Ouachita’s 13th annual Concerto Competition to be held Dec. 7
ARKADELPHIA — Ouachita Baptist University’s Division of Music will host the annual W. Francis and Mary McBeth Ouachita Wind and Percussion Concerto Competition on Friday.
The event is free, open to the public and will be held in McBeth Recital Hall of Ouachita’s Mabee Fine Arts Center from 3-5 p.m.
The event is sponsored by Mary McBeth in honor of her husband, W. Francis McBeth, who was Arkansas’ composer laureate and a longtime Ouachita faculty member. During the competition, students will perform an instrumental work with piano accompaniment, similar to a recital.
Students are judged based on their performance during the competition; winners will be announced immediately following. The first-place winner may be invited to perform as a soloist with the Ouachita Wind Ensemble in the spring semester, and all students who place in the competition are eligible for monetary awards. First place receives a monetary award of $500. Second place receives $300, and third place receives $200.
“We are grateful for Mrs. McBeth’s continued support of numerous musical events at Ouachita, in addition to the sponsorship of the concerto competition’s prizes,” said Carlos Feller, visiting assistant professor of music.
Students performing are: Holli Barger, a sophomore instrumental music education major from Carrollton, Texas, on horn; Richie Blosch, a junior music major from Fort Worth, Texas, on percussion; Cayli Campbell, a senior instrumental performance major from Texarkana, Texas, on trombone; Danielle Schaal, a senior biology major from Fayetteville, on horn; C.J. Slatton, a senior instrumental music education major from Paragould, on alto saxophone; Morgan Taylor, a senior music industry major from Hot Springs, on saxophone; Ashlynne Turner, a sophomore instrumental music education major from Burleson, Texas, on clarinet; Blake Turner, a senior instrumental music education major from Malvern, on trumpet; and Sierra Westberg, a senior instrumental music education major from Arkadelphia, on alto saxophone.
Pianists accompanying the students in the competition are Kristen La Madrid, Susan Monroe and Elsen Portugal.