The Edina High School instrumental music programs are renowned for their great success. For over 70 years, the EHS band and orchestra have guided students to success in music and beyond. Spanning several levels of music, both programs unify students of all different ages, abilities, and personalities while simultaneously harnessing students’ creativity to make performances unique. The result is creative performances, driven students, and an unmatched community of musicians.

 Both the EHS band and orchestra are highly ranked and nationally recognized, which is a direct reflection of the dedication exhibited by both students and teachers. Apart from their many concerts, which are known to unite the student body and staff through music, these programs encourage students to develop a passion for music while building relationships between music directors and their peers.

Ninth grade orchestra students have the opportunity to learn from upperclassmen during certain concerts. (Izzie Clausman)

Community interconnection

For many students, playing an instrument at EHS serves as a vessel to build relationships within their community. By unifying several unique students under one common musical passion, many members find themselves with the opportunity to connect with people they may not encounter otherwise. “The EHS band program has given me a community of people who appreciate music the same way I do,” senior Juman Alkhatib said. “It has given me lots of amazing people and memories that have made my high school experience better.”

As for freshmen, many of them enjoy playing an instrument at EHS because it provides them with a strong sense of community to lean upon. “It’s been a fun experience because I got to make new friends at the high school… I thought that it was going to be scary, but it’s fun now because I get to be part of a band community,” freshman Emma Nguyen said. Freshman Rylie Gungon had a similar experience when she joined the EHS Orchestra. “[Orchestra] is really fun; everybody was very welcoming to me,” she said. Freshman Krithi Thenappan added that another orchestra student helped her tune her instrument on her first day of class.

A creative outlet for students

Many students at EHS turn to music to find creative freedom and self-expression. “For me, [band] has been a really nice emotional outlet. I know that if I’m upset or if I’ve had a bad day I can let it out. It helps you process stuff in a weird way,” senior Megan Zavadil said. Additionally, many appreciate having a block of time in their day where they can tap into their creativity. “It’s very fulfilling to [have] that one period of the day where I can make music. It’s very different from other types of learning,” senior Maggie Yuan said. Thenappan concurred. “It’s a break in my day… and it’s fun,” she said.

By igniting a love for music in many students, the impact of playing an instrument at EHS can span far beyond high school. “[Edina Band] showed me how much I love performing and expressing myself artistically,” freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and former EHS band member Ellie Huber said. Much like Huber, almost every upperclassman interviewed indicated that they wanted to pursue music in some form after high school. “Music will definitely continue being part of my life. [EHS band] has made me appreciate music more and [I will] keep playing out of my own enjoyment,” Yuan said.

EHS institutes this love for music within students early on by connecting to students in middle and elementary schools. In addition to providing students with the opportunity to be a part of an elementary school or middle school band, EHS hosts events such as Pizza and POPS, where both Valley View and South View Middle School students attend a pizza party and the POPS concert. Junior Ryan Vecchio noted that opportunities like these inspired him to continue with the EHS band. “When I was younger I look[ed] up to all of the kids in Concert Band, especially seeing them in POPS was really inspirational for me,” he said. “Being able to hear what good music sounds like and just seeing how much fun they have while doing it was really motivating to keep me with the program.”

Huber’s love for music was also strengthened by the resilient work ethic the Edina Band encourages students to adopt. “I think my love for music has guided me and then Edina Band made me work for it,” Huber said. Although Huber initially believed that she could not play well enough to continue with the band, by adopting this work ethic and practicing continuously, she found success in her musical career. “I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today without [Edina Band] because I discovered how well I could play and how much I love the arts and performing and making my own music. I wouldn’t have found this love for it,” Huber said.

EHS Orchestra Director Nicholas Gaudette joined Edina in 2016 and organized the first Symphony Ball, which would later be renamed Coachello. (Liz Gabler)

Student devotion

While many people believe that the music teachers at EHS set its band and orchestra apart from others, the teachers believe the opposite. EHS Band Director Paul Kile believes that student devotion propels the band to success. “The band kids are awesome; they’re creative, they’re smart, and they’re not afraid to work and they have high expectations for themselves. When you’ve got that kind of magic potion, it drives everything else,” Kile said. “They’re just unusually motivated and earnest about being the best and they’re not afraid to work hard. So that creates this unbelievable quality that’s kind of untouchable.” Kile sees resilience in his students everywhere from their in-class efforts to their out-of-class endeavors, which include a week-long marching band camp for students every summer.

Teacher approach to direction

Behind the scenes, the EHS music teachers carefully select music to propel the band to success. “I try to pick music that all of them can be successful at, but that also teaches them something and pushes them musically and to work together,” ninth grade band teacher Geneva Fitzsimonds said. The music teachers recognize that some of the music they present to students is outside their comfort zone. In these instances, however, students often rise to the challenge. “They’re open-minded, so I can put music in front of them that they might not like to do, but they’ll do it,” Kile said. By challenging students repeatedly, playing an instrument at EHS prompts students to develop a diligent work ethic so they can succeed in fields beyond music. “We’ve got amazing students, amazing players, and they are interested in pursuing other careers besides music…So I’ve flipped my thinking to make sure everything is a transferable skill,” EHS Orchestra Director Nick Gaudette said. 

Personalized learning

Many EHS music teachers go the extra mile for students by getting to know them as individuals and structuring lessons around their preferences. “[The teachers] are really good at adapting to different personalities. You can tell that they’re used to having different kinds of people and they know how to help individuals in the way that they need it, which is definitely really helpful,” senior and Concert Band member Sylvia Van Goor said. Gungon observed the same flexibility within the EHS orchestra teachers. “My teacher is very cooperative with me, and he was able to help me with the stuff that I struggled on,” she said.

Student thoughts about teachers

In the EHS instrumental music programs, the student-teacher appreciation is mutual. Students believe the programs’ success comes from the teachers just as much as teachers believe the programs’ success comes from students. “Starting from middle school we have all these teachers who are really committed and care about the program. Everyone’s really committed towards making our program better,” Yuan said.

Both Kile and Gaudette received major recognition from students when asked about the success of the EHS band and orchestra. Band students appreciated Kile’s dedication to his individual students. “Paul Kile is really good with getting [experienced] people to progress and get into higher levels of music. He does a huge amount of work and he’s very instrumental in being able to get a lot of the things for the show,” senior and Concert Band member Wilson Schaefer said. Many students are encouraged to give their best effort when they observe Kile giving his all to the band. “Sometimes with P.K. you wonder why he’s working so hard, and I mean he reaps what he sows and that has definitely shown,” Huber said. In addition, EHS orchestra alumni Max Froehlich appreciated Gaudette’s open mind and creative approach to direction. Gaudette often encouraged the orchestra to play non-traditional rock and jazz songs. “He wasn’t trying to direct us toward traditional [music]… he was trying to make a whole new thing and carve a different path. It gave kids the chance to branch out into whatever they please,” Froehlich said.

As a part of his teaching, Kile also keeps the focus on the band as a whole. “As much as [P.K.] will care about you, he cares about the music a little bit more. Honestly, it’s nice because it makes the band a time where nothing else really matters,” Zavadil said. “I know that our band directors care. They care a lot about the program. P.K. puts in so much time and so much effort with all of this. It really shows and they really push that onto the kids, and they push you to be better.”

Ninth grade band teacher Geneva Fitzsimonds was recently granted the Michael Hiatt Hall of Fame Award, the highest honor awarded by MMEA. (Izzie Clausman)

Awards granted to music teachers: 

The teachers’ hard work and dedication to Edina’s instrumental music programs does not go unnoticed. Kile was granted the Bandworld Magazine Legion of Honor award and was inducted into the Minnesota Music Educators Association (MMEA) Wall of Honor on Feb. 13. “When you look at the list of people who have received the award, it’s humbling, and it’s almost a little bit scary, because it means people are paying attention, and I better be doing a good job. So then after those feelings pass, then there’s this feeling of duty where I’ve got to really step up my game and honor that award,” Kile said. Kile has taught band at EHS for over 20 years and continuously strived to give students the best band experience possible. “I suppose there’s a little tinge of validation, all the things I’ve done, all the late hours, all the extra work that someone noticed, and they said thank you for it in the form of an award. That feels good, then it inspires me to want to do more,” he said. 

The EHS band program is full of honorable members, like Fitzsimonds. Fitzsimonds was given the MMEA Michael Hiatt Hall of Fame Award, the highest honor awarded by MMEA. “I’m honored and humbled to receive the award.  This means a lot coming from my peers, current and past students and parents too,” Fitzsimonds said. The MMEA award was established to celebrate music educators who contribute to the development of music education in the state of Minnesota through their service. 

The band teachers are not the only EHS music educators receiving awards. Gaudette was also inducted into the MMEA Inaugural Wall of Honor. “I feel so grateful, I just think there are so many amazing music educators across the states, and I think somebody just decided to speak up and throw my name in there… I’ve never met such a group of incredibly dedicated colleagues in furthering music education. So when I received this award, it really made me think that I have so much respect for them, and maybe I’m doing something similar to what they’re doing,” Gaudette said. 

Recent highlights

Because EHS music students strive for excellence, the orchestra and band directors look to provide them with several opportunities to showcase their skill. These opportunities range from orchestra students playing at annual Coachello concerts to band students traveling internationally to play in Italy. Last year, EHS band students also had the opportunity to play for the University of Denver Men’s Hockey team.

In addition, several EHS band students marked POPS as a highlight of their high school careers. “The most exciting and fun moment I’ve had in Edina Band is preparing for the POPS concert and everything that comes with that: the late night rehearsals with friends, the filming of fun skits, the dance practices, and of course working on the music that I find super fun and exciting,” Alkhatib said. Directors also provide students with lots of creative liberty in terms of the show’s direction. “We [are] able to create [the show] from scratch [with] our own theme and our own design,” Yuan said. Consequently, many students believe POPS strengthens the band community as students work together on the show. “[POPS] was such a huge community thing and everybody inside and outside the band was excited for it. There was so much preparation involved, late-night rehearsals, and everything. But even though it took up so much time, it felt like no time at all. We all had fun and worked hard, and it brought the community a lot closer together,” Van Goor said.