Baylor Trumpets Place First in National Competition
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WACO, Texas (March 29, 2017) – Baylor Trumpets "Green" ensemble won First Prize in the Large Ensemble Division at the National Trumpet Competition. This is the seventh win for Baylor Trumpets since 2009, with four of them first prizes.
Fourteen members of the Baylor Trumpet Studio traveled to Colorado to participate in competition. Students were accompanied by Alex Parker, senior lecturer in jazz studies, Mark Schubert, lecturer in trumpet, and Wiff Rudd, professor of trumpet. Both trumpet ensembles and 11 soloists competed in the semi-final rounds with unprecedented success.
"Mark Schubert and I are so pleased with the dedication all our students demonstrated in their preparation for this competition," Rudd said. "The musicality we witnessed in a total of 16 Baylor solo and ensemble performances at the National Trumpet Competition was spectacular. We're happy that all of our students were able to perform at a level that reflected their true abilities."
Ten Baylor soloists performed in the Undergraduate Solo Division. (They were among 38 undergraduate competitors chosen from 157 recorded applicants.) Sally Tepper advanced to the finals, winning Second Prize; graduate student Clare Hogan and four Baylor alumni competed in the Graduate Solo Division. Clare moved on to the finals, winning Third Prize. Additionally, Alex Parker's son, Ryan, performed in the High School Division.
"To have two finalists in the very competitive solo divisions is rare," Rudd said. "The Baylor 'Green' ensemble took true ownership of their piece and worked rigorously, with minimal faculty guidance, clearly demonstrating the true meaning of team."
The judges provided the ensemble with positive written feedback about their energy and teamwork. Among their comments:
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"Competitions like this can easily become a daunting and tense endeavor," Rudd said, "but all these terrific Baylor students truly embraced and lived out our studio motto: 'Who has more fun than us!'"
by Kalli Damschen, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805
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