In the Spotlight | Maari Loy

In our mission to support Central Cass students in the arts, our “In the Spotlight” series aims to showcase alumni deserving recognition.

Maari (Larsen) Loy | Central Cass Class of 2004
Pharmacist & Community Musician

Maari (Larsen) Loy, 2004 CCHS graduate—a career in pharmacy, a life of music. As a pharmacist, Loy shares that pharmacy requires a strong background in teamwork, relationships (to serve patients and work on healthcare teams), science and math—an area researchers have connected to music for centuries, noted in “Researchers Map the Math in Music” (princeton.edu). Music has provided Loy with opportunities to work on teams in choirs, bands and orchestras, working together to accomplish a piece of music in worship and/or for the community.

You may find Loy at the piano in the hospital atrium during a lunch break or after her shift. “There are so many folks suffering from sickness. I will sing and play piano envisioning the notes and melodies of music floating from the atrium basement to the 6th floor of the hospital—boldly proclaiming prayers of healing and peace for our patients and teams.”

Maari at the organ

Mrs. Babcock - State Music, elementary music teacher & pianist for solo

Family music program with Maari's mom, cousin & sister

Mrs. Huso - CCHS Band & Choir 7-12

Learning music with Mrs. Babcock, Mr. Wald, and Mrs. Huso were highlights for Maari at Central Cass!  She recalls “The Hallelujah Chorus” by Handel, (directed by Mrs. Huso, Mrs. Babcock at the piano) at a high school concert with the audience standing (as is tradition for this song) as a community, all being led by the high school choir. “This is a special memory to me because there were so many united in worship overcoming the difficulty of musicianship by the entire group. I have often heard this song through the years, and it always floods back memories of me standing in the Central Cass choir with my peers, my music mentors in front of me, and my family and community before me.”

Loy’s words of wisdom for students? “High school is only your start! Music in school is your base, and you only grow to the top through your years of lifelong learning.” She continues, "Take every opportunity to explore the arts and music that our community provides to you. Students of all abilities can be involved! You may not know when you’ll need the background to further serve our community. It may be decades later! As the Shakira song in Zootopia says, “Try Everything!”

According to Loy, “The arts enrich our lives – adding color, thrill, and light.”  She recently felt called to raise up the arts—particularly music—in our community.  “This is a personal calling for myself to take action and be involved and also to help support music with our students.  I’ve been encouraged within the last few years by friends and family to “go for it” with singing and piano.”

All-State Band NDHSAA

CCHS Choir Kids

Maari & sister, Ranelle at State Music

Any way you look at it, Maari is an accomplished musician. In addition to being a vocalist, she plays the oboe, bari saxophone, alto saxophone and piano. In high school, she participated in band, choir, jazz band, the Fargo-Moorhead Area Youth Symphony, the Bethel Church Orchestra and All-State Band and other honor bands. During college, she was involved in the NDSU Wind Symphony, Gold Star Marching Band, Concert Band and the Woodwind Quintets. Currently, Maari participates in the Bethel Church Orchestra, oboe Sunday morning worship, cantatas, musicals, pit orchestras, and plays in weddings as an oboe soloist. She is on the CrossRoads Community Church Worship Team, Rural Cass Community Bell Choir, Casselton, sing with the United Singers Easter Cantatas and plays in the Casselton Summerfest Variety Show and Casselton Summer Marching Band.

NDSU Gold Star Marching Band

Maari (Larsen) Loy grew up on a farm near Prosper, ND in the Central Cass School District. “Music was always part of our family and community growing up. Playing the piano, I was always wondering, 'What band instrument will I play when I grow up?’”  Loy was involved in church music and listened to her grandfather,  Dr. Galen Eash (a longtime Casselton physician), sing bass in barbershop quartets and choirs, her dad play trumpet, and mom play piano. “Music and the arts were woven into our lives.”

Maari met her husband, Phillip Loy, in the Bethel Church Orchestra in Fargo. He is a talented French horn player and comes from a family deeply rooted in music. Both of his parents are Concordia College music education graduates and are veteran music teachers. His father teaches band and choir and his mother orchestra—each for nearly four decades. They live music in any community they reside.

The Loy family returned to Casselton in 2017 and have three young children: Mabel (alto saxophone, piano), Jalen (drummer, piano), and Toby (piano). “We are excited to partake in music as a family any chance we can.”  You will find their home calendar plastered with community arts events, including both NDSU and Concordia College concerts auto-synced. “Music is something we do together – similar to how families may have a movie night, or attend a ball game (although we do this things together too!)” Their family priorities are clearly ordered: Jesus, family, music, all other things.

The latest endeavor of the Loy family is helping to lead worship at CrossRoads Community Church in Casselton. Phillip works with the sound booth, and Maari joins the worship team in singing and piano. The kids assist in song, drumming, and piano at random. “We are grateful for a community that is willing to raise up young musicians in worship and music at CrossRoads Community Church and in Casselton.” The Rural Cass Golden Clovers 4-H Club, along with the Loy children, bring Christmas Carols and community songs and hymns to the Good Samaritan Society in Arthur.    

“It is clear to me that the arts thriving rests on our investment in our kids learning this work and a lifestyle of music in community. Right here in our community of Rural Cass County, we have the opportunity to give them the chance to do it now as students, so they can join us as adults. The arts are a FOREVER gift they will have their entire lives.”

Thanks for sharing your story, Maari!

“In the Spotlight” features Central Cass alum who have excelled in the arts. Do you know a squirrel deserving recognition? Nominate them here!