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Ouachita to host 14th annual McBeth Concerto Competition Dec. 6

December 05, 2019 - Gracie Stover

Ouachita Baptist University’s Division of Music will host the 14^th annual W. Francis and Mary McBeth Wind and Percussion Concerto Competition on Friday, Dec. 6, beginning at 3 p.m. The event is free and open to the public and will be held in Ouachita’s McBeth Recital Hall located in Mabee Fine Arts Center.

The event is sponsored by Mrs. Mary McBeth in honor of her late husband, W. Francis McBeth, who was Arkansas’ composer laureate and a long-time Ouachita faculty member. The competition features the talents of Ouachita student instrumentalists, who perform a work of their choice with piano accompaniment, and they are judged on both their skill and performance.

Winners will be announced immediately following the performances. First place receives an award of $500, second place receives $300, and third place receives $200. In addition to the monetary award, the first place winner may be invited to perform as a soloist with the Ouachita Wind Ensemble in the spring semester.

“The goal of the competition is to recognize outstanding wind and percussion students,” said Dr. Carlos Feller, visiting assistant professor of music. “The judges only consider the quality of the performance at the audition when making their choices – not the playing ability or musical potential of the student – and no attempt is made to ‘balance’ winners from year-to-year with representation from various studios or instruments.”

Students competing this year include: Holli Barger, a junior instrumental music education major from Carrollton, Texas, on horn; Richard Blosch, a senior music major from Fort Worth, Texas, on percussion; Cross Brandon, a sophomore instrumental music education major from Little Rock, Ark., on saxophone; Cayli Campbell, a senior instrumental performance major from Texarkana, Texas, on trombone; Andrew Coop, a senior worship arts major from Gladewater, Texas, on trombone; Bethany Crawley, a junior instrumental music education major from Jonesboro, Ark., on flute; Katelyn Still, a sophomore instrumental music education major from Benton, Ark., on saxophone; and Ashlynne Turner, a senior instrumental music education major from Burleson, Texas, on clarinet.

The judges of the 2019 competition include: Brent Bristow from Arkansas State University-Beebe, as a woodwind judge; Erick Saoud from Episcopal Collegiate School in Little Rock and assistant principal percussionist with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, as a percussion judge; and Heather Thayer from Henderson State University, as a brass judge.

For more information, contact Dr. Carlos Feller at [email protected] or 870-245-4160.