For the third time in six years, the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University Wind Ensemble has received a prestigious national honor.
Dr. Justin Zanchuk, the chair of the music department at CSB and SJU and the conductor of the Wind Ensemble and Brass Choir, was recently informed the ensemble has been selected by peer review for presentation as part of the Small Band Program Showcase at the 2025 National Convention of the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA), which runs from Wednesday (March 26) through Saturday (March 29) in Fort Worth, Texas.
A total of seven ensembles were selected from across the nation. CSB and SJU also received the honor in 2019 and 2023.
“That consistency is a testament to the dedication of our students and the work they do,” Zanchuk said. “Not everyone in the group is a music major, but regardless of their majors, this shows we’re performing music at an elite level as recognized by the leading organization in the field of college wind bands.”
Eligibility for the Small Band Showcase is determined in part by a school’s enrollment (it must be much smaller than the flagship or major regional institutions within a state), the number of music majors and the number of full-time versus part-time faculty members.
As part of the application process, ensembles submit a recording of seven minutes or less. Those recordings then undergo a blind review by a select group of the CBDNA membership. The ensembles selected receive the opportunity for their recordings to be played as part of the showcase at the national convention.
The piece the CSB and SJU ensemble submitted was a rendition of In the Open Air, In the Silent Lines by Aaron Perrine, which was recorded in a live performance on Oct. 18, 2023.
“Though the work being honored is specific to the Wind Ensemble, it’s related to all the work those students put into their instrument and in music,” Zanchuk said. “Whether it’s in the classroom, the lessons they take or in other ensembles and groups. It’s a reminder of the opportunities available to our students and the way they’re able to take advantage of them.”
