Vesuvius. Critical Mass. Puszta. A list as random as one can imagine with one definite connection. The pieces on this seemingly random list are all songs performed by the Maple Lake band on Monday, May 8. Another link is that all of these land on the list of favorites for a band player, including senior clarinetist Erin Uecker. “My favorite song is probably “Puszta” which was the last song,” said Ueker. “It is four gypsy dances, so it’s fun to listen to.” 

While fun to play, “Puszta” by Jan Van der Roost does take practice as it is over 11 minutes long. “The hardest part is probably getting all the music down,” said Ueker. “It takes a lot of practice and a lot of hard work.” 

Another favorite song, especially to junior flutist Izzy Awe, that takes a lot of practice is “Vesuvius” by Frank Ticheli, which takes nine minutes to perform even in a fast-paced tempo. “My favorite song was Vesuvius,” said Awe. “It’s full of a lot of suspense within the song, and it’s supposed to represent a volcano in Italy.” 

This fast-paced volcano of a song is not the only part that made this concert memorable for Awe, as it included a presentation of gifts to the band director Mr. Kushe. “The most memorable moment was when Mr. Kushe and the seniors were talking,” said Awe. “It made me think I’m going to miss everyone next year.” 

This gift exchange also made the nights memorable for sophomore trumpeter Cameron Wagner who found it to be the best part of the concert. “My favorite part was listening to the seniors give their gifts to Mr. Kushe,” said Wagner. “Each year, it can always be quite interesting. You’ll never know what you’ll get, so I’d say that’s probably the best part.” 

Another favorite for Wagner was the song “Critical Mass” by Jeff Jarvis, played by the Jazz band. “The most memorable part about that night, I would probably say, was playing “Critical Mass” for the Jazz band,” said Wagner. “It is personally my favorite piece that we played.” 

This memorable night for the band members left some in tears and most in smiles recounting fun times of the years past and to come. This night was made unforgettable not only by the actions of the seniors, but also by the songs played. Songs like “Vesuvius,” “Critical Mass,” and “Puszta” with seemingly nothing in common except being songs on the same playlist.