Redfield senior Deven Fliehe recently partook in All-State Band. It was his 4th time being in it. He’d also gone last year, in junior high, and in middle school.
Before he left for All-State Band, the school gave him a send off. “It was a lot.” Fliehe said with a sheepish smile. The entire school – elementary, middle and high – lined the hallway. Fliehe said that fellow seniors had already left for the day, but they stayed to see him off. Fliehe and Unruh ran down the hallway, giving high-fives. “It was the best send-off!”
To get to be in All-State Band, students have to be from an associated school. They have to get through a live audition with a judge. Fliehe stated that this year he’d had to record and send in his audition, due to weather. He said that the judges look for tone, articulation, musicality, and general technique.
Band director Dylan Unruh explained that there’s some paperwork that directors have to send in for the students. Some band directors leave it open, and allow anyone interested to audition. Others select students who they think will do well in auditioning.
For All-State band, a certain number of slots are available for each instrument. Everyone is divided into 2 bands, which have different conductors. It was described as “collaborative.” Over 3 days, student band members put in about 15 hours of rehearsal. “It was a lot of work.” Fliehe said. He recalled how his mouth area started to get sore from all the practice playing.
“It’s lots of fun.” he added.
Unruh explained “Everyone wants to do their best.” He described being in All-State band as “an honor.”
While students don’t “win” band by getting the most points, Fliehe was chosen somewhat highly. The top clarinetist played 1st chair in the first band, and the next was 1st chair in the 2nd band, and so on. Fliehe was 5th overall among the clarinet players, and sat at 3rd chair in the 1st band. Unruh said “I thought that it was awesome that someone from a small school placed so high.”
“All the clarinets above me were from Sioux Falls.” Fliehe noted.
The bands played a few songs of different styles of music. These were collegiate-level pieces of 8-14 minutes. They were chosen by the conductor. Students are given music a month beforehand. Fliehe said that he practiced a whole month. “It took me that long to get confident.”

He listened to the pieces first. “Having the parts in context helps.”
Unruh chimed in: “For younger players, hearing the piece helps with rhythm. For older players like Deven, it helps him to know his place within the piece.”
Fliehe said that it got to be hard to stay focused by the end of the day, after 6 hours of practice.
The conductor of the band was Carolyn Barber, a
professor at the University of Nebraska. She was described as a bit “eccentric.” Fliehe said “She talked a lot about the meaning of music, of how it should feel, and of relationships and collaboration.”
She mixed the sections up – Fliehe was sat next to a piccolo. He said “There’s more to listen to that way – a lot more information.” He said that he even learned a new note, the highest he’d ever done – a high A.
The only senior in band this year, Fliehe said that most of his classmates started out in band – but eventually, one thing or another took over their time. When he started, “It seemed to be what everyone else was doing.” Also, his parents and his siblings had all been in band. He had a small interest in it at the time.
Fliehe liked playing the recorder in 5th grade – so when it was time to pick a band instrument, he chose the clarinet because he thought that it would be similar.
“It’s not similar.” he said. He explained that the recorder is like a flute – a basic wind instrument. While the clarinet uses similar breathing techniques, it is a reed instrument. Using the reed means that there is more resistance when pushing air through the instrument. The embouchure is a bit different. Embouchure is a music term for the way a musician’s mouth relates to the instrument.
Fliehe said he spends 2-3 hours a day practicing. He said “To be proficient and be able to play most kinds of music is very difficult.” He also plays snare drum, guitar, French horn, and violin, among other things. Per Unruh, this year, there were 25 high school band members; 38 members in 7th and 8th grade band, and 16 members in 6th grade band.
Fliehe felt that he has a good natural rhythm. “When I’m listening to music, I often tap or drum in time.” he said. He seemed to have a good aptitude for music. He noted that there are “different levels of understanding” music.
“It’s another language. You have to learn how to speak it.” he said.
Fliehe wouldn’t say that music’s a huge part of his life – maybe a medium-sized piece. That means that he gets a lot of out it, but there are other things that he’s into as well. He has a pet gecko, which he may not be able to take when he moves into the dorms. He likes working on his car, and also taking apart electronics and modifying them. He likes video games.
He said that he listens to music a lot. “The styles I like to listen to are different from the styles I like to play.” He likes to listen to metal, electronic, and electronic dance music. He likes to play old and new classical pieces, and transcriptions of pop songs.
Does he see music in his future? “Yes, but not professionally – maybe in a community band.” He definitely doesn’t foresee becoming a music teacher. He did say, however, that perhaps he could do some one-on-one tutoring.
Fliehe said “I will miss getting to play with other musicians.” The college he plans to go to has only a small band. Also, he will miss marching band. “I love marching band.” He noted that it was tricky for everyone to learn to be the same and in line, marching and playing. For half of his years, he played clarinet. He played snare drum for the other half.
Unruh said “My 1st day of teaching, I could tell Deven cared the most and had the most ability. My goal was to use him as a tool to teach other kids. Music is all about listening. It was great to strive for: ‘Look at Deven – you can do it too.’”
“He really enjoys being in band.” Unruh added.
“If we didn’t have a band, I would still play.” Fliehe said.