• Trumpet, trombone majors named national, international finalists

    At Baylor Proud, our goal is to trumpet the good things going on within the Baylor family, in order to share that news with those inside and outside the Baylor community. Not to toot our own horn, but I think we’re fairly good at that. Actually playing a trumpet, however — not so much.

    Baylor, of course, seems to have no shortage of students who can pick up our slack in that area. For instance, the Baylor Trumpet Ensemble and three student soloists have advanced to the National Trumpet Competition in March. Baylor is one of about 30 ensembles chosen, and the three soloists — senior Adam Gautille, junior Chelsea Orr and sophomore Joseph Underwood — are among about 40 undergraduate semifinalists nationwide.

    In other Baylor Brass news, senior Dan Sebastian is one of three international finalists in the Kleinhammer Orchestral Bass Trombone Competition. Sponsored by the International Trombone Association (ITA) for bass trombonists ages 25 and younger, many previous winners have gone on to prestigious careers in major symphony orchestras. Students from the Juilliard School of Music have long dominated the event, but this year, all three finalists are from Texas universities.

    [2/19 update: The Baylor University Trombone Choir, under the direction of Brent Phillips, was awarded Runner-Up status in the prestigious international Emory Remington Trombone Choir Competition, also sponsored by the ITA. The Bears beat out a host of other institutions, most of which have large doctoral programs in trombone performance. In contrast, all but one of the Baylor competitors were undergraduates, including two freshmen.]

    Sic ’em, Baylor music students!