Ouachita Stories

Ouachita Baptist University seniors Brent Nessler and Sara Walker were named winners of the W. Francis and Mary McBeth Wind and Percussion Concerto Competition on Dec. 13. The winners received cash prizes sponsored by Mrs. Mary McBeth in honor of her late husband, W. Francis McBeth, former Arkansas’ composer laureate and longtime Ouachita faculty member.

“This is the ninth year for the competition, and each year this proves to be an outstanding concert and opportunity to showcase the talented students in the instrumental department at OBU,” said Kristin Grant, assistant professor of music at Ouachita.

Delivering the first place performances were Nessler, a senior music performance major from Rowlett, Texas, who performed Giacomo Puccini’s “Tosca Fantasy” on saxophone, and Walker, a Christian studies/Christian missions major from Mt. Pleasant, Texas, who performed a piece from Michael Daugherty’s “Brooklyn Bridge” on clarinet.

Allison King, a senior music education major from Fort Worth, Texas, earned third place for her performance of Kees Vlak’s “Concerto for Bass Clarinet and Band” on bass clarinet.

Calling her competition music “one of the most fun and exciting clarinet pieces that I have ever heard,” Walker said, “Having the chance to play music is a gift and a privilege that should never be taken for granted. For me, music is a way to express the incredible joy God has given me inside my heart.

“The people I have met through the music program, both students and professors, have been awesome friends and encouragers to me through both the great times and challenging times,” Walker added.

Other participants in this year’s competition included: Becky Bloodworth, a sophomore instrumental music education major from Carrollton, Texas, who performed Ernesto Cavallini’s “Tarantella” on clarinet; Elizabeth Lawson, a senior instrumental music education major from Texarkana, Texas, who performed Richard Strauss’ “Concerto No. 1 in Eb” on horn; Jason Potts, a sophomore instrumental music education major from Springdale, Ark., who performed a piece from Johan De Meij’s “T-Bone Concerto” on trombone; and Chelsea Villanueva, a senior instrumental performance major from Bentonville, Ark., who performed Carl Maria von Weber’s “Concierto in Eb Major, Op. 26” on clarinet.

Accompanying the performers on piano were Glenda Aldridge, Kristen LaMadrid and Susan Monroe. For more information, contact Kristin Grant at [email protected] or (870) 245-5518.

 

By McKenzie Cranford