The Normal Marching Band is getting rather accustomed to winning.

In fact, not only is the band a 3x State Champion in the Class 6A IHSA Marching Band Competition, but their leader has also recently won, himself.

Ryan Budzinski, chairperson of the music department and director of bands at Normal West, as well as co-director of Normal Marching bands, was recently nominated for a very prestigious music award. 

He was the state of Illinois’s nominee for the Outstanding Music Educator Award, sponsored by the national Federation of States High School associations. 

“It’s a really exciting honor and something that I’m humbled by and … it was a very pleasant surprise,” Budzinski comments on the nomination.

While Budzinski’s hard work and efforts over the years was a huge reason for this nomination. He also admitted how he couldn’t have gotten this far without the help of his extraordinarily talented students and staff. 

“With an award I think it means a great deal when somebody recognizes your work, but I think more than that it is a recognition of all of the great things that happen at Normal West and that doesn’t come solely from my efforts. I think it is a reflection of the efforts of the outstanding student musicians that we have the support that we receive in the building and in the community and I think it becomes a team effort to produce something that is worthy of this kind of recognition,” Budzinski says. 

The band has been in some noteworthy competitions already this year and have some big events coming up soon as well. Budzinski acknowledged how talented and hard work this group has been since the very beginning of the road to get to this point. 

“I think it is a culmination of a ton of hard work that begins all the way back in 5th grade when they choose an instrument. As a coach you’re always looking for the chemistry of a team and the work ethic of a team and the culture of a team and trying to develop those things in a way that reach[es] a level of excellence. I think that’s something that’s been pretty successful for our students and for our staff over the past few years so we’ve (the staff) been really proud of their efforts and their drive for excellence throughout the year,” Budzinski notes. 

In order to be a successful band you must understand the importance of teamwork. Budzinski and the

band understand as well as anybody as Budzinski states that “each member plays their own specialized role,” and that “you’re only as strong as the youngest member of your team.” 

“Not only has the band’s teamwork skills led to such a successful season, but they’ve also shown  exceptional preparation abilities before events or competitions and have been able to “buy in.” 

“One of the things that I’m proud of is (that) at each

point throughout the year every performance they’ve given has been the best level that they were prepared to give at the time that they gave it.

“Certainly the band has had some competitive successes with grand championships at Metamora and Morton this year, as well as winning the 6A class championship at the Illinois State marching band championships and qualifying for finals there so competitively the results of shown it to be a successful season but I think the the success has been based on the [students ability to] buy-in that the students have to the program that’s on the field and the quality of the music they’re making in the art that they’re sharing,” Budzinski shares. 

Budzinski and the band staff also have some personal goals for the band as they talk a lot about “leadership through service.”

“I think our goals tend to lie toward the development of the whole person along the way throughout the course throughout the season,” Budzinski mentions. 

Heading into the last competition of the season, the band is feeling as optimistic as ever. 

“I think that it’s a really good show. I think that it’s honestly one of the best ones that we’ve done in a long time and I’m excited but (also) sad that it’s our last show. But I’m excited to see what we can do for it because of what we did at state,” sophomore drum major Jackson Dejaynes adds. 

The NMB wrap up their competitive season this Saturday when they head to the University of Illinois in Champaign to compete in the Illinois marching band championship.

After that, they will begin their preparation towards their event in London on New Years Day, where they will get an opportunity to showcase what they can do on a global stage.