We’ve been publishing a series of interviews with our former Vintage Band Festival Student Coordinators. For ten years these students assisted in the planning and execution of each summer event. Following the end of the school year, two students were selected each year to spend two months managing the administrative tasks of producing the festival. Today’s interview is with Ramsey Walker who worked on VBF 2013 following his junior year at St. Olaf College. We interviewed his partner-in-crime, Mitch Evett in a previous post.

What year did you graduate from St. Olaf, and what was your major?

2014, Music

What do you do now for work and for fun?

I live in Fort Collins, CO, and work for a market research company based in Denver. My wife and I have two kids ages 3 and 5 with another expected this July. Our oldest is starting his music journey on the violin! In my spare time (hah) I enjoy running, cooking/eating, and gardening. Life keeps us busy these days!

What are your favorite memories from the experience?

I remember people chucking coins at Mitch (Evett) and I trying to solicit donations with the sousaphones and having too much fun with Drachenfelser. We did so much during those four days, a lot of it is a blur! I remember carting around all kinds of bands up and down the hill. That summer was such a blast covering the whole town with brass music!

Is there something you learned as a VBF intern that has been useful for later in your life?

I learned that you don’t always have a clear plan or set of instructions for what to do. Oftentimes people are just relying on you to know the vision and make it happen. I think that lesson served me well throughout my jobs and life.

Have you been back to a festival since you interned? If so, when?

I moved out of Minnesota in 2015 and haven’t been back to the festival yet, but I would love to someday.  

Are you coming back for this year’s 20th anniversary (it’s July 30-Aug. 1)?

Not this year. We are expecting our baby right before then.

Any other updates you’d like to share?

After VBF, I spent about eight years working in Arts Administration, and this internship kicked off my journey in that area. I really enjoyed my experience working directly with artists and problem solving on the fly. Interestingly enough, our research project for the internship was based on an audience survey and now I work with research surveys, so maybe that was a premonition, too. I Ioved my time with VBF and took many life lessons from the festival, and from working with Nemo (editor’s note: Dr. Paul Niemisto). That guy is a pillar of the arts in Northfield!