Clarinetist and engineer
Annie Deschane celebrated her graduation with her parents, Jenny and Gary, in spring 2025, with a mechanical engineering degree and a minor in music from CU Boulder.
Annie Deschane, a Castle Pines native, is a jack-of-all-trades. The 24-year-old mechanical engineer has bounced between sports, marching band and scientific pursuits since she was a kid growing up in the Bristlecone neighborhood.
From early on, Annie skied, swam with the Castle Crocs Swim Team and played soccer; but her childhood passion lay with tennis, which she continued to play through high school at Rock Canyon High School (RCHS).
Annie was first introduced to the clarinet in fourth grade, when an array of instruments was brought to Timber Trail Elementary during music class. Annie stated, “The guy who had the clarinet gave me a five out of five on my clarinet ability, which was definitely a lie, but I was convinced that I simply had to play the clarinet. I asked my parents if I could get one and join the little joint elementary school band.”
From there, Annie kept playing until sixth grade, then she took a pause. “It wasn’t until I got to high school that I realized I really missed playing an instrument,” Annie explained, playing in both the marching band and symphonic band at RCHS. In 2020, Annie attended CU Boulder and joined the CU marching band and basketball band, playing in both for all five years, making friends along the way.
Annie not only continued with marching and basketball band but also joined the concert band; she finished her schooling with a minor in music. Annie traveled all over the country, playing at away games with the Buffs’ football team, even attending basketball tournaments like March Madness. “Being in band was definitely the best part of my college experience. It was great to be immediately immersed in a tight-knit community, and the band opened a lot of doors for me,” she stated.
Annie grew up wanting to be a doctor, but in college, she realized she loved the collaborative and project-based coursework of engineering. She majored in mechanical engineering, balancing her love of music with her interest in science. She explained, “I’m glad I switched because I got to work on so many cool projects like building electric vehicles and my capstone was working on a device for Children’s Hospital Colorado.” After graduating in 2025, Anne got a job working as an engineering designer at Colliers Engineering & Design.
Today, Annie is living at home while looking to move closer to her job in Denver. In addition to a myriad of hobbies, sports and passions, she said she loved being a child in Castle Pines for the simple joys of running around with neighborhood kids, riding bikes and spending every day with friends.
Annie (third from left) made lifelong friends by being part of the marching band at CU Boulder.
Annie Deschane (left) played tennis, soccer and swam on the Castle Crocs Swim Team with friends.
By Marly Holsman; photos courtesy of Annie Deschane
