Texas Tech University

Trumpet Triumphs

Anna K.

March 10, 2023

Texas Tech School of Music Trumpet Players and Faculty

Texas Tech University School of Music Trumpet students receive invitations to the semi-final round of the National Trumpet Competition!

 


Every December, there are a number of students in the Texas Tech University School of Music trumpet studios that create and submit recordings for the preliminary round of the National Trumpet Competition.

This year, our results have led to three separate chamber ensembles and four soloists earning invitations to the live semi-final rounds. They'll travel to the University of Colorado, Boulder in late March to compete against other soloists and ensembles from several top music schools and across the country. These students are from the trumpet studios of Dr. Andrew Stetson, Dr. Kevin Whalen, and Professor Rich Harris.

In honor of Texas Tech University's Centennial, one of the groups is named the Texas Tech Centennial Trumpet Ensemble. This group, along with other ensembles and soloists have been invited to perform in the competition's semi-finals.

We would like to acknowledge these soloists and ensembles in their accomplishments, INCLUDING two of our star composition students!

Soloists: 

• Katy Baker, Junior Performance and Music Education Major
• Tyler Castellanos, 2nd Year DMA student
• Joshua Robbins, Senior Math Major
• Zach Worley, 3rd Year Masters Student

Ensembles: 

Texas Tech University – Red (8 ensemble members)

• Performing “Psychic Wizards from Outer Space,” a composition by Carson Green, Senior Music Education Major
• Members: Trey Pile, Gavin Wallace, Jack Tyson, Andrew Schofield, Josh Tolosa, Patrick Karis, Nico Bononcini, and Thomas Rupsis

Texas Tech University – Black (6 ensemble members)

• Performing composer Terry Everson's “Idea Number Twenty-Four"
• Members: Zach Worley, Math Soares, Katy Baker, Josh Robbins, and Mikayla Sweet

Texas Tech University – Centennial (4 ensemble members)

• Performing an arrangement of “Debussy String Quartet in g minor” by Andrew Schofield, Junior Composition Major
• Members: Tyler Castellanos, Ryan Drone, Austin Spencer, and Georgia Hageman

Zach Worley, master's student in Trumpet Performance, shares with us his excitement in being a part of this competition as both a soloist and ensemble member!

“It feels unreal to be returning as both a soloist and an ensemble member. This is the highest level of competition in the entire country and is a huge step for all of us before we become professionals. The whole studio has rehearsals scheduled most of spring break, so we're going to continue putting in work all the way up to the competition. We're ready to show the country that we can seriously compete with the best!”

Congratulations to these trumpet students and their teachers. Good luck to all those competing!