A Chaparral High School drum major and bassoon player is on her way to perform at the premiere concert hall in the United States.
Emma Riepen, a senior, is among 350 high school band, choir and orchestra students selected through the Honors Performance Series for five days of rehearsal and performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
A strong academic student and talented musician, Riepen said the opportunity to meet, work alongside and perform with similarly talented peers is something she couldn’t pass up.
More than 10,000 student musicians auditioned following a nomination process linked to the College Board and music competition.
The Chaparral senior was focused on helping to lead the Bobcat Band last August when she learned of her nomination and was actually performing during a football game when she found out she was selected to perform at Carnegie Hall.
“I was excited when I found out I made it,” she said. “Carnegie Hall is the most famous hall musicians can perform in the United States.”
The famous venue in Midtown Manhattan has been around since 1891. Its main auditorium seats 2,804, with smaller halls seating 599 and 268.
Now, just over a week before she flies with her family to New York City, the soft-spoken Riepen is still getting used to the idea.
“It’s surreal because not even my band directors have done it,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity.”
The Feb. 6-10 honors experience will be the Chaparral senior’s first time in New York. The itinerary includes a Broadway show, visit to Times Square and other outings in addition to a lot of rehearsing and performing.
Chaparral Band Director Bass Deese said Riepen is the ideal band student, a leader who is a positive role model with a stellar work ethic combined with a love and talent for music.
She began studying music as a kindergarten student, first picked up a bassoon in sixth grade band and has auditioned for region band throughout middle school and high school and made the area band throughout high school.
“Band is like a family, a community,” she said. “We learn life skills like teamwork and perseverance. Music is a way to express feelings when words won’t work.”
After graduating from high school, Riepen plans to attend Stephen F. Austin State University, where she will play in the Lumberjack Band and study music education with the goal of becoming a band director.
