my conductor for cues, listening to my fellow musicians, and following the sheet music in front of me. Furthermore, I have learned firsthand how to navigate challenges and setbacks as they arise, developing the ability to overcome obstacles with perseverance and resilience.
Throughout high school, I have held myself to high academic standards. Unlike other classes where I often felt the pressure to excel and focus solely on my grades, band provides me with a sense of relaxation and freedom. In band class, I can truly be myself. I have connected with other students who share these same thoughts, which formed some of my closest friendships. As well, I have formed friendships with students outside of Pine Island due to my involvement in various bands.
As I prepare to leave Pine Island High School, I am filled with mixed emotions. Parting ways with my fellow seniors, with whom I have shared many unforgettable moments, and bidding farewell to my band teacher whom I have deeply admired since the beginning will undoubtedly be bittersweet. As I look ahead to my college journey at South Dakota State University, I am eager to carry my passion for music with me. I plan to become involved in one of their university bands and perhaps even their marching band, as it presents an exciting opportunity that I have yet to experience. The prospect of continuing my music journey in a new environment fills me with enthusiasm and anticipation for the adventures that lie ahead.
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