Luther College presents Sperati Award to Erik Engebretson

Published: October 29, 2007

Luther College has named Erik Engebretson of Malta, Mont., the recipient of the college’s 2007 Carlo A. Sperati Award for meritorious achievement in the field of music.

Named for Carlo A. Sperati, director of the Luther Concert Band 1905-43, the award was presented to Engebretson Sunday, Oct. 14 at the Luther Homecoming Concert. Sperati is recognized as a performer, conductor and teacher who influenced instrumental music education in America, and the award honors Luther alumni who continue his legacy.

Engebretson is a band director at Malta High School where he directs the grade school, junior high, high school and jazz combo and coaches competitive speech and drama. He holds the bachelor of arts degree from Luther and a master’s of science in music education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Engebretson is a sought after guest conductor, adjudicator and guest clinician throughout the upper northwest. Since 1988, he has been a lay minister in the Malta Lutheran Church.

As a music educator, Engebretson has helped numerous students get into the MENC All-Northwest Honor groups, the Montana All-State Band and Orchestra and All Montana Jazz Band. In 1993, his high school band was selected to perform at the prestigious All-Northwest Conference of MENC.
In addition to his accolades as an educator, Engebretson is an active member of Montana Bandmasters Association, Montana High School Association Music Committee, Montana Music Educators and countless District Honor Festivals in Montana.

He was elected president of the Montana Bandmasters Association in 1995 and the Montana Music Educators in 2005. In 2006, he was presented the Montana Music Education Association Leadership Award. Currently, Engebretson is the National High School Federation Outstanding Music Educator in Montana.

Engebretson resides in Malta with his wife, Jeanne, and their three children, Kristen, Peter and Elizabeth. All three of their children were members of the Montana All-State Band in 2005.