Jim Burnett

Drumline members, freshman Bailey Wolfe and seniors Josslyn Morgan and Anastasia Branson march uniformly in a line at the Youth in Music competition. “I had a wonderful time [at the competition] hanging out with my drumline, watching other shows, and getting to know my instrument better,” Wolfe said.

You’re at the center of the U.S. Bank Stadium, home of the Minnesota Vikings, staring at the beaming lights and cheering crowd. Only, it’s not a football game, but rather the atmosphere of the Youth in Music competition.

This is precisely what the MN Band found themselves in as they performed their show, “Game Night”: a combination of chess, UNO, and Yahtzee, competing at this tournament for the first time.

“[The competition] was thrilling, the anticipation getting onto the field and getting into the performance mindset. It was so exciting and also scary, performing in a completely different state, stadium, and against bands we hadn’t seen,” junior drum major Calista Nelson said.

It was this aspect of the competition that allowed the team to succeed. The desire to experience this new atmosphere was a huge contributing factor to the preparation of the competition for the students.

“I was looking forward to getting exposure to all the other bands, seeing bands from all across the nation and seeing how good they are, and getting some motivation,” senior center snare Jacob Reason said.

The results of the students didn’t say anything less, with the team narrowly missing the finals by less than 0.1 points and finishing 11th out of 34 competing teams, something the students were elated about.

“Even if we didn’t final we did leave the field having put everything on it and we’re just happy with what we did do,” Reason said.

However, the performance was not only a satisfying experience for the students. It also was an opportunity for the directors to witness the materialization of their hard work and dedication to the band as their students performed.

After countless hours of toil in the shape of early morning reharsals, out-of-school practices, team meetings, and almost ten hour school days, it was fascinating to see how the group has evolved since day one.

“It was a great experience to see, everyone keeping their eyes open to what’s progressing in our activity and the things that are absolutely possible for our team,” band director Ryan Placek said.

It was an especially proud moment for Placek, to see all of his students perform from the top of the stadium. The competition’s dynamics provided an opportunity for all students to showcase their talents with great enthusiasm.

“It’s just so exciting to see students that might be really shy and introverted, and they were out there on the field, just having the time of their life. It’s good to see them come out of their shells and perform,” Placek said.

Aside from the competition, the trip also provided a multitude of other adventures for the students to remember, both with their own bandmates as well as participants from other schools, including Millard West.

One of the band’s favorite parts of the trip was going to an arcade and bowling alley with competing schools’ bands. These kind of activities provide a kind of networking opportunity for all members of the band and allow them to connect with people from unfamiliar places.

The long journey, shared experiences, and fun escapades created the perfect opportunity for the band to become much closer, with ample time for in-depth discussions and bonding.

“In all the bus rides, we got to spend eight hours together getting to know each other better, which when you’re in the band getting to know your section better, often means you’ll be playing better,” Reason said.

Given these exciting activities in place and all the students’ appreciation towards them, travel competitions are expected to persist in the band’s future.

“[Travel competitions] up student levels quite a bit because some of these groups around the country are doing fabulous things, and because our kids are competitive when they see other kids doing things they want to do, they feel encouraged,” Placek said. Overall, the band’s trip was a very memorable experience. From crafting magical performances on the field to establishing deeper connections with their team, it is an experience that they will cherish forever.