University of Texas Permian Basin music students and faculty were inducted Monday into Pi Kappa Lambda, a music honor society.
The ceremony took place in the Mason Rehearsal Hall in the academic wing of the Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center. Sixteen students and four faculty members were honored. Only 20 percent of seniors and 10 percent of juniors can earn the recognition.
Dan Keast, Music Department chair and Lois & Louis Rochester Professor in Music, Jean Gomez, director of Orchestral Activities and assistant professor of music, introduced the inductees and presented their certificates. Keast said he and Gomez are standing members of Pi Kappa Lambda at UTPB.
Pi Kappa Lambda is the only music organization recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies.
“It was dedicated by its founders to the fostering of scholarly interest in theoretical and historical aspects of music to the pursuit of eminent achievement in performance, composition, music education and research. The Society was formed at Northwestern University in Evansville, Ill., in 1918,” Keast said.
Keast said Monday’s ceremony was a chance to recognize students’ accomplishments in music, academics and leadership. He added that students spend four or five hours practicing and still have to go to class, do homework and go to their jobs.
He added that the last initiation was around December of 2020. A couple of the inductees just transferred membership from different institutions.
“It’s an amazing opportunity for us as faculty to really kind of pat these kids on the back who we see in our classes. We reward them with good grades, but that doesn’t go far enough because they earn the good grade. This is something else. This is an honor that we can bestow upon them with something that’s just a little extra. It shows them that we truly do respect the extra work they put in. We see it and I think that’s something important is letting somebody know that we see value in the work that they put in,” Keast said.
Brandon Lippert, an inductee, is student teaching in band at Permian High School and Wilson & Young Middle School.
“I thought it was a really cool way to celebrate the end of what’s been a really awesome roller coaster of an experience. Being a music major is not an easy thing to do. There are so many great experiences and I think it’s just a cool way to celebrate surviving to the end and also being recognized for the hard work that has gone on since I’ve been here,” Lippert said.
He added that he thinks being part of the honor society helps set you apart.
“I think it automatically just helps put you in a smaller group of people that you could also potentially network with later on. But also it would certainly help a resume or job application and it’s cool to be a part of a group with like-minded individuals who’ve achieved something similar as you professionally,” Lippert said.
Lyndsay Eiben, assistant director of bands at UTPB and a principal flute player with the West Texas Symphony, said this is the first time she has been inducted into Pi Kappa Lambda.
“I don’t believe we had a chapter whenever I was an undergrad. I’m joining now as a faculty member, and like what Brandon said, it’s a really cool way for me to begin my career in academia. This is my second year at UTPB and so it actually was quite special to get inducted with the students today. And just like what Brandon said, it is a smaller Society of musicians and people and there are chapters of Phi Kappa Lambda all over the country. You get to join in with a bunch of other people who are like-minded individuals and who are making good contributions to the world of music and music education,” Eiben said.
Georgina Roacho, a junior who is in choir, said she didn’t know there was a music honor society, but she’s proud to be a part of it.
”I think it’s an honor to be able to get inducted with a lot of my peers that I look up to,” Roacho said.
She added that it’s going to be something future students coming into the program can look forward to.
Tabitha Jones, also a junior in choir, is from Bolivia and never dreamed she would reach this milestone.
“I think it was a true honor. I have not grown up here in Texas most of my life. I grew up mostly in the Andes Mountains in Bolivia in South America. So just to be able to be part of this means a lot because I don’t think it was really something that was in the cards for me, I guess you could say. It means a lot for me truly, and my family is back in Bolivia. This morning they reminded me they were like, Hey, by the way, we’re so happy and so proud of you that you get to be part of this,” Jones said.
“It means a lot to have a lot of family and friends around me … They’re willing to support me in this time as well. I just didn’t think I was going to ever have an honor like this, to be honest. I (thought) I was just going to be part of the pack and that was it. But to be seen as a leader in a way not just academically, but also musically it kind of puts into perspective how much work I have put into this and how much of my efforts have paid off,” she added.
Pi Kappa Lamda inductees
- Eric Baker, Director of Community Engagement in Music and Visual Arts
- Andrew Veit, Director of Percussion Studies
- Young Kwon Whiting, adjunct professor
- Lyndsay Eiben, Assistant Director of Bands
- Conrad Sclar
- Brianna Galindo
- Zachary Brown
- Francisco Zermeno
- Jeffrey Howell
- Lauryn Escalante
- Jaden Hinojos
- Christian Zuniga
- Crystal Jaquez
- Brandon Lippert
- Jacob Ruiz
- Kimberly Lopez
- Tabitha Jones
- Georgina Roacho
- Lauryn Heltzel
- Adrian Ramirez
