WT Jazz Bands to Give Outdoor Concert April 15

April 13, 2021

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, [email protected]

CANYON, Texas — Big band tunes will fill the evening skies during an outdoor concert April 15 on the grounds of West Texas A&M University.

WT’s Jazz Ensembles I and II will perform beginning at 6:30 p.m. April 15 on the south-facing steps of the Old Education Building on the Canyon campus.

Admission is free, and families and other guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets for seating, said James Barger, assistant professor of saxophone and Jazz Ensemble II director.

Audiences may also bring food and drink, though no alcohol is permitted on campus.

“We are incredibly excited to get back on the stage and share some great music with WT and the Canyon/Amarillo community,” Barger said. “When schools shut down last spring, we were weeks away from welcoming two internationally renowned jazz artists and educators to clinic and perform with our students. Like so many other musicians and artists, we found ways to pivot and resume our activities in a gradual and safe way over the past year. The result is an outdoor concert that will be safe and enjoyable for all involved, and we look forward to welcoming everybody to our beautiful campus.”

The concert will feature music by the likes of Sammy Nestico, Chick Corea, Gordon Goodwin, Pat Metheny and more.

An appreciation for the arts is a key component of the University’s long-term plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

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. With enrollment of more than 10,000, WT offers 60 undergraduate degree programs, 40 master’s degrees and 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 15 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

Ensemble members:

Jazz Band I

Darian Del Cueto, Senior, Music Business, McKinnney

Marcus Antu, Freshman, Music Education, San Antonio

Zeke Roberts, Junior, Music Education, Lubbock

Aaron Erickson, Sophomore, Music Education, Austin

Carter Rybarski, Freshman, Music Education, Brenham

Emily Sotelo, Senior, Performance, Midland

Jacob Sexton, Graduate, Music Education/Performance, Pampa

Ashton Young, Senior, Music Education, Amarillo

Austin Livingston, Senior, Music Education, Amarillo

Mason Lafferty, Junior, Music Education/Composition, Amarillo