New Bassoon Professor—a WT Alum—Featured in WT Symphony Orchestra Concert

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — One of West Texas A&M University’s newest music faculty members will be a featured soloist in an upcoming concert—a “full-circle moment” for a WT alumnus.

Dr. Conor Bell was hired this fall as assistant professor of bassoon in WT’s School of Music in the Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities, stepping into the shoes of one of his own mentors, Dr. Tina Carpenter, who retired in May after 37 years at WT.

Now, Bell will perform as a soloist for the WT Symphony Orchestra at its Oct. 6 concert, several years after he was a member of that ensemble himself.

“This was the first orchestra I played with regularly,” said Bell, who most recently taught at Middle Tennessee State University and remains principal bassoonist for the Owensboro Symphony. “I’ve played with lots of different orchestras and various ensembles in my career since then, so this is a nice full-circle moment to come back.”

Bell will perform the second and third movements of Carl Maria von Weber’s Bassoon Concerto with the orchestra in a concert that also will feature this year’s edition of Ensemble Next, a high-school string trio coached by Evgeny Zvonnikov, WT’s Harrington lecturer in violin.

The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 6 in Mary Moody Northen Recital Hall on WT’s Canyon campus. Admission is free.

The orchestra also will perform other classical favorites, including Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Russian Easter” Overture and Edvard Grieg’s “Peer Gynt Suite No. 1.”

“We’ve prepared an evening of delightful symphonic works to welcome you to the weekend —the superb musicianship of Dr. Bell, the emotional depth of Grieg, and the fireworks of Rimsky-Korsakov will take you on a very satisfying ride,” said Dr. Mark Bartley, WT’s director of orchestral activities and the Lilith Brainard Professor of Music.

Ensemble Next will perform the second movement of Erkki Melartin’s String Trio. Members are violinist Tesslyn Hazell, a senior from Amarillo High School; violist Maggie Marie Marhefka, a sophomore from Tascosa High School; and cellist Alyssa Maye Barton, a senior from Tascosa.

The Ensemble Next project offers select students weekly lessons with Zvonnikov, as well as masterclasses with guest artists and performance opportunities across the region, state and beyond. Ensemble Next has performed with the WT Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Music Amarillo in its first three years.

Bell graduated from WT in 2013, then earned both his master’s and doctoral degrees from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. He performs with the chamber trio Elicio Winds and champions the works of living composers, frequently pursuing opportunities to commission new works.

His first recital experiences occurred at WT under Carpenter’s tutelage.

“There’s definitely a lot of legacy to live up to, considering how long she taught here and all of the things her students have accomplished in their careers,” Bell said. “I’ve been thinking a lot about my early performing experiences working with her, and learning how to effectively communicate your vision as a soloist is something I worked on a lot with her when I was here. She helped me become a better performer.”

A roster of orchestra members is below.

Fostering an appreciation of the arts is a key component of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign’s new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised more than $150 million.

About West Texas A&M University

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 59 undergraduate degree programs and more than 40 graduate degrees, including two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

2023 WT Symphony Orchestra Roster

1st Violin

Josenir Junior, graduate student in music performance from Criciúma, Brazil

Jose Luis Forero Daza, graduate student in music performance from Bogotá, Columbia

João Paulo Grissoe, sophomore music performance major from Linz, Brazil

Cade Foard, sophomore accounting major from Amarillo

Indra Aguirre Sankar, graduate student in music performance from Bogotá, Columbia

Tatiana Kolesnik, senior music performance major from Saint Petersburg, Russia

Hollie White, sophomore music performance major from Plainview

Matthew Loyd, senior music education major from Pampa

2nd Violin

Keila Batista, graduate student in music performance from São José, Brazil

Marissa Partida, senior music performance major from Victoria

Luis Lozano, graduate student in music performance from Bogotá, Columbia

Michael Mata, senior music performance major from Victoria

Cassidy DeMarais, junior music education major from Rockwall

McKenzie Bonner, senior music education major from Midland

Elena Moreno, junior music education major from Amarillo

Viola

Jasmin Caldera, junior health sciences major from Amarillo

Mia Brandyberry, senior English, language arts and reading education major from Amarillo

Kendall Uribe, freshman music education major from El Paso

J’Sean Berillo, freshman music performance major from Lubbock

Susan Milligan, community member and WT alumna

Dr. Robert Hansen, WT faculty

Cello

Anna Ng, junior biology major from Amarillo

Eduardo Esparza, freshman music performance major from Amarillo

Rodrigo Alonzo, junior music performance major from Amarillo

Bethany Mueller, graduate student in music performance from Amarillo

Katherine Cook, sophomore music therapy major from Midland

Christian Morris, sophomore social sciences major from Amarillo

Tristan Tilman, senior music industry major from Alamogordo, New Mexico

Drake Klepzig, freshman animal science major from Mount Pleasant

Bass

Ryan Evans, junior music education major from Amarillo

Jose Gerardo Gardea Yepiz, senior music performance major from El Paso

Emily Arciniega, junior music education major from McKinney

Joe David Romo, senior music education major from Amarillo

Kortni VanDamme, junior music industry major from Amarillo

Marcus Curnutte, junior music education major from Midland

Carson King, sophomore music education major from Rockdale

Flute

Broderick A. McQuarters, graduate student in music performance from Tulsa, Oklahoma

Kyndahl Britton, junior music performance major from Pflugerville

Alejandra Mulgado, graduate student in music performance from Clovis, New Mexico

Oboe

Tobin Brooks, senior music education major from Canyon

Abigail Hite, senior music performance major from Nashville

Clarinet

Dayton Scholz, junior music education major from Amarillo

Joey Henriquez, senior music industry major from Arlington

Bassoon

Kegan Otoole, junior business administration major from Friendswood

Meghan Brooks, senior music education major from Canyon

Horn

Norrin Hodgson, senior music education major from Odessa

Christopher Santiago, junior music education major from Odessa

Carlie Marcotte, senior music education major from Lewisville

Kinslea Blau, freshman music education major from Odessa

Kevin Olivas, freshman music performance major from Amarillo

Trumpet

Emily Sotelo, graduate student in music performance from Midland

Brayden York, junior music education major from Odessa

Gisselle Martinez, freshman music education major from Amarillo

Trombone

Abraham Wood, senior music performance major from Floresville

Spencer Owens, junior music education major from Levelland

Bass Trombone

Justin Slaughter, senior music education major from Odessa

Tuba

Lucas Martinez, senior music education major from Lewisville

Percussion

Hien Doan, senior music education major from Amarillo

Caleb Martin, graduate student in music performance from Plainview

Colton Gallandat, junior music education major from Joshua

Mason McWest, sophomore music education major from Amarillo

Brandon Garcia, sophomore music education major from Amarillo

Aidan Caballero, sophomore music education major from Odessa

Harp

Luke Rodriguez, senior music technology major from Rosenberg

—WT—