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We here at NDSU mourn the loss of one of our own from within the Gold Star Band program. Yesterday morning, one of our freshman music ed majors passed away unexpectedly. She was a wonderful young woman that I have had the privilege of mentoring these past 6 months. She had become a part of our family and was my little girl's favorite babysitter. I received a message from her family this morning asking if I would be a pallbearer for the funeral on Friday. It is an honor to be asked this.

In the years that I have been teaching, this is the third student that has passed at the schools I have been at, but she is the first that I had any deep connection with. The other two students weren't a part of any of my classes so while it was still a tough time, it didn't have a huge impact on me personally. This has been a rough couple of days and will be leading to a rough week.

It is March 18 and we have another snow day here in Fargo. I'm grateful for a quiet day at home with my little girl. I'm not sure how I would've handled classes and rehearsals today with the empty chair in the bass clarinets. I'm not really sure why I'm sharing any of this, but thank you for allowing me to put my thoughts to words.

That is very sad, and my thoughts are with her family, the community, and you. I hope that you will keep an empty chair for her at your next concert, in memory of her.

Left up to me, yes, I would leave the chair empty for her. As the GTA I'll push for that, but the final decision isn't up to me. I will have more input on the University Band vs. the Wind Symphony as I conduct the uband. I'm also going to see if the university owns the Himes arrangement of Amazing Grace and see if we can add that to the program with the uband for the spring concert.

Really a tough loss. Our local brass band lost its bass trombone player suddenly last month, and it has been hard on them (and those of us in the low brass community in general). I like the idea of an empty chair. The Eugene Symphony did that a few years ago after three of their musicians were killed by a drunk driver. Left roses on the chairs.

We made it through the first band rehearsal missing our friend today. The director of bands is going to leave her chair empty at the Wind Symphony concert on Sunday with a single rose sitting on it.

Tomorrow we have the University Band rehearsal, the is the band I conduct, she played in this band as well. I obtained permission today to add in the William Himes arr. of Amazing Grace to the spring concert in her memory. I will also leave her chair empty with a single purple rose on it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKSbYVyC9As