Student Success

Lots of news from summer of 2023!

Hunter Bellows takes First Place in the Leonard Falcone International Euphonium and Tuba Competition, Artist Euphonium Division
Lux Brass (Hutch Dunn, tuba) takes 2nd place at International Trumpet Guild Conference chamber ensembles competition
Refractive Quartet (Hunter Bellows, Isaiah Buzdygon, Matthew Davis, Tristan Murray) takes First Place at 2023 International Tuba-Euphonium Conference chamber ensembles competition

Leonard Falcone International Euphonium and Tuba Competition

2023
Hunter Bellows, First Place (Artist Euphonium)

2022
Joel Sarmiento, Third Place (Student Euphonium)
Isaiah Buzdygon, Semi-Finalist (Artist Tuba)

2021
Hunter Bellows, First Place (Student Euphonium)
Armando Pena, Semi-Finalist (Artist Tuba)

2020
Chase Teachey, Semi-Finalist (Artist Euphonium)

2019
Preston Arnold, Semi-Finalist (Student Euphonium)

2017
Brianna Compton, Semi-Finalist (Artist Tuba)
Ethan Gordon, Semi-Finalist (Student Tuba)

2016
Brianna Compton, Semi-Finalist (Artist Tuba)

2015
Michael Church, Semi-Finalist (Artist Tuba)

2014
Jacob Moore, First Alternate (Artist Tuba)

2012
Angel Elizondo, Semi-Finalist (Artist Euphonium)
Brianna Compton, Alternate (Student Tuba)

2011
Zach Bridges, First Place (Student Tuba)
Zach Graff, Semi-Finalist (Artist Tuba)

2010
Clay Garrett, First Place (Artist Tuba)
Kevin Butler, Semi-Finalist (Artist Tuba)

2009
Clay Garrett, Third Place (Artist Tuba)
Kevin Butler, Semi-Finalist (Artist Tuba)
Matthew Shipes, Semi-Finalist (Artist Euphonium)

ITEA Competitions
2023 International Euphonium-Tuba Conference (Arizona State University)
Refractive Quartet (Hunter Bellows, Isaiah Buzdygon, Matthew Davis, Tristan Murray) – First Place in Chamber Ensembles Competition

Hunter Bellows – Semi-Finalist, Artist Euphonium Solo Competition

Armando Pena – Semi-Finalist, Artist Tuba Solo Competition

Joel Sarmiento – One of two winners of Enthusiast Competitive Showcase

2022 South Central Conference (Oklahoma State University)
Hunter Bellows – First Place in the Euphonium Undergraduate Solo Competition
Clayton Mills – Third Place in the Euphonium Undergraduate Solo Competition
Tristan Murray – Runner-Up in the Mock Band Audition Competition
Nick Tesmer – Third Place in the Tuba Student Solo Competition
Refractive Quartet (Preston Arnold, Hunter Bellows, Isaiah Buzdygon, Tristan Murray) – First Place in the Chamber Ensemble Competition

2021 Virtual Tuba-Euphonium Conference
Hunter Bellows – First Place in the Euphonium Solo Competition (Ages 16-19)

2017 South Central Conference (University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley)
Dillon Jefferies – Second Place in the orchestra excerpts competition
Josh Mistrot – Third Place in Student Euphonium Solo competition

2015 South Central Conference (University of Central Arkansas)
Michael Church – Finalist in the orchestral excerpts competition
Brianna Compton – Third Place in Artist Tuba solo competition
Baylor University Tuba-Euphonium Quartet – Second Place in Chamber Music Competition
(Left to right: Michael Church, Oscar Cruz, Anne Smith, Brianna Compton)

2014 International Tuba-Euphonium Conference (Indiana University)
Zach Bridges – Semi-Finalist in Artist Tuba Solo Competition; Semi-Finalist in Arnold Jacobs Mock Orchestra Audition
Anne Smith – Semi-Finalist in Artist Euphonium Solo Competition

2013 South Central Conference (Louisiana State University)
Brianna Compton – Second Place in Student Tuba solo competition
Chalimos Quartet (Caitlin Adams, Brianna Compton, Corey Durham, Spencer Morris) – 3rd Place in chamber music competition

2011 South Central Conference (Baylor University)
Zach Graff – First Place in Tuba Artist solo competition
Zach Bridges – Second Place in Tuba Student solo competition; Semi-Finalist in Artist Tuba solo competition

2010 International Conference (University of Arizona)
Clay Garrett – Finalist in Artist Tuba solo competition

Acceptance into Summer Orchestra/Band Festivals
Baylor euphonium/tuba students have been accepted to many prestigious festivals, including:
Brevard Music Center (Zach Bridges; Brianna Compton, winner of the festival’s concerto competition)
Camp-of-the-Woods orchestra (Brianna Compton; Seth Aker)
Eastern Music Festival (Brianna Compton; Benjamin Kauffman)
Fresno Summer Orchestra and Opera Academy (Dillon Jefferies)
Hot Springs Music Festival (Brianna Compton; Austin Crumrine)
Miami Summer Music Festival (Zach Bridges)
Music Academy of the West (Zach Graff)
National Music Festival (Zach Bridges, Brianna Compton)
Round Top Festival Institute (Kevin Butler; Dillon Jefferies, twice)
Sewanee Music Festival (Zach Bridges)
Texas Music Festival (Zach Bridges; Benjamin Kauffman)
World Youth Wind Orchestra Project (Reid Cox; Josh Mistrot)

Baylor School of Music Concerto Competition
Every year two brass students advance from the preliminary round (all brass studios) to the final round of the concerto competition, where they compete against finalists from all the other performance areas. We have been well-represented by the following finalists from the euphonium/tuba studio!
2024 – Hutch Duun, tuba (Tuba Concerto by Edward Gregson) – Honorable Mention
2024 – Hunter Bellows, euphonium (Trombone Concerto by Derek Bourgeois)
2023 – Matthew Davis, euphonium (UFO Concerto by Johan de Meij)
2022 – Hunter Bellows, euphonium (Concerto per Flicorno Basso by Amilcare Ponchielli)
2021 – Chase Teachey, euphonium (Euphonium Concerto by Karl Jenkins)
2020 – Chase Windmueller, euphonium (Symphonic Variants by James Curnow)
2018 – Brianna Compton, tuba (Concerto by Robert Jager)
2017 – Brianna Compton, tuba (Concertino by Jan Koetsier)
2015 – Brianna Compton, tuba (Concerto by Arild Plau)
2012 – Angel Elizondo, euphonium (Concerto by Vladimir Cosma)
2011 – Kevin Butler, tuba (Concerto by John Williams)
2010 – Clay Garrett, tuba (Concertino by Rolf Wilhelm)

Baylor School of Music Semper Pro Musica Competition
Every other year, the School of Music holds the “Semper Pro Musica” competition, from which winners in solo and chamber music categories are sent either to New York City to perform a recital at Carnegie Hall, or Fort Worth to perform at the Kimbell. One brass student can advance to the finals, and three chamber ensembles advance to the finals from the entire School of Music.
2024 – Hutch Dunn, Winner
2022 – Preston Arnold, Solo Finalist
2022 – Refractive Quartet (Preston Arnold, Hunter Bellows, Isaiah Buzdygon, Tristan Murray), Chamber Finalist

YoungArts National Competition
2020 – Matthew Davis, Honorable Mention (Mathew was the only low brass musician among the 67 finalists in Classical Music)
2017 – Benjamin Kauffman, Honorable Mention