Sarah McKoin
Director of Bands

Dr. Sarah McKoin is the Director of Bands at Texas Tech University and Associate Professor of Music as well as Director of the Wind Ensemble at the Brevard Music Center in Brevard, North Carolina. Dr. McKoin conducts the Texas Tech University Wind Ensemble and teaches all levels of conducting and wind literature. She is entering her ninth summer in residence at the Brevard Music Center where she serves on the conducting faculty and conducts the Transylvania Wind Ensemble comprised of college-aged musicians from throughout the country.

Prior to her appointment at Texas Tech, Professor McKoin was the Director of Bands at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and held appointments at the State University of New York at Buffalo and SUNY Fredonia. Her UMKC Wind Symphony was selected as a featured ensemble and performed for the 2005 Missouri Music Educator's National Association Conference. In addition, the Wind Symphony under Dr. McKoin's leadership performed for the College Music Society's National Conference and for the opening concert of a nationally recognized month long festival honoring Igor Stravinsky which involved all of Kansas City's major arts organizations. While Director of Bands at the University at Buffalo, the UB Wind Ensemble was invited to perform for the New York State Band Directors' National Association, the first invitation of its kind for that ensemble.

Dr. McKoin maintains an active schedule as a guest conductor and clinician. She served as the 5-A Concert Band All-State Conductor for the Texas Music Educator's Association conference and has been contracted for upcoming Iowa and Florida All-State band festivals. While in Kansas City, she was frequently called upon to guest conduct NewEar, a professional chamber ensemble specializing in contemporary music. In 2001 Professor McKoin traveled to Tel Aviv, Israel to serve as producer for the world premiere recording of Roberto Sierra's Fantasia Correliana with the Castellani-Andriaccio guitar duo on the Fleurdeson label, Arie Lipsky conducting.

Committed to performing literature of today's prominent composers, ensembles under Dr. McKoin's leadership have won the praise of local music critics and guest composers. She has performed several regional and world premieres including works by Chen Yi, Lukas Foss, James Mobberley, Paul Rudy, Dan Welcher, Donald Freund, Walter Hartley, David Maslanka and others. Her position at Brevard has allowed her to collaborate with a number of soloists which include Charles Vernon of the Chicago Symphony, Fred Mills, Tim Morrison, Marty Hackleman, Sam Palafian, Scott Hartmann, Joseph Lulloff, Timothy Northcutt, Rhythm and Brass, and the tuba/euphonium ensemble Symphonia.

Her publications include Leslie Bassett's Colors and Contours: An Analysis for Conductors and Joseph Turrin's Two Sketches published in Volumes 3 and 5 of Teaching Music through Performance in Band. Her DMA research is on the music of Dan Welcher and the ensuing treatise is entitled, "Three Places in the West: A Critical Analysis and Reference for Conductors."

McKoin holds her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin as well as degrees from Wichita State University and Michigan State University. She is active in the College Band Director's National Association having served as the New York state chairperson and has taught secondary school in both Michigan and at L.D. Bell High School in Texas.

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Eric Allen
Associate Professor of Music 
Assistant Director of Bands

Dr. Eric Allen is Associate Professor of Music and Assistant Director of Bands at Texas Tech University. His responsibilities include serving as conductor of the Symphonic Band, teaching undergraduate conducting and serving as director of the Goin' Band from Raiderland. He also teaches music education courses within the summer masters program.

Under his direction, the Texas Tech University Symphonic Band has performed a diverse series of concerts including many collaborative performances with faculty solo artists. The ensemble recently performed at the CBDNA Southwestern Division Biennial Conference in Boulder, Colorado. Allen's recent work with conductors includes presentations at the Texas Music Educators Association Conference, Colorado Music Educators Association Conference, and the Florida Music Educators Association Conference, and he is scheduled to present a collaborative conducting session at the 2018 Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic. He contributes annually as a featured clinician at the American Conducting Symposium at Puebla State Conservatory in Puebla, Mexico.

Dr. Allen also serves as Coordinator of Instrumental and Special Music at LakeRidge United Methodist Church (Lubbock, TX) where he conducts the worship orchestra at weekly services. Through his work at LakeRidge, Allen helped establish and serves as the artistic director of the LakeRidge Concert Series. The series features the LakeRidge Chamber Orchestra conducted by Allen, a professional ensemble that performs artistically stimulating programs for the Lubbock Community.

Prior to his work in Lubbock, Allen served as Director of Bands at Sebastian River High School in Florida where his ensembles performed at the National Band Association Conference, the FMEA President's Concert, the National Concert Band Festival and the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic.

Dr. Allen frequently serves as a guest clinician in secondary schools throughout the region. He holds Bachelor and Master of Music Education degrees from Florida State University and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting from the University of Minnesota. Dr. Allen is an active member of the Texas Music Educators Association, the College Band Directors National Association and the Alpha Chapter of Phi Beta Mu. He holds honorary memberships with Phi Mu Alpha, Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma.

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Staff

Debbie Holt

Administrative Assistant, University Bands

Symphonic Wind Ensemble

The Symphonic Wind Ensemble is the premiere wind-performing ensemble at Texas Tech performing a balanced mix of traditional repertoire, chamber music, and enjoys interacting with leading contemporary composers of our time. Emphasis is placed on the highest artistic standards, professionalism in performance excellence while offering pedagogy for the advanced musician. Membership is determined by an annual audition and is open to everyone. This class meets on Mon/Tues/Thur 3:00-4:50.

Symphonic Band

The Symphonic Band is a 65-member ensemble dedicated to excellent performance and diverse repertoire encompassing a wide variety of styles and composers. Membership is determined by audition and is open to everyone. This class meets in the Fall MWF, 2:00 - 2:50p; and in the spring, MWF, 1:00-1:50p and T/Th 12:30-1:50.

Concert Band

The Concert Band is a 75-member ensemble focusing on fundamental pedagogy and diverse programming ranging from grades 3-5. Membership is determined by audition and is open to everyone. This class meets in the Fall MWF, 3:00-3:50; and in the Spring, MWF 3:00-3:50pm and T/TH 12:30-1:50p. 

University Band

The University Band is a 90+ ensemble that meets in the spring each year and performs two concerts of diverse repertoire including traditional music, transcriptions, as well as newer compositions. This ensemble is open to everyone and is non-auditioned. Members are largely non-majors looking to continue their musical involvement past high school while enjoying a less performance oriented pace to the course or music majors further developing secondary instrumental technique. The wide variety of music performed provides a rich service to the diverse campus community at Texas Tech University.

Goin' Band From Raiderland

The award winning Goin' Band From Raiderland is the 450-member marching band of Texas Tech University. Band membership is open to all students regardless of major and a minimum amount of rehearsal time is used in preparing four different shows per season. A mixture of "traditional" and "corps" style techniques are used in these performances. The Goin' Band was the recipient of the 1999 Sudler Trophy given for consistent excellence in collegiate marching bands.

For more information about the Goin' Band,  click here.

Court Jesters

The Court Jesters Basketball Band is the all-volunteer pep band of Texas Tech University performing at all home games for the Red Raiders and the Lady Raiders. This energetic ensemble serves as ambassadors of spirit and tradition for the university throughout North America.

Information and audition material for all Concert Bands and Symphony Orchestra is posted below. Music majors and non-majors must audition for placement into an appropriate ensemble. Results will be posted before the first day of classes.

If you are looking for audition music for the Goin' Band from Raiderland, please click here.

Audition Schedule - Fall 2019

Woodwind, brass, and percussion auditions for Symphonic and Concert Bands will take place on Thursday, August 22, 2019 and Friday, August 23, 2019.

For questions or problems, email Dr. Sarah McKoin, sarah.mckoin@ttu.edu.

Please arrive at dedicated time and sign up for an individual audition in consecutive time slots.

CLICK HERE for times and locations on Audition Days

Audition Music for Band

Excerpts are posted in .PDF format, and are downloadable at the links below:

• Flute
• Oboe
  
• Clarinet
  • Bb Clarinet
  • Bass Clarinet
• Bassoon
• Saxophone
• Horn
• Trumpet
• Trombone
  • Tenor Clef Introduction 
  • Trombone Audition Excerpts:
    • Hungarian 1
    • Hungarian 2
    • Schumann
• Euphonium
• Tuba:
  
  • Excerpts
  • Mirum
• Percussion

Band Events Calendar 

 

Detailed information will be added when it is available.

Texas Tech University offers progressive and flexible MM and DMA programs in Wind Conducting. The objective of the graduate program is to prepare students for a professional conducting career through study and interaction with all facets of our band program. It is expected that the applicant has had previous professional conducting experience prior to auditioning for the program. Conducting students will work on movement and gestural vocabulary development, score study, aural skills, analysis and pedagogy. There will be weekly seminars and lessons, as well as teaching, arranging, and conducting opportunities with our athletic and concert bands to create a comprehensive experience.

The Texas Tech University School of Music has a distinguished and passionate faculty of scholars and pedagogues. The applied, history, composition, and theory faculty support the holistic education of every graduate student. There are opportunities available to fit every candidate's level of interest and experience to more deeply explore and develop ancillary interests.

Audition Process

1. 1. Apply to Texas Tech University and the School of Music Graduate Program.
   2. Send following materials by December 1 to be eligible for a February audition.
   1. 1. Curriculum vitae with current references.
      2. DVD of conducting (10-15 minutes) and rehearsal (15 minutes).
      3. Repertoire list of studied or conducted works.
      4. Two page analysis.
         MM candidates: Holst, First Suite in E-Flat, Mvmt. I
         DMA candidate: Grainger, Lincolnshire Posy, Mvmt. IV

Mail to:
Dr. Sarah McKoin
Texas Tech University
School of Music
18th and Boston
Lubbock, TX 79409

You will subsequently be notified of your acceptance to visit campus for a live audition with the Symphonic Wind Ensemble. Audition dates and repertoire will be discussed at that time.

Degree Plans

• MM
• DMA

• Band & Orchestra Camp