The Howard Payne University Jazz Ensemble was awarded the rating of “Superior” in a three-judge panel unanimous decision at the 24th Annual Temple Jazz Festival held at Temple College last month. Six from HPU were also awarded certificates as Outstanding Soloists at the festival.
The Outstanding Soloists were Ryan Contreras, freshman from Early, tenor saxophone; Joseph Dunlap, 2009 HPU alumnus and staff accompanist, piano; Angel Hernandez, freshman from Brownwood, drums; Juan Hernandez, senior from Brownwood, tenor saxophone; Bobby Martinez, freshman from Lampasas, bass; and Ethan Yeats, senior from Big Spring, trumpet.
Additional members of the Jazz Ensemble include Alex Atkinson, freshman from Haslet, baritone saxophone; Christopher Burnett, senior from Early, trumpet; Savon Caldwell, sophomore from Texas City, alto saxophone; Joshua Farquharson, junior from Iowa Park, alto saxophone; Micah Huebner, junior from Brazoria, bassoon; Megan Irwin, senior from Brownwood, trumpet; Kristin Musgrove, senior from Brownwood, trumpet; and Patrick Welsh, freshman from Frisco, bass clarinet.
The HPU Jazz Ensemble was awarded Outstanding College Band at the 2007 and 2008 Temple Jazz Festivals. In addition, the HPU Jazz Ensemble performed in the 2009 North Texas Jazz Festival and was awarded several prizes for Outstanding Soloists at that event.
The ensemble is directed by Stephen Goacher, professor of music.
“I am always interested in the way learning in the classrooms and rehearsal halls at HPU is shown valid and relevant on the world stage,” he said.
Pictured at top: The HPU Jazz Ensemble was awarded the rating of “Superior” at the 24th Annual Temple Jazz Festival. Back row: Micah Huebner, Kristin Musgrove, Joshua Farquharson, Savon Caldwell, Patrick Welsh, Christopher Burnett, Alex Atkinson and Megan Irwin. Front row, holding “Outstanding Soloist” certificates: Bobby Martinez, Juan Hernandez, Joseph Dunlap, Angel Hernandez, Ryan Contreras, Ethan Yeats and Steve Goacher, professor of music and director of the Jazz Ensemble.