While Minnesota may be completely devoid of historically Black colleges or universities (HBCUs), many people who have attended these illustrious institutions are working to bring the HBCU band experience to The North Star State.
This initiative, dubbed the Northside United Summer Band camp, was founded last year and was born through a collaborative effort between North Community High School and LoveWorks Academy for Visual and Performing Arts.
The Northside United Summer Band Camp is a free, two-week program led by three HBCU grads: Deondré Carter, D’Shonte Carter and Arthur Turner III.
Deondré and D’Shonte, a married couple, met while attending Virginia State University, and they serve as the program’s drum line instructor and music teacher, respectively.
Turner, a graduate of Shaw University, is the camp leader. He notably has a long association with HBCUs that goes back to his childhood, as he grew up mere minutes away from Norfolk State University.
“I could hear them, growing up: the band, the drum line,” Turner recalled, according to the Star Tribune. “It was a big thing to be a part of band.”
These three combined their musical knowledge and experience to bring a “show style” marching band to the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area, complete with all the high-energy vibes that HBCU band performances are known for, the Star Tribune reports.
“We hope that we’re igniting the fire that will give them a tool to be able to take their lives from where they currently are to wherever they want to go,” Turner said, according to the outlet.
“How do you get kids excited about something they’ve never seen in person?” he continued. “It’s hard.”
Terriana Carter-Ricks, a 14-year-old who participated in the program, spoke positively of her experience.
“I like that they push us more,” she noted, the Star Tribune reports.
With the program’s success, which ballooned from 13 to 32 participants over the past year, the band leaders are hopeful for the future.
“My hope is that we as a state, and as this city, continue to provide these opportunities to students,” D’Shonte Carter said, the Star Tribune reports.
“Kids fall in love with sports because you hear about the million-dollar contracts. They don’t realize that you can be a principal musician for the orchestra and make pretty good money,” Turner added, according to the Star Tribune.
