CANYON 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, in a press release. “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, in the release.
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.”
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
