Ouachita Stories

Eight Ouachita Baptist University students performed in the Arkansas Intercollegiate Band Feb. 18 at the Arkansas Music Educators Association meeting in Hot Springs, Ark.

“It was a huge honor to be selected to perform with other top musicians from across the state of Arkansas,” said Andrew McCraw, a junior instrumental music education major from Fort Worth, Texas. “Performances such as these not only challenge us musically but they also help inspire us to keep striving to be the best that we can be, both musically and professionally.” This was McCraw’s second year to be participate in the AIB. He is a trombone student of Casey Thomas.

“I am proud of our students that performed for the Arkansas Intercollegiate Band; they represent Ouachita well,” said Dr. Craig Hamilton, OBU director of bands and Lena Goodwin Trimble Professor of Music.

“The audition process gave students the experience of auditioning for a panel of judges and the rehearsal and performance gave the students the experience of performing difficult literature for a knowledgeable audience with little time for rehearsal,” Hamilton added. “It was a ‘real world’ experience for our students.”

In addition to McCraw, participants from Ouachita included: Elizabeth Baker, a freshman music performance major from Grapevine, Texas, who is a flute student of Kristin Grant; Kelsey Bates, a junior instrumental music education major from Marion, Ark., who is a horn student of Heather Thayer; Deborah Caldwell, a junior instrumental music education major from Siloam Springs, Ark., who is a trumpet student of Hamilton; Leah Jones, a senior instrumental music education major from Burkburnett, Texas, who is a horn student of Thayer; Sean Nance, a sophomore instrumental music education major from Dallas, Texas, who is a trombone student of Thomas; Elyse Senteney, a junior instrumental music education major from Plano, Texas, who is a flute student of Grant; and Ruthie Stoner, a junior music performance major from McKinney, Texas, who is a clarinet student of Dr. Michael Bartnik.

For more information, contact Dr. Craig Hamilton at [email protected] or (870) 245-5137.

By Glenn Bolton