Ouachita Stories

Ouachita Baptist University’s Division of Music will present Katelyn Still and Taryn Toles in their senior instrumental recitals Friday, Nov. 19, at 11 a.m. in McBeth Recital Hall. The event is free and open to the public.

Still, an instrumental music education major from Benton, Ark., is a member of the Carl Goodson Honors Program and has been named to the President’s and Dean’s Lists at Ouachita. She is also a member of the Ouachita Wind Ensemble, Saxophone Ensemble and Quartet, Jazz Band and Marching Band. Still has performed during the School of Fine Arts’ A Festival of Christmas production and at the North American Saxophone Alliance Conference. She won second place in the 2020 McBeth Concerto Competition.

For her recital, Still will perform “With Vigor” and “With Tranquility” from Paul Creston’s Sonata, Op. 19, “Soprano Saxophone” from Odysseus: Concerto for Saxophone by Lucas Garner and “Tosca Fantasy” by Giacomo Puccini.

“I’m so grateful for the opportunities I’ve had at Ouachita,” Still said. “The program will show how Taryn and I have grown as musicians, and I hope everyone enjoys the music!”

Toles, an instrumental music education major from Cabot, Ark., has been named to the President’s List at Ouachita, where she is principal clarinet in the Wind Ensemble. She has participated in the Clarinet Seminar at Ouachita and is a member of the Marching Band and the Pi Kappa Lambda national music honor society and Alpha Chi national college honor society. She was selected to the Arkansas Intercollegiate Band in 2019 and 2020.

Toles will perform “Allegro tristamente,” “Romanza” and “Allegro con Fuoco” from Sonata for Clarinet by Francis Poulenc; “Rondo” from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Concerto for Clarinet, K. 622; and “Cantabile-flamenco” from ii Concerto by Óscar Navarro.

“I am so proud of the work we have put into our pieces and the growth that has happened over these four years,” Toles said. “I’m incredibly grateful for my time here at Ouachita, and that I’ve gotten to do life with so many amazing people including Katelyn. I hope that everyone enjoys the recital and that it is a great capstone to top off my time here at Ouachita.”

Still’s and Toles’ principal applied instructor at Ouachita is Dr. Caroline Taylor, professor of music. Ouachita staff accompanist Kristen La Madrid will accompany Still and Toles on piano during their performances.

For more information, contact Ouachita’s School of Fine Arts at (870) 245-5129.

Lead photo by Cora Saddler

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• Division of Music
• Instrumental Music
• School of Fine Arts