Noah Graf will be graduating from Colorado Mesa University in May of 2019 with a Bachelors of Music Education. Following graduation, he hopes to pursue a career in education and performance, leading him to a collegiate teaching position. Noah has been a part of the Maverick Stampede since 2016, and has served in the positions of Trumpet Section Leader, Drum Major, and Visual Captain. He has been an active member of the CMU music department, additionally serving as principal trumpet for the Jazz Band, Wind Symphony, and Rowdy Brass Band, as well as seizing opportunities to perform in various other small ensembles. In the spring of 2018, Noah was named the winner of the 4th annual Sampson Music Competition for solo performance, performing a solo recital during the following academic year.
Noah also performs regularly outside of school as a part of the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra. He spent the summer of 2019 as a lead trumpet in the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps, and hopes to return in the future. He is also an active educator in the Grand Valley, assisting with many programs including West Middle School, Orchard Mesa Middle School, and Fruita Monument High School.
“I would not be who I am today without music. Over the past 11 years of being involved with band, I have changed and learned so much. Marching band has always been something very special to me: a place where over a hundred people can come together for a common purpose and become something bigger than themselves. The Stampede was my first family when I came to CMU, and I owe so much to both the former and current members who have helped make it what it is today. The band is the heart of the spirit on campus, and has become a staple of the CMU culture.”