It is nearly impossible to walk around the Gustavus campus without encountering music in some way. Students blast tunes through their earbuds while studying, the Dive tries to draw students in with popular hits on weekends, or you can hear an ensemble rehearsing when you walk past Christ Chapel. It is clear when you look around that Gustavus is a college that is proud of its music.

This love for music is also reflected in the annual Bjorling Music Festival, taking place this year on  November 5 to 6. This will be the 29th annual festival celebrating talented musicians here at Gustavus. The starring musicians, however, are not only students here at the college.

“The students that come are able to experience a snapshot of what Gustavus has to offer.” — Dr. Heidi Miller

“The musicians are nominated and chosen from high schools in the area,” Conductor of the Gustavus Wind Symphony, Dr. Heidi Miller said. “The majority come from Minnesota, but we have also had participants from Wisconsin, South Dakota, and Illinois.”

Miller noted how critical it is to bring high-achieving music students to Gustavus.

“It is important for the students because they are able to come together with other musicians from around the midwest and make music at a very high level in an intensive two-day series of rehearsals,” Miller said.

“The students meet others who are serious about music like they are and thrive on the artistic environment promoted at Gustavus.”

First-Year Emma Goebel also feels that music is important to her life here on campus.

“Music is important to me because it gives me a way to reflect on things that can only be reflected on through music,” Goebel said. “It’s also one of the things I do to escape. I sing all the time, and it makes me feel better about myself, and I just like listening to music.”

The students performing in the festival have to, not only be passionate about music, but also be adept musicians nominated by their directors. The level of intensity packed into the two days is high as well.

“In order to be nominated, the directors have to know that the students have achieved a high enough level of performance to be successful,” Miller said. “Once at the festival, most of the time is devoted to rehearsals and sectional rehearsals, with breaks for meals and Gustavus student performances‒and sleep, of course.”

The festival is not only for high school students. There are also workshops for teachers and faculty clinics. For high school directors the festival, “gives their students the opportunity to widen their horizons and perform in a different environment.

The focused atmosphere encourages growth that the musicians are able to take back to their respective schools, creating stronger programs as a result,” Miller said.

Even bigger, the festival includes a concert in Christ Chapel. This performance will feature Gustavus’ two visiting honor bands, honor choir, and a performance from the Gustavus Choir and Gustavus Wind Orchestra to give the visiting 250 students a taste of musical life at Gustavus.

“The students that come are able to experience a snapshot of what Gustavus has to offer,” Miller said. “Many of the students who now attend Gustavus‒music majors and non-majors alike‒played in the high school honor band, and many cite the honor band as the reason they decided to attend Gustavus.”

For current Gustavus students, the musicality of the college was a draw for them to attend, as First-Year Hannah Boese said.

“I had always wanted to play in the band here,” Boese said. “I feel the study of music is so big here at Gustavus because it is offered with equal opportunity to everyone. I know people in the wind symphony who have sports practice before rehearsal.

“The opportunities Gustavus has for those who want to be involved in music and other activities are extensive. You can be in baseball and band and theater and choir if you wanted to.”

In addition, the students who attend the festival learn an array of pieces that will both challenge them and further spark their love for music.

“The study of music is so big here at Gustavus because it is offered with equal opportunity to everyone. I know people who have sports practice before rehearsal.” — Hannah Boese

“A wide variety of literature is performed, from traditional wind band music to contemporary compositions,” Miller said. “And from programmatic pieces such as “Gandalf” from Johan de Meij’s “Lord of the Rings” Symphony to marches by Henry Fillmore and John Philip Sousa. The addition this year of the honors choir opens up another vast treasure trove of literature.”

Music is not only important for these high schoolers but for Gustavus students as well.

“I believe that music has a way of staying with you your whole life, and music has been a large part of my life,” Boese said. “So many memories of mine have evolved from music, and I couldn’t imagine not having it in my life.”

Miller believes that music is the foundation of our college.

“Music was sewn into the fiber of Gustavus from the very beginning,” Miller said. “Our Lutheran heritage as a college has always created an important space for music.

“Music is a part of worship, music is a part of our studies, music is a part of life itself. An incredibly high percentage of students at Gustavus participate in music while they attend college. Music unites and music breathes life into our days.”