Mr. Engebretson Honored at All State Concert

Former Malta band director Erik Engebretson (from 1993-2023) was honored at the All State Band, Choir and Orchestra concert held in Missoula on Friday night, October 20th.

Mr. E was presented with the 2023 Montana Music Educators Association Distinguished Service Award. This award is given to a music teacher who has made a significant contribution to education in Montana. Mr. E has been president of the Montana Bandmasters Association, president of the Montana Music Educators Association, as well as chairman of the MHSA music committee for 11 years.

"It's kind of a nice way to culminate my career, I guess," Engebretson told the PCN. "It's the biggest honor that you can get as a music educator in Montana. I have had a great career and it was a special way to finish it all off. It feels amazing that people would think of me like that."

Among the many awards he has received over the years are the MMEA Leadership Award, NFHS Montana Teacher of the Year and Region 7 Teacher of the Year, MHSA Citation of Merit Award and Montana Heart of the Arts Award, as well as Luther College's Carlos Sperati Award.

To receive the 2023 Montana Music Educators Association Distinguished Service Award, Engebretson made the trip from his current home in Cedar Rapids, IA.

During the event, Engebretson was able to see many familiar faces, including his past band students, current MHS students Bow SaintLouis and Lola Snell who were selected to play in the 2023 All State band in Missoula. They were seated on stage in the band when Mr. E received his award. The award was presented to him by past MMEA presidents Nancy Murdock and Dennis Granlie. Mr. Granlie was also Mr. E's former high school band director.

"It was really nice, like going back in time almost," Mr. E said. "It's not easy to have made this type of change, even though my family is in Iowa. It was like going back in time and it was fun to reminiscence."

Engebretson was also asked to do a session at state, which he gladly obliged.

When asked what else he would like to say, he mentioned a moment that put his career and Malta High School music on the map, his first year as an educator: A big moment for the Malta band program was in 1993, the band was the only Class B band to ever be selected to perform at All Northwest, which was held in Portland, Oregon that year. The group that performed that year included Gina Lamb and Melissa Dunbar. Many band students from his program have also been selected to play in the bands and orchestras at All State.

He was asked about Iowa and how the state has been treating him. He said that like Montana, Iowa is a great state.

"The funny thing is that it has been super dry here," he said. "They have been in a terrible drought here. I was hoping to get away from that because it rains a lot here."

He also said that it is different living in a larger community and that he has been getting into the music community, church community, a cycling club, and that his cancer situation is going well.

"I am currently thinking about giving some lessons at a music store," Mr. E said.