The band community that students are surrounded by is something remarkable, and even more so for the students directly involved. Many Park High students, from freshman to senior, find themselves being impacted in great ways through music. Four students have shown exceptional dedication, recognizing their accomplishments by qualifying for the Montana All-State Jazz Band.
Park High School students Finn Schretenthaler, a senior playing the tenor saxophone, Bridger Himmelspasch, a junior playing the bass, Max Schuelke, a sophomore playing the piano and Emmett Shannon-Lier, a freshman on the drums. The four were very excited to hear the news of making all-state. Finding out about a month ago, Schuelke & Shannon-Lier were surprised to see they made it, as they didn’t think they would get in. Shannon-Lier was the first freshman from Park High School to qualify.
Park High Band Director Garret Stannard explained the true significance of this accomplishment. “Having Park High students selected for the All-State Jazz Band is a tremendous honor for our program. Only 40 students statewide are chosen to participate across two jazz ensembles, and 30 of those came from AA schools. Of the remaining 10 spots awarded to smaller schools, Park High earned four—so this accomplishment is highly significant for us,” said Stannard.
These accomplishments were not achieved overnight. Dedication and self-discipline are important pieces of these teens' lives, and you can find each individual taking time to practice on their own daily. Some ensure to set aside an hour, and some up to eight hours of practice. Shannon-Lier has made the sacrifice of quitting soccer, as he found games and tournaments would put a barrier between practicing more often than he would like.
To audition, the four were each given individual excerpts to play. Himmelspasch, Schuelke and Shannon-Lier had a few group pieces played together, such as a rhythm section, aside from their solo pieces. To prepare, the four spent varying hours practicing excerpts and scales. At times, they spent time practicing in their groups while also focusing on solos. The most challenging part the four found was recording and submitting their pieces within a few hours. To Shannon-Lier, he found the most challenging part for himself personally was making it past the mental part.
“Sometimes failure is the scariest thing, but that’s the way you learn. If you don’t fail, you probably won’t get anywhere,” said Shannon-Lier.
These students have been chosen as some of the finest jazz musicians within the state of Montana. The All-State Jazz Festival will take place March 14-15 at the University of Montana, where they will spend time rehearsing with specialized directors. The concert will take place the evening of March 15.
As each individual is at different points of life, some just starting high school and some preparing to leave, they all are able to recognize music is something they want in their future. Schetenthaler is going on to study music technology at Montana State University this fall. Schuelke, Shannon-Lier, and Himmelspasch all plan to further obtain a degree in the music realm post-high school.
The achievements of these students are a reminder of what dedication, sacrifice, and a passion for music can accomplish.
