SUU Trumpet Ensemble Advances to Quarter-Finals in the 2024 National Trumpet Competition
Published: February 02, 2024 | Author: Kol Gibson | Read Time: 5 minutes
The Southern Utah University Trumpet Ensemble, under the direction of Prof. David Torres and Dr. Adam Lambert, has proudly secured a coveted spot in the quarter-finals of the 2024 National Trumpet Competition (NTC). Seth Seegmiller, Landon Fowles, Kail Limb, Spencer Lloyd, Kobi Brittenham, and Camille Overson will head to this year's NTC, which is set to take place at the Texas A&M Kingsville School of Music from March 8-11, 2024.
Out of scores of university trumpet soloists and ensembles that submitted video recordings for consideration, the SUU Trumpet Ensemble soared into the top 40 of ensemble entries. This achievement is a testament to the ensemble's exceptional musicality and dedication to their craft, but it didn’t come without hours of hard work. The group went from rehearsing 2-4 hours a week to rehearsing and running through the piece daily to get to the point where they made a recording worthy of submission in the first take. “This win was over a year in the making,” shares sophomore Music Education major, Kail Limb. “We submitted our first video to NTC last year, and when we didn’t make it, we were pretty bummed. It was frustrating and humbling, but we came back strong and ready to work.”
The SUU Trumpet Ensemble was formed in the fall of 2022 when Professor Torres came to SUU from Southern Arkansas University. He says, “I have been involved with NTC since 2008 as a performer, coach, and professor. I truly believe that it is one of the most uplifting experiences for students as they represent their region and perform on a world stage. This is the third university that I’ve had qualify for this competition, so I know that it only serves to enrich students’ musical interests and experience. It gets them fired up!”
The NTC is an annual event that brings together trumpet enthusiasts from across the nation. It not only showcases the top performers but also offers a platform for masterclasses, lectures, performances, and lessons. Attendees can benefit from networking and audition opportunities, making it a significant event in the world of trumpet performance. This year's competition promises to be especially exciting, featuring masterclasses from renowned trumpet artist and educator, Joey Tartell, as well as the Houston Symphony Trumpet section.
“When I found out we made it in, I was blown away,” says sophomore Landon Fowles. “This is such a prestigious accomplishment. The competition is tight since they only take 40 small ensembles, so to hear we made it in was absolutely surreal.”
The SUU Trumpet Ensemble qualified for the quarter-finals with the piece "Durrenhorn Passage" by composer Kevin McKee. This dynamic and musical piece, composed in 2009 for six trumpets, showcases the ensemble's exceptional talent and passion for their craft. Camille Overson, a senior Music Education major, shares, “Every player has a solo in this piece, which means that each of us is required to play with utmost confidence and clarity. We were able to achieve a professional level of performance because of the high standards that Dr. Lambert and Prof. Torres and the respect they have for us. They inspire us.”
All six of the outstanding students who comprise the SUU Trumpet Ensemble credit the careful guidance of Dr. Lambert and Prof. Torres for their success. Junior Seth Seegmiller says, “Dr. Lambert and Prof. Torres are two of the best professors here at SUU because of their commitment to the students. My goal in life is to grow up and be like Dr. Lambert and Prof. Torres has shown me what it is like to be among the best and what it takes to get there.” Junior Kobi Brittenham adds, “Mr. Torres has had a HUGE impact on me as a musician as well as a person. He always gets the best from everyone he teaches.”
Qualifying for the quarter-finals is a major accomplishment, but as Prof. Torres would say, the students are “fired up” and focused on progressing further. Commercial Music major Spencer Lloyd comments, “I’m just a freshman this year, so I couldn’t be luckier to be apart of this ensemble this early in my career.” He continues, “I’m just excited to be here, but I’m most excited to see how far we can get. I really hope we make it to finals. That would be huge.”
The SUU community congratulates the Trumpet Ensemble on this remarkable achievement and wishes them continued success as they represent the university on the national stage. Participation in competitions and experiential learning opportunities like the National Trumpet Competition are made possible by the CPVA development fund. If you would like to help support the SUU Trumpet Ensemble and other outstanding arts students, please consider giving at www.suu.edu/gift/pva. We look forward to seeing how far our T-Bird Trumpet Ensemble will soar!
About the College of Performing and Visual Arts
The College of Performing and Visual Arts (CPVA) at Southern Utah University comprises 41 academic programs including liberal arts (BA/BS) and professional (BFA, BM, BMEd) degrees in art, design, dance, filmmaking, music, and theatre. It includes graduate programs in the fields of arts administration (MFA, MA), music education (MME), and music technology (MM). More than 60 full-time faculty and staff are engaged in teaching and mentoring over 900 majors in the College. CPVA presents over 100 performances, lectures, presentations, and exhibitions each year which are complemented by the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA) and Shakespeare Studies at SUU, and is affiliated with the Tony award-winning Utah Shakespeare Festival (USF). Southern Utah University is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art & Design (NASAD), National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD), National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), and the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST) making SUU the first public university in the state of Utah to be accredited by all four associations. For more information about the College of Performing and Visual Arts, visit www.suu.edu/pva.