Emery band supports activities with music

By Danyale Service

Emery High School is full of different activities that the studentbody can participate in from football to drama. The band program is a place where everyone is welcomed into music, and radiates the essence of music throughout the halls. The band includes instruments of all sizes from a petite piccolo to an enormous tuba. Mr. Nobbe the band director at Emery High has been there for over a year now and is continuing to do an excellent job pushing the band program to new limits.
“Every year is an opportunity for us in the instrumental music department at Emery High School to play the best repertoire written for our medium – the wind ensemble,” Mr. Nobbe said. “We always have talented students that come to us from San Rafael, Canyon View, and other schools who have three or four years of playing experience on their respective instrument by the time they enter the high school as ninth graders. This year is no exception, as we have added many freshman and sophomores to our ranks. It is always my hope, and indeed, the goal of the instrumental music department at EHS that these students will continue to play in the band all four years of their high school careers, so by the time they graduate they have seven or eight years of playing experience. Whether or not these students plan on pursuing music or even playing their instrument at the collegiate level, this is extremely attractive to admissions offices at universities here in Utah and across the country.”
“This year, we will be exited to feature our Sterling Scholar in Music, Bridger Ivie, in a piano solo with the wind ensemble. In addition to this, the public can expect many new, exciting, and challenging works for band including fanfares, marches, popular music as well as a few surprises!”
Throughout the year, the band members will display their individual talents through various events. Unique events have been planned throughout the year to accommodate the overwhelming need for music. From pep band to concerts, this year will be full of exciting and heartfelt music.
When asked about any surprises that the band will have for the community, Mr. Nobbe stated, “When most people think of the Emery High School Band, they probably think of our presence at the many football and basketball games during the season. While this is certainly something we enjoy doing, this is just one of the many activities our students are engaged in throughout the year. In any band program, there are many responsibilities and duties to the school, to the community, as well as to the students themselves. These may range from pep assemblies to Solo and Ensemble contests, to Independence Day parades, to hosting other band programs from out of town. I like to think of the band first and foremost as a service organization. Therefore, our calendar includes all different kinds of events that take up each and every month of the year.”
“Currently, we are already beginning to work on the music which we will present at our Christmas concert in December. The students have been given audition music which they will practice and prepare to play in a live audition to determine where they will sit in the band, and in some instances, determine what instrument they will be playing for the next eight months. In addition to this, we have two parades in the next week for which we are working very hard to be ready. We are also planning music for a Veteran’s Day community event in November. And as always, we are spending quality time preparing a greater variety of pep band songs to be played at the various sporting events.”
“In the month of September, the Green River Melon Days parade on Sept. 16. We will also be supporting Emery High School in various performances, pep rallies, and parades leading up to the Homecoming Game when we take on our rivals the Dinos of Carbon High School. Looking ahead, on Dec. 9 we will have an opportunity to play in the brand new auditorium at Richfield High School in the annual All Rural High School Honor Band. This will give our students the opportunity to play alongside other high school musicians from central and southern Utah. Then of course there is our annual Christmas Concert which will be held in the EHS auditorium at 7 p.m. on Dec. 13. In 2018, it promises to be another fantastic year, as we look forward to hosting the Region Large Group Festival, among many other events and concerts.”
In a rural community, band sizes often range from not enough to almost enough. The Emery High Band has always packed a punch even when the numbers are small. “The number (of students) changes depending on the activity we are doing.” Mr. Nobbe said, “Officially on paper, we have 58 students currently enrolled. This number may seem small, but it is about twice the number of total students we had enrolled last year. This is not just due to inheriting the 9th grade class at the high school, but it is in large part because of the job my colleagues Ben Carroll and Reed Fehlberg are doing at San Rafael and Canyon View Middle Schools. These gentlemen are fantastic teachers who are getting the kids excited about playing music and teaching them the rudiments that they need to be successful when they come over to the high school. I owe a lot of debt to them because they make my job easy.
“I believe the current number of band students we have at EHS is deceptive because there are many students who wish to be part of our program, but because of schedule restraints do not have time during the school day to participate. A lot of these students still play with us during sporting events or whenever they can find time to play, even though they are not officially enrolled in the band. Our administration really does a wonderful job creating as many opportunities as possible to give students a chance to participate in the band. I give a lot of credit to Steven Gordon, Dean Stilson, Dayna Terry, and others who have worked alongside me from the first day I came to EHS. They listen to my concerns. They have creative answers to tough questions. They are generous with their time and resources. And most importantly, they share my vision of what I want the band to be.”
 “When I arrived at EHS, I found that the band had many traditional songs they loved to play during sporting events. Many of these songs aren’t just a tradition for the band, but are deemed as “classics” by the student body as well. I always ask members of the band to give me ideas for additional songs that would be fun to play or perhaps ideas for songs that we could play in the future. Sometimes the difference between whether or not a song is chosen depends on whether or not a song is in print. Other times we have to make sure we aren’t disobeying copyright laws.”
“When it comes to pep band, I believe it is important to coordinate our efforts with the other major organizations at EHS. To that end, I work with the cheerleaders, the drill team, the MESS section, and all the different auxiliaries to create a unified spirit that benefits the team, school, and community. I believe we can do so much more collectively than we can as individual organizations.”
A band is only as good as the band director, so to know the band, you must know the director. When asked about who Mr. Nobbe was he replied, “I have always loved music and have always had a strong desire to give back to my community. I have also always had a great love for my country. Because being a band director is a unique opportunity to serve others through the gift of music, it just seemed natural that this was one of the things I was supposed to do in life.
“As a teacher, my primary focus is always my students. Whether they realize it or not, I love each and every one of them. My only desire is to see these young people become successful adults and respectable members of their community. And, if they’ve learned anything about music along the way, that’s a bonus,” said Mr. Nobbe.