From a small group of young men who formed the St. Olaf College Cornet Band in 1891 to a 94-piece Band that left Northfield, Minnesota, in January of 2018 on a concert tour of New Zealand and Australia, the St. Olaf Band has been on an ascendant path of strong and dynamic musicianship. This definitive historical account by Susan M. Hvistendahl and Jeffrey M. Sauve covers significant milestones, including conductor F. Melius Christiansen taking the Band on tour to his native Norway in 1906, the first American collegiate instrumental music organization to tour abroad.  Among many other highlights was the 2016 performance led by conductor Timothy J. Mahr in the fabled Carnegie Hall of New York City. Threaded throughout the book are the voices of the “Bandies” themselves, attesting to their joyful and memorable experiences in the ensemble which created lasting friendships.

“The St. Olaf Band has such a rich and varied history and it is vitally important to document and recognize the numerous accomplishments and achievements of these musicians!”  – Andrew Boysen Jr., composer and conductor at the University of New Hampshire.

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