Ouachita to present 4th Annual Wind & Percussion Concerto Competition Dec. 11

A RKADELPHIA, Ark.—Ouachita Baptist University’s 4th Annual Wind and Percussion Concerto Competition will be held on Friday, Dec. 11, at 3 p.m. in Mabee Fine Arts Center’s McBeth Recital Hall on Ouachita’s campus.

Kristin Grant, OBU instructor of music, said the competition is a great way for students to showcase their talent. “It’s a competition for sophomores through seniors,” Grant said, “and it’s an opportunity for outstanding OBU instrumentalists to present a recital for an audience and a panel of judges.”

Each competitor will perform one piece of musical literature in the form of a concerto, a multi-movement work, or another piece of music that has a wind ensemble accompaniment. Each will be accompanied by piano for the competition.

This year cash prizes will be awarded to the first-, second- and third-place winners.

“An anonymous donor has enabled us to have the competition and have the monetary awards, and it always brings the students to a higher playing level,” Grant said. “Judges come in and will choose the top three performers and the prize money will be awarded accordingly.”

A $500 prize will be awarded to the first-place winner, $300 will be awarded to the second-place winner and $200 will be awarded to the third-place winner.

In addition to winning $500, the competition’s champion will have the opportunity to perform with OBU’s Wind Ensemble on their spring tour.

Participants include: Chris Sumner, a sophomore instrumental music education major from Needville, Texas, performing Franz Joseph Haydn’s “Trumpet Concerto in E Flat” on trumpet; Aubrey Elliot, a sophomore instrumental music education major from Bentonville, Ark., performing Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Rondo” from “Concerto in G Major” on flute; Alex Goff, a sophomore theory/composition major from Nashville, Ark., performing Gioachino Rossini’s “Variazioni” on soprano saxophone; Cyrus Morris, a junior music education major from Katy, Texas, performing Sammy Nestico’s “Persuasion” on also saxophone; John Ashburn, a junior instrumental music education major from Monroe, La., performing Ralph Hermann’s arrangement of Giacomo Puccini’s “Tosca Fantasy” on saxophone; and Alissa Hill, a junior instrumental music education major from Bella Vista, Ark., performing Philip Parker’s “Dialogue” on saxophone.

The Concerto Competition is open to the public and admission is free. For more information, contact Kristin Grant at grantk@obu.edu or (870) 245-5518.