The Granquist Music Competition has been a family affair since its inception.

The competition, which took place Saturday, has always had the backing of founder Herb Granquist’s daughters and wife JoAnne Granquist. Because Herb Granquist, who died in 2006, also taught music and owned Imperial School of Music, his daughters Kristie Dienst and Konnie Sherry have worked with him.

“We learned to sell guitar strings when we were 8,” Sherry said. “And give change.”

Dienst said during the first years of the competition, which started in 1970, the children helped their mother and father stuff envelopes and put together trophies for the event.

“We were water runners for the judges,” Dienst said. “And we participated in the first competition. We were in it for several years (playing piano).”

Dienst said they played well for one obvious reason.

“Dad was my teacher so we better have done good,” Dienst said.

According to Dienst, the competition was started when Herb and JoAnne Granquist went to the Geneva Chamber of Commerce and asked if they would be interested in starting a music competition in conjunction with Swedish Days.

“(The competition started) just to have a venue for students to perform and to be judged and encourage them to continue music,” said JoAnne Granquist.

Dienst said their father was proud to be a part of Swedish Days.

“He was proud of Geneva, and he was proud of the competition he started,” Dienst said.

The day before this year’s event, Granquist’s daughters, grandchildren and ex-wife were back at Geneva High School to make sure all the awards were in place and ready to be received by the 1,400 music students playing in the next day’s competition.

“Dad would be very happy,” Dienst said about her and her family still working to keep his competition going. “That’s what he always wanted. He was there doing trophies every year, just to make sure we were here. Making sure we were doing our thing.”

The competition drew in about 9,000 people this year, the Geneva Chamber of Commerce reported.

Sherry said although the economy’s fluctuations have brought attendance up and down over the years, the event has stayed true to its roots and extremely close to the original formula.

JoAnne Granquist said the competition has stayed important and affected Geneva by bringing in people who wouldn’t otherwise come into town.

“It exposed Geneva to people who probably would have never gotten here that came here for other reasons after the contest,” JoAnne Granquist said.

Much like the impact the competition has had on Geneva, Granquist left a lasting impression on many of his students.

“He was a wonderful teacher and had a great way of relating to children,” JoAnne Granquist said. “His students when they came back to town, they would always look Herb up. He was a big influence on their life.”