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Lead by music; Belpre senior has dream of becoming band director

By Kristen Hainkel 3 min read

BELPRE -- Belpre High School senior Conner Elder dreams of inspiring the next generation of musicians.

Elder said that his band teacher, William Van Pelt, has had a profound influence on his life and he wants to pass it on.

"Mr. Van Pelt has inspired me to make an impact," Elder said. "He has challenged me to do better even when I didn't believe in myself. I've never met a teacher who cares so much about his students."

To accomplish this dream, Elder plans to attend West Virginia University and study music education. He said his ultimate goal is to be a band director like Van Pelt.

Back in Belpre, Elder said he started playing the alto saxophone in fifth grade. In his freshman year, he switched to the baritone saxophone, which is his favorite of the two instruments.

"It's an octave lower, and it has a richer sound. All of the Solo and Ensemble pieces for baritone sax I've done are really interesting," he said.

Solo and Ensemble is an event in which high school students perform a vocal or instrumental piece in front of judges. Elder told a story about performing in February 2022 that taught him a valuable lesson.

"Class A is the hardest music you can do in Solo and Ensemble. My sophomore year, I did a solo (that) was the hardest I'd ever done up to that point. It was the first time I'd been in front of a judge since my freshman year I recorded a video because of COVID-19. It was the first time in 20 years a Belpre student had done a Class A solo. I got a 2, which is the second-highest rating."

Elder said the performance was nerve-wracking, but Van Pelt told him he'd done his best with the music he used.

Elder is a member of the Belpre Marching Band, which just qualified for the Ohio Music Education Association's state competition for the third consecutive year.

Elder said the band's music has evolved over the past few years.

"Five or six years ago, we would pick a theme and do songs under that theme. Now our music tells a story. For example, our show this year starts out bright and sunny. Then it goes to a thunderstorm. The final section, we go into a rainbow formation and the colorguard carries flags in the colors of the rainbow," he said.

Elder said being a musician has taught him patience.

"It teaches you to take a step back, calm down, and focus on what's important," he said.

Elder is part of another group activity that focuses on working together - the mock trial team.

"We get a fake case that is written by the (Ohio Center for Law Education). The case is fake, but it's based on current events, and the law is the same. Each team splits into prosecution and defense," he said,

Elder said the trial team advanced to regionals in February 2022.

"We went against Hilliard Bradley High School in Columbus and won. It was pretty cool that a small school went against a big school in Columbus and won," he said.

Elder credited the club's teamwork as a reason for their win.

"We worked really well together. It doesn't matter how much you know personally; it's how you work together as a team. Just like in the marching band," he said.

Kristen Hainkel can be contacted by email at khainkel@newsandsentinel.com

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