Gracelyn Szynal was nervous as she approached her graduation at Cambridge-Isanti last spring.
“I came from a really, really tight band program at Cambridge-Isanti,” she said. “I came from a place where I knew everybody, so it was terrifying to go to a place where I wouldn’t know anybody.”
So Szynal was happy when she joined the Gustavus Adolphus Wind Orchestra as a trumpet player.
“Before I came here, I had heard the Gustavus Wind Orchestra was a talented group, and I had heard great things about its conductor, Dr. James Patrick Miller,” Szynal said. “So I knew I had to come check this out. …
“I wanted to look for a tight-fit community in college, but I also wanted to look for a music program that would challenge me and turn me into a fantastic musician and great educator. … When I toured Gustavus, it instantly felt like home.”
The Gustavus Wind Orchestra (GWO) is a touring ensemble of 80 students composed largely – but not exclusively – of music majors. It’s a high-caliber group that tours both nationally and internationally under the direction of Miller, a nationally recognized conductor.
“I sat in on a rehearsal, and just the way everybody jibed with one another [was amazing],” Szynal said. “It was exactly what I was looking for. And James Patrick Miller does such a great job of making students feel valued and want to be present at Gustavus.”
The Gustavus Wind Orchestra toured Las Vegas from Jan. 27 to Feb. 4 connecting with local high schools while sharing the group’s passion for music.
“We visited a wide variety of schools there,” Szynal said. “We visited the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, which was very prestigious – kids had to audition into the school and were super, super talented – and we visited schools where kids struggled just to have instruments.
“For example, Bonanza High School was a school where sometimes it was a struggle to get new instruments and have kids enter the program. But the kids that were there were so passionate, so happy to make music.”
Making music is something that has made Szynal happy, too.
“It’s my favorite thing at Gustavus; I wake up in the morning, and I look forward to going to GWO,” she said. “The community is just incredible. …
“I could not be more pleased with my experience here. Sure, there are ups and downs in your first year in college. But Gustavus helps you deal with the challenges.”
Szynal is a freshman education major at Gustavus Adolphus, but she is not entirely sure about her plans after college.
“I’m not sure what level I’d like to teach at,” she admitted. “I’m exploring a bunch of different avenues; Gustavus has provided opportunities to work with pre-K, K-through-5, 5-through-12.
“I know I want to teach music and share this passion I have. I just haven’t found my level yet. Thankfully I have three more years here.”
Szynal thanks her parents, Jennifer Daniels and David Szynal, for their support.
“I very much want to thank my mother, because she pushed me to pursue my dreams,” Gracelyn said. “Going into college, she told me that she wanted me to do what I want to do. I’m so glad she pushed me to go to Gustavus and pursue music education, because I couldn’t be happier doing that.
“And I also thank my high school band director, Justin Kennedy, who also pushed me and also guided me on my musical journey. I respect him so much, and I’d like so much to be like him. …
“And I thank James Patrick Miller for giving me a soft place to land. Transitioning to college is never easy, but he made it feel so much like home.”
Szynal is thankful to have found a new home at Gustavus.
“The Gustavus Wind Orchestra really gave me a sense of home, a sense of family,” she said. “I’ve found my best friends, my brothers and sisters here. I never would have thought I would have had these opportunities, or found the people I jibe so well with.
“I’m really appreciative of Gustavus and happy to be here.”
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