Student Achievements

Mauricio Castillo (middle row, far left)

Mauricio Castillo (B.M., clarinet) performed in Carnegie Hall in New York City in December with the New York String Seminar Orchestra. This program is one of the most competitive programs in the country and accepts only two clarinet players from the United States each year.  

On February 9, the Baylor Clarinet Choir performed at the TMEA convention in San Antonio, TX. The concert was held at the Bridge Hall Music Showcase and attendees were treated to a diverse program featuring Japanese composer Satoshi Yagisawa and living American composer Theresa Martin, as well as pieces by Vaclav Nelhybel and John Williams. One of the world’s finest clarinetist, Julian Bliss, joined the choir as the soloist for the performance of “Viktor's Tale.” 

Hunter Bellows (B.M.E., euphonium) performed at the U.S. Army Band Euphonium-Tuba Workshop in Washington, D.C., in a recital that featured the winners of the 2023 Leonard Falcone International Euphonium and Tuba Competition.

Davis Pierson (first row, center)

Davis Pierson (B.M., double bass) has been actively performing with Fort Worth, Houston, and Dallas Symphony Orchestras.

Congratulations to Jianpeng Yang (M.M., piano) for winning the 2023–2024 School of Music Concerto Competition with his performance of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 23. Yang is a  student of Shijun Wang, D.M.A., assistant professor of piano, and will perform this concerto with the Baylor Symphony Orchestra in the fall.

Several music education undergraduates and recent alumna presented their research and sat on panels at TMEA. Kaylee McGuire (B.M.E. ’23),  Ashley Adams (B.M.E., choral music), Maddie Bowen (B.M.E., choral music), and Emily Bohmer (B.M.E., choral music),  each had one or two posters on display at the College Division Research Poster Session; Kaylee McGuire, Emily Bohmer, and Maddie Bowen were on a panel presentation with Kelly Jo Hollingsworth, Ph.D., assistant professor of music education, titled “Engaging Undergraduates in Research: How & Why;” and Arianna Parks (B.M.E., instrumental music, horn) and her mom, Belinda Wheatley Parks, presented “Work-Life Balance from a Child of Music Educators.”

Members of the Baylor Trumpet Studio have advanced to the quarter-final rounds of the 2024 National Trumpet Competition and semifinals of the International Trumpet Guild's Ryan Anthony Memorial Competitions. 

NATIONAL TRUMPET COMPETITION
March 9-11 | Texas A&M Kingsville
Small Ensemble Division: Baylor “Gold” (pictured bottom)
Large Ensemble Division: Baylor “Green” (pictured top)
Undergraduate Solo Division: Aiden Finnerud, Jacob Lira, Joseph Miller, Camden Smith, Mason Stokes, Maia Trafton, Eloy Trevino
Graduate Solo Division: Matthew Burn
Military Band Excerpt Division: Matthew Burn, Jacob Lira, Mason Stokes, Eloy Trevino

INTERNATIONAL TRUMPET GUILD—RYAN ANTHONY MEMORIAL COMPETITIONS
May 27–June1 | Anaheim, CA
Chamber Music Competition: Baylor “Gold” Trumpet Ensemble
Orchestral Excerpts Competition: Eloy Trevino
Wind Band Excerpts Competition: Matthew Burn, Jacob Lira, Johniel Nájera, Mason Stokes

Baylor Green
(L to R) Russell Morrell (B.M.E. ’26), Eloy Trevino (B.M.E. ’26), Aidan Finnerud (B.M.E. ’27), Joseph Miller (B.M. ’27), Maia Trafton (B.M. ’27), Braden Frazer (B.M. ’27), Bridgette Thomas (B.M.E. ’27)

Baylor Gold
(L to R) Matthew Burn (M.M. ’24), Mason Stokes (B.M. ’26), Jacob Lira (B.M.E. ’25), Paul Stancampiano (B.M. ’25), Camden Smith (B.M.E. ’25)