Rebecca Salmen, Wessington Springs, Flute
Aaron Stryzewski, Chamberlain, Bassoon
Jenna Jensen, Groton, Clarinet
Suzanne Smith, S. F. Lincoln, Clarinet
Rebecca Ramse, Canton, Clarinet
Andrea Hoogendoorn, SF O’Gorman, Clarinet
Jostein Reiners, Canton, Alto Saxophone
Kiel DeBoer, Brookings, Baritone Saxophone
David Reid, Brandon Valley, French Horn
Kody Coull, Brookings, Trombone
Lindsey Thoreson, Brandon Valley, Trombone
Chris Prendergast, S. F. Lincoln, Euphonium

Eldon Samp decided to become a band director during his grade school years in Spencer, SD after a trip to the Corn Palace to see and hear John Philip Sousa.

Over the years, he served as the band director at four schools: Wentworth (1939-40), Menno (1940-41), Bridgewater (1942-43 and 1945-48) and Flandreau (1948-60). In addition, he was the conductor for the Flandreau City Band (1948-60).

He served as a member of the US Navy Band in the Pacific Theatre of World War II. He was the principal of the Spafford Elementary School from 1960 until his retirement in 1978.

Samp was the Secretary of the South Dakota Bandmasters Association for 21 years. He was one of the group of band directors that founded the South Dakota All-State Band. He was also one of the founders of the South Dakota Grade School Music Contest.

In 1989, Samp was recognized with the Phi Beta Mu "Distinguished Service Award" and the SD Music Education Association "Distinguished Service To Music Award" in 1985. He was selected to the American School Band Directors in 1955. He was presented the All-State Band Founder Award and in he was recognized as the USD Kappa Delta Psi South Dakota Outstanding Band Director in 1956.

Samp served for eight years on the South Dakota Board of Education (1979-1986) and the South Dakota Board of Vocational Education (1979-1985). In 1979 he was recognized as an "Outstanding School Administrator".

"I have sought for over thirty years to guide young people to an appreciation of music." With these words Dennis Hegg expresses the philosophy that makes him an "Outstanding Music Educator". Hegg continues by stating, "I have had bands that got superiors that upset me because they fell short of their potential. I have had bands that got excellent ratings that made me extremely proud, because they gave all they had."

Hegg has served as a music educator since January 1968 to the present. He has taught at Baltic (1968-71), Beresford (1971-79), Dell Rapids (1979-89), Madison (1989-01). In August 2001, he was appointed the Director of Bands at Dakota State University in Madison.

He is in demand as a adjudicator. He has adjudicated concert and marching bands as well as solo and ensemble contests in Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota.

He was named "Teacher of the Year" in both Beresford and Dell Rapids. In 1995 he was named the Phi Beta Mu "Band Director of the Year". Marching bands under his direction have won over 350 awards. During his ten years as band director in Dell Rapids, the band tripled in size. Over thirty of his students have gone on to be music majors. He has been a member of the South Dakota Music Educators Association/MENC since 1969. A member of the South Dakota Bandmasters Association since 1968, Hegg served on the Board of Directors (1975-78), was the SDBA President (1987-88) and has served as the SDBA Secretary-Treasurer since 1993.

In summing up his career, Hegg explains that the trophies, elections and awards are a miniscule part of what he has done. He states, "I love music. I love young people. The hours I spend in the band room are a labor of love. Nothing is sweeter than those moments when my students give me an opportunity to be proud of them. It’s not about the contests…it’s about the contestants…I am a band director. It is who I am. It is what I do."

Peterson received his BS Degree in Art Education with minors in Vocal Music and English from Dakota State University in 1968. In 1973 he earned his MA Degree in Theatre and Speech Communication from SDSU in Brookings. He has served as Designer/Technical Director for SDSU Theatre and Prairie Repertory Theatre for the past 31 years. He has been the production Director for the Miss South Dakota Pageant from 1969 to the present and has served as a judge for 38 Miss America State Preliminary Pageants.

He was named the SDSU "Arts and Science Teacher of the Year" in 1982 and 1985. He is the recipient of the 1984 and 1987 Outstanding DSU Alumnus Award s and the Alpha Delta Teacher of the Year in 1988. In 1988 he received the F.O. Butler Foundation Award for Excellence Through Innovative and Creative Activity. He was the 2000 National Federation Interscholastic Speech & Drama Association (NFISDA) South Dakota "Outstanding Speech Educator"

As a Speech contest judge, Peterson states, "In evaluating student performances, it has been my policy to be honest and kind in my responses and to always offer words of encouragement and praise along with suggestions for improvement".

Darwin Walker is a lifelong native of South Dakota whose entire professional teaching career has been spent in this state. He is the originator and for 18 years the festival director of the Brookings Optimest Marching Band Festival. For 20 years he has served as the Music Director for theAmerica’s Mid-West Ambassadors of Music European tours.

Walker taught music at Bristol for three years before moving to Mobridge to teach. At Mobridge he served as the Secretary and manager of the Region III Solo/Ensemble and Large Group Music Contests for three years. In 1965 he became Director of Band at Northern State University for eight years. In 1973 he moved to South Dakota State University.

In 1965, he began adjudicating Regional Solo/Ensemble and Large Group Music Contests throughout South Dakota. He has adjudicated Region Music Contests in each of South Dakota’s eight music regions. In 1983 Walker began serving as an All-State Band selection judge.

He is a past President of Phi Beta Mu. He has published several articles for Major education journals, and is the author of Teaching Music: Managing The Successful Music Program, published by Schirmer Books in 1989 (second edition in 1998). This book has become one of the most popular music education texts at the undergraduate level at colleges and universities through out the U.S.

In 1996, Walker received the South Dakota Music Educators Association "Distinguished Service Award". He was inducted into the South Dakota Bandmasters Association "Hall of Fame" in 2000.