In the afterglow of their big win, the Hastings High School Marching Band reflected on their recent experience of being named the 2022 Minnesota State Champions in Class A at the Youth in Music State Marching Band Championships, at the Oct. 26 school board meeting.

Senior drum major Sydney Teuber said, “I was on the field accepting the awards and let me just tell you, the feeling on the field was just amazing with the band cheering when we were announced as the Class A winners.”

The show of community support was evident as described by Percussion Director Josh Wahlstrom.

“We had a police escort on the way back to town. We had fireworks. We had lots of people standing on different street corners cheering us on,” he said. “That is really important to our students. Thank you to the community and everyone else who supports us.”

Teuber expressed, from the student’s perspective, what marching band means to those involved.

“Marching band for us, it’s definitely a family aspect, and we definitely grow together, grow as musicians and grow as people,” she said. “All of us were in tears afterwards, so that just shows you how close we all are. It was just a really great day.”

Also representing the Hastings High School Marching Band at the school board meeting were other fellow senior marching band section leaders, Director Emily Chandler, Co-Director Tom Wentzler, and Music Tech Jake Bohlken.

On Saturday, Oct. 8, the Hastings Raider Marching Band earned the State Title at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis for the Youth in Music State Marching Band Championship.

Marching Band Director Emily Chandler speaks to the Hastings School Board upon receipt of the award. Photo by Dan Solovitz