Ouachita Stories

Ouachita Baptist University will host a guest horn concert featuring Dr. William Scharnberg on Feb. 19, at 8 p.m. in McBeth Recital Hall, located in Mabee Fine Arts Center. The concert is free and open to the public.

Dr. Heather Thayer, assistant professor of music at Ouachita, and Amy Laursen, adjunct horn professor at Henderson State University, will accompany Dr. Scharnberg in the concert.

“Bill Scharnberg is a world class horn player. He is known throughout the world for his brilliant technique and his musicality,” said Thayer. “This is a great opportunity for students to hear a talented and experienced horn player.”

The program for the concert will begin with “Alla Caccia” by Alan Abbott, followed by “Concerto in D Major” by Leopold Mozart, “Dido’s Lament” from “Dido and Aeneas” by Henry Purcell, “Appel Interstellaire” from “Des canyon aux etoiles” by Oliver Messiaen, “Selected Horn Trios” by Henri Kling, “La Chasse for Three Horns” by John Barrows and “Variations on Barnacle Bill, the Sailor” by Steven Frank. The performance will conclude with “Happy Blues” by Zsolt Nagy.

Scharnberg, regents professor of music at the University of North Texas, has taught horn for more than 20 years. He also performs as principal horn of the Dallas Opera Orchestra and the Wichita Falls Symphony. Scharnberg has performed with numerous other orchestras all over the world, including the Breckenridge Festival Orchestra in Colorado and the Classical Music Seminar in Austria. He has appeared as a featured artist at three International Horn Symposia and several regional orchestras. Scharnberg earned his Doctor of Music Arts degree from the University of Iowa and has served since 2003 as editor of The Horn Call, a journal of The International Horn Society.

Thayer received degrees in horn performance and music theory from Eastern Michigan University and Bowling Green State University. She earned her Doctor of Music Arts degree in horn from the University of North Texas in 2010. Thayer also serves as principal horn of the Sherman Symphony Orchestra and performs regularly with the Lone Star Wind Orchestra in Texas.

Laursen earned her Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Wyoming and a Master of Music degree in French horn performance from the University of North Texas in 2006. She performs regularly with the Billings Symphony Orchestra, San Antonio Symphony and Lone Star Wind Symphony.

For more information about the recital, contact Dr. Heather Thayer at [email protected] or (870) 245-4172.

By Molly Bowman