Eagle Marching Band: A legacy 60 years strong

The award-winning Eden Prairie High School (EPHS)Band, including its marching band, has never been shy about sharing its music with the community.

“There is something special about Eagle Marching Band practices,” said former drum major Jake Schreifels (‘24), referencing outdoor practices held from July to October. “They are very loud, so people visit and stop to watch us.” That volume — literally and figuratively — has been making the community stop and listen for more than 60 years, since Emmet “Em” Stark served as its first director. 

Eagle Band connects people within its multiple ensembles and across Eden Prairie, and its rouser is a rallying call for Eagles near and far. “Band connects people through art,” said current director Mike Whipkey, who has led the program for the last quarter century. “Playing with high discipline creates a performance that evokes extreme emotion both in the player and in audience members.”

"Band connects people through art." - Mike Whipkey

Eagle Band now boasts over 300 students in a range of groups, including wind ensemble, concert band, two jazz bands, jazz combo, two bands specifically for ninth graders, winter drumline, winter color guard and the marching band. Notable achievements include a Grand Champion placement in the AAA Marching Band competition at the 2015 Minnesota State Fair, first-place drumline finishes in the 2022 marching and winter seasons (plus a second-place color guard award that marching season), and an invitation to perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., in March 2025.

There’s also a deep connection between the band and the community. The annual ExtravaBANDza invites Eden Prairie middle school students to join one of four band sections to learn basic skills, meet players, and get excited for the high school program. Prairie Colors, a marching band festival held at EPHS each September, features 12 high school bands from the Twin Cities, Greater Minnesota and Iowa. And the band’s bond is strong: Within the last two years, alumni and current band families raised more than $70,000 to purchase a trailer for taking instruments to events and to support the medical needs of one of the band’s directors.

Some band members can’t stay away for long, like Zach Fitzgibbon (‘14), who instructs winter drumline, or Ben Anderson (‘98), who now directs the band at Central Middle School. Others go out to share their talents with the world, like Molly Watters (‘04), a trumpet player who became the first female drum major for the University of Minnesota, and Betsy McCann (‘99), the current director of the University of Minnesota band. 

For former drum major Schreifels, the community has always been at the heart of the band’s success.

“Just being able to create music brings people together and creates a special bond,” he said. “Whether it’s the silly rituals each section of the band has or just being able to make music with your closest friends, band creates a thriving community within Eden Prairie.”

This story includes contributions from EPHS Multimedia Story Production students Dylan Leung and Brooke Tape.