Max Cripe '87 found himself on his way to see the president shortly after his graduation from WSU.
He was accepted into the U.S. Marine Band, formed in 1798 by an Act of Congress with the focus of providing music for the president and the commandant of the Marine Corps. This January, Cripe was promoted to principal French horn.
He says, "They tried out several players within the section for about a year. The conductor called while I was vacationing in Kansas and told me I had the position."
While at Wichita State, Cripe played in the Wichita Symphony Orchestra, and his wife Irma '88 was part of the WSU graduate string quartet. Cripe says that moving to the Marine Band was much like assuming a position with an orchestra — and he got to skip basic training. His position has allowed him to rub elbows with some of the country's greatest names. "I've had regular contact with every president since Reagan," he says. "I've played in brass quintets at Camp David and at the senior Bush's daughter's wedding."
Max and Irma both came to WSU from studying overseas, Irma from Costa Rica, Max from the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria.
Nicholas Smith, Cripe's WSU professor, says, "When he took the audition for the Marine Band, I had my fingers and toes crossed."
Apparently all that good luck continues to follow him.
