The world premiere of “Loyal Son,” a dedication to former Atlantic High School graduate Avery Andersen, was performed at the 2025 Patty Hanon concert on April 27. Andersen was a son, friend, college student, band member, community volunteer, supporter and loyal Iowa State Fan among many other things. He died in a car accident in 2021, two months shy of his 21st birthday. The composition, written by Iowas Iowa State Band director Michael Golemo, came to be with the support of our local Booster club, band director Jarrod O’Donnell, and Avery’s parents Steve and Sue Andersen.
Avery Andersen was an astounding student at Atlantic High School. One for all students to strive to be. Band director Jarrod O’Donnell knew Andersen from his time in the band. They were not only mentor and mentee but friends to the end. O’Donnell said, “Avery was a special student, was very talented in the arts, but he was an example for every kid in the Atlantic District… He was truly just a genuine kid with a heart the size of the town of Atlantic. To do this in his memory is truly special for me, and everyone that knew him”
O’Donnell said Andersen showed you could do everything and have fun doing it. He was a highly active student and community member, causing his impact to spread far and wide. O’Donnell said, “Avery was a multi-sport athlete, he was in plays and musicals, he was in band, and he was an All-State Vocalist. He loved being involved and he loved helping other people. Even after he graduated from high school. He would come back and take pictures of the band on Friday nights, or help out at a contest. He would go to his old coaches and talk to them about how they were doing and how their programs were.”
O’Donnell said, “When Avery passed away, I always knew I wanted to do something special. Avery was a big part of AHS, and the Atlantic Community, and would go out of his way to help anyone at any time.” This inspired O’Donnell to do the same for his memory.
This process started two years ago when O’Donnell reached out to the family of Andersen. Avery’s parents, Steve and Sue Andersen, were honored to be contacted about this piece. Sue Andersen said, “Mr. O’Donnell reached out to us after Avery died with the idea for having the song written for Avery. We were very touched by the fact that Avery’s life meant enough to Mr. O that it was even something he considered. I didn’t even know it was something you could have done. We immediately told Mr. O that we would do anything we could to make it happen.”
Quickly after, O’Donnell contacted the Iowa State Band director Michael Golemo. He has been the Iowa State Director of Bands and Professor of Music since the year 1999. He toured with his bands to Europe eight times and has credits to over 400 instrumental arrangements, transcriptions and compositions.
Golemo said, “If I remember correctly, Mr. Jarrod O’Donnell approached me and asked if I would be interested in composing a work for concert band in memory of Avery Andersen. He talked to me about Avery, including that he was such an outstanding person, an incredible musician, and a loyal Cyclone. I said ‘yes’ immediately.”
Now with the song in progress, Golemo had a lot of work to do. “My process is thinking through the bigger picture, musically speaking. What will the form be like? What style of writing? What about solo instruments? Where will the impact points be? And then there are musical considerations such as the size of the band… instrumentation… what key(s) to use… pace… tempo,” Golemo contemplated. “After trying to lay out the bigger blueprint, then it is a matter of working on individual sections of the work. Think of creating a huge mural… you try to see the entire work and begin to figure out how sections fit together…the colors….brightness….type of brushes to use…transitions…and then work on the smaller sections.”
All the technical work was being done behind the scenes but this project still called for funding. O’Donnell said, “After talking with a few organizations, I finally asked the Atlantic Booster Club, and they were 100 percent on board with this project so we had everything in place going forward.”
Sue Andersen expressed her gratitude towards the Atlantic Booster Club and O’Donnell for this memorial for her beloved son. She said, “ We are so proud and humbled by the fact that the Boosters and Mr. O thought enough of Avery and his life to devote time and money to this. The song is incredible. The fact that Avery now has a song, “Loyal Son,” written about him is overwhelming to us.”
Back in the process of creating the piece, Golemo wanted to make an impact within this song. He said, “I knew that Avery was a student at Iowa State and a member of the Hockey Pep Band. Mr. O’Donnell told me that it might be a good idea to include excerpts of an Iowa State University song – such as our fight song or our Alma Mater, “The Bells of Iowa State.” I used The Bells in this piece as a tribute to Avery. There is also a trumpet solo, that can be played from offstage, that can be interpreted as the spirit of Avery communicating with us.”
Sue Andersen commented on the trumpet solo as one of her favorite parts. “The haunting “off-stage” trumpet was a beautiful touch. It reminded me of when Avery would play trumpet with Caleb Spurr for Memorial Day when they were in school, and they would play off stage, so that really hit an emotional note.”
O’Donnell also felt connected to the Iowa State Alma Mater excerpt. It seemed to do just what was intended by Golemo. O’Donnell said, “I love the whole song, but the part that gives me goosebumps every time is about ⅓ of the way into the song, and the ISU alma mater comes out in the woodwinds. Then after the fermata the key changes into a minor setting. It still features the alma mater, but since it’s in a minor key there is a note of sadness there, and tension that represents his loss, and the loss it brought to everyone that knew him. After the sadness though, there is this slight build where we go back into a major key, which is a happier setting, and it celebrates his memory.”
Junior band member Olivia Olsen performed this piece as a trumpet player. She said, “It was such a surreal experience seeing how many people that the song affected. The only person that I could see while playing was Avery’s father Steve and it took everything I had to not start crying because..I knew how much it meant to him.”
She has a connection to the Andersen family and O’Donnell from her years in the band. Olsen felt the impact of the song even before the final performance. “When we started to play and practice it I knew how important it was going to be to him O’Donnell) to play every note with purpose and passion just like Avery lived his life. “
There are two scholarship recipients for the Patty Hanon Concert every year. This year was particularly honorable because of the premiere of “Loyal Son.” A committee chooses the recipients based on the applications candidates submitted. They are awarded money to use toward their college tuition. The winners for the class of 2025 were Clarinet Player Drayce Moore and Trumpet Player Luke Irlemier.
Irlemier played first chair trumpet for the premiere of this song. He had a big role to fill as a large crowd waited in the auditorium in support of the Andersen family. Irlemier said, “I was a little nervous and emotional, but it felt great to play a song in remembrance of Avery Andersen, especially for his family…What makes it special for me is that Avery Andersen was a trumpet player in high school, and I was given the opportunity to play a trumpet solo in this song.”
Moore said, “I was very excited to have this opportunity to play a brand new piece, especially regarding the importance and message behind it. In my seven years of playing in band, this was the first time I’ve gotten to do something like this, making it a very special memory!”
Andersen’s lasting impact continues as these two senior band members continue to their next chapter. Both were more than appreciative of this honor and found meaning within this concert. Moore said, “I am extremely grateful to have won this scholarship…This concert was full of special memories, such as premiering ‘Loyal Son.’ Irlemier said, “It has inspired me to live life to the fullest, just as Andersen had done.”
While the song had a great impact, the name did not fail to live up to the standards. Sue Andersen said, “We love the name! When I first heard that, I cried.” In memory of Avery, Steve has a Loyal Son, Forever True tattoo on his arm with Avery’s name and a cross because “Loyal Son, Forever True” is a line in the Iowa State fight song, and Iowa State was so important to Avery’s life. “It’s part of who he was so it’s very meaningful. People who I have told the name, especially if they’re familiar with Iowa State, are very touched when they hear it.”
Golemo said, “In our fight song, there is a lyric that says…’Loyal Sons forever true…’That just seemed right for this piece and for Avery. The loyal son, forever true.”
This story was originally published on AHSneedle on May 9, 2025.
