Magazine Features Haddonfield Native

PHILADELPHIA — Trumpeter, Temple University student and Haddonfield native Banks Sapnar never saw himself playing the trumpet.

Or even the piano, which was the instrument he said his parents really wanted him to play.

"My parents started me on the piano when I was five. I hated every minute of it. But they kept pushing me to practice," he told Patch in an interview.

His choice of instrument changed in fourth grade when he entered the school band and was given a certain CD as a present, according to Sapnar.

"It was a compendium of Duke Ellington recordings," he explained. "I loved it. That's when I became addicted to jazz."

Sapnar has played the trumpet regularly ever since.

About a decade ago, Patch named him one its Whiz Kids, a past feature that showcased successful children.

More recently, he and his bandmates from Temple University were featured in an article that appeared in the June 2022 edition of "Jersey Jazz," a magazine best described by its name.

The Temple University band recently competed in the Rudin Championship, according to the magazine. The Rudin Championship is a two-day battle between "ensembles from ten of the most well-regarded university jazz programs in the country," according to the championship's website.

The band was recognized as one of four Outstanding Trumpet Sections at the championship, and Sapnar was recognized as an Outstanding Trumpet Player, the magazine said.

"That was really cool," Sapnar said of the exposure the honors provided. "It was [also] a lot of fun to be featured along with some of my best friends who are in the Temple [University] band."

He has similarly fond memories of growing up in Haddonfield.

"I'm still very close with four or five of my friends from high school, who are my biggest supporters," he said. "I had some great teachers, Steve Uibel was my middle school teacher. He was a great trumpet player in the area [and] he really helped shape me to become a musician."

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