Judges
Meet our 2025 Judges
Meet our 2025 Judges
Keith Bearden
Professor Bearden earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Texas Tech University. After only one year of teaching, he served our country in the United States Air Force and played trumpet in the USAF Academy Band. Following his completion of military service, he enjoyed six successful years of public-school teaching in Albany, and at Lubbock Monterey. His bands were consistent winners in concert, marching, and jazz on both state and national levels. In 1979 he was honored by Phi Beta Mu as Texas’ Outstanding Young Bandmaster. In 1980 he was appointed associate director of bands and director of the Goin’ Band from Raiderland” at Texas Tech University.
In addition to his duties with the marching band at Texas Tech, he conducted the University Symphonic Band, the Court Jesters Basketball Band, played trumpet in the Faculty Brass Quintet, taught classes in conducting/music education, and co-directed the Texas Tech summer music camps. During his distinguished tenure at Texas Tech University, Professor Bearden was honored as Outstanding Faculty Member by Omicron Delta Kappa and Mortar Board, and in 1999 his Goin’ Band from Raiderland received nation’s highest award for collegiate marching bands, the Sudler Trophy, presented by the John Philip Sousa Foundation. He was honored for his service as camp director of the Texas Tech summer band and orchestra camp. Other honors include the Kappa Kappa Psi Distinguished Service to Music Medal, Texas Tech’s Department of Residence Life’s Professing Excellence Award, the Lubbock Independent School District’s Meritorious Service Award, the Texas Tech Committed of Champions Meritorious Service Award, The Goin’ Band Alumni Ken Porter Service Award, the Texas Tech Alumni Association’s Distinguished Service Award, and the Texas Tech School of Music’s Distinguished Alumni Award. He has also received the Texas Bandmasters Lifetime Meritorious Achievement Award. Professor Bearden retired from Texas Tech University in May 2003 after 34 years of teaching, with 23 of those years being at Tech. In 2013, he was inducted into the Texas Bandmasters Hall of Fame. Professor Bearden was recipient of the Al G. Wright award at the 2019 Midwest Clinic/Convention in Chicago from the Women Band Director’s International for his “honoring and continued support of women band directors over a long period of time”. He was inducted into the Texas Bandmasters Hall of fame and in 2021, was named Texas “Bandmaster of the Year”.
With a heart for helping develop the skills of young musicians, Professor Bearden remains active as a guest clinician/conductor for numerous schools as well as honor groups across the United States. Most recently, he has conducted honor/all state bands in Kansas, Arkansas and a virtual performance of the New Mexico small school all state band. He is continually active as an adjudicator across the United States as well as Internationally. He serves as concert band and jazz ensemble adjudicator for Festival Disney in Orlando each spring. At the international level, he is a member of the board and chairs the judge’s bureau for the World Association of Marching Show Bands. International judging assignments were recently in Demark, Ireland, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Canada, Brazil, Japan, Germany, Thailand, Philippines and Poland. In the summer of 2020, he was an international judge for the world’s first virtual parade competition in Malaysia, which involved 26 marching bands. He has sponsored band director tours to Japan in 2014, 2016 and 2018 for school visitations to observe teaching/rehearsal techniques. A fourth trip is planned for the summer of 2024. With the help of friends and Phi Beta Mu members across Texas, he has facilitated getting uniforms, method books, instruments, reeds, mouthpieces, and percussion equipment to bands in Brazil, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Ireland. In addition, he has hosted two visits in Lubbock for the Sao Marcos School Band from Puerto Alegre, Brazil. Bearden has aided directors from Brazil in attending TMEA and TBA conventions.
Professor Bearden is currently the executive secretary for both UIL Region 16 and Area A. He is the immediate past president of Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity, Phi Beta Mu Alpha chapter (Texas) and the Texas Music Adjudicators Association. Memberships include the Texas Bandmasters Association, Texas Music Educators Association, Pi Kappa Lambda, Phi Mu Alpha, and a lifetime membership in Kappa Kappa Psi. In addition to serving on the board of the John Philip Sousa Foundation, he has been a loyal member of the Sudler Trophy, Sudler Shield and the Sudler Legion of honor selection committees.
Outside of music, Professor Bearden enjoys family, golf, camping and classic cars. His wife, June, is a retired middle school band director. They are members of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Lubbock. They have two sons and four grandchildren, one of which is a band director in the Houston area.
Keith Bearden
Varsity Bands & Orchestras
Justin Lewis
Major Justin W. Lewis is the commander of the United States Air Force Band of Mid-America, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Under his leadership, 60 Airman-Musicians perform more than 400 events each year throughout the Midwest to honor America’s service members and veterans, inspire young people to serve, and connect the public with their Air and Space Forces. Major Lewis organizes, trains and equips the unit to communicate the Department of the Air Force’s strategic messages with Americans at home and strengthen international partnerships when deployed abroad.
Major Lewis commissioned as a distinguished graduate of U.S. Air Force Officer Training School in August 2012. He graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor of music from Temple University. He holds two masters of music from Penn State and a doctor of musical arts from the Catholic University of America. He completed post-doctoral studies at the Rotterdam Conservatorium at the University of the Arts in the Netherlands. Prior to his current position, Major Lewis was a team lead for opinion leader engagements and city outreach at the Secretary of the Air Force Office of Public Affairs at the Pentagon.
Previously, Major Lewis led Air Force bands based in Germany and Qatar that performed cultural diplomacy and ceremonial missions in 61 countries to reassure America’s allies and counter adversarial disinformation. These events were broadcasted to a combined audience of more than one billion people. Major Lewis has recorded with the Centaur and Shadow Mountain Record labels, and has been invited to appear in concert with choirs, orchestras and bands in 19 countries. He frequently mentors young musicians as a festival guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator.
Justin Lewis
Varsity Bands & Orchestras
Jeff Turner
Jeff Turner has been the Director of Fine Arts for the Allen Independent School District since April 2015. Prior to his appointment in Allen ISD, he served as the Instrumental Music Coordinator for the Plano Independent School District for 8 years. He taught orchestra for sixteen years before moving into administration serving as the director of orchestras at Plano Senior High School for seven years and before that was the director of the Vines High School Orchestras and Williams High School Orchestra also in Plano. Mr. Turner earned a Bachelor of Music Education from New Mexico State University in 1991 and a Master of Secondary Education from the University of North Texas in 2002. Before moving to Texas, Mr. Turner taught orchestra for five years in Las Cruces, New Mexico where he taught grades 6-12. Under his direction, his orchestras in NM and Texas have received numerous first division and sweepstakes awards at local and national festivals. The Plano Senior High Orchestra was a consistent finalist in TMEA honor orchestra competition (string and full) every year under his direction. The Plano Senior High Symphony Orchestra was invited to perform at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in 2003 and was named the 2007 Texas Music Educators Association High School Honor Full Orchestra.
Mr. Turner is a Past President of the Texas Music Adjudicators Association after serving that organization as Orchestra VP for 6 years. He has also served as the Executive Secretary for the Texas Music Administrators Conference, Texas Music Educators Association Orchestra Division Vice President from 2009-2011, secretary for the Southwest District of the New Mexico Music Educators Association, President Elect for the NM chapter of ASTA, and elected Vice President for Orchestra for the NMMEA, and has served in many other volunteer positions for TMEA at the region and state level. Mr. Turner holds memberships in Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, Texas Fine Arts Administrators, Texas Orchestra Directors Association, Mu Omicron and is listed in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. He has also taught summer camps at Texas Tech, Baylor, New Mexico State, and Hummingbird (NM) as well as a chamber coach for The Institute for Strings at SMU.
Mr. Turner lives in Plano with his wife, who is also an educator, and their two boys. He is an active all-region clinician and adjudicator in Texas and NM and has conducted All-State orchestras in New Mexico and Kentucky. Mr. Turner is also the conductor/concertmaster of the orchestra at Hunters Glen Baptist Church in Plano and performs with various professional groups in the Dallas area. In his free time, Mr. Turner enjoys chasing/losing golf balls on the golf course and working on woodworking projects in his shop.
Jeff Turner
Varsity Bands & Orchestras
Pete Hazzard
Mr. Pete Hazzard received his academic training at Howard Payne University and the University of North Texas respectively. He currently serves as the Managing Director of Fine Arts for the Frisco Independent School District. A native of Euless, Texas, Mr. Hazzard grew up under the tutelage of Tom Neugent at Trinity High School. While at HPU, Mr. Hazzard studied conducting with Dr. Robert Tucker and Dr. Tom Webster. He completed his graduate degree in wind conducting at the University of North Texas with Mr. Dennis Fisher and Mr. Eugene Migliaro Corporon in 2006.
Prior to coming to becoming a public school fine arts administrator, Mr. Hazzard served as an assistant director at both Hedrick Middle School and Marcus High School (Lewisville Independent School District) and as the director of bands at Denton High School, Frisco High School, Creekview High School, and Liberty High School. He has served at multiple levels of music educational leadership at both the state and national level. His ensembles have received numerous commendations and invitations throughout his career. In 2003, the Denton High School Wind Ensemble was selected to perform at the Bands of America National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis, Indiana and in 2005 was selected as a state finalist in the Texas Music Educators Association Honor Band competition. The Creekview High School Wind Symphony was also recognized as the Texas Music Educators Association Honor Band finalist for 2010-2011. The Creekview Wind Symphony also performed at the 65th Annual Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in 2011. In addition, the Creekview High School Wind Symphony was recognized as a National Winner in the Wind Band Honors Mark of Excellence program in 2009. Under Mr. Hazzard’s direction, the Liberty High School Wind Ensemble was also recognized as the Texas Music Educators Association honor Band finalist for 2012-2013.
Mr. Hazzard is an active clinician and adjudicator throughout Texas. In addition, Mr. Hazzard is an active composer. Performances of his concert arrangements and original compositions are performed by some of the top bands throughout the state of Texas. Throughout the year, Mr. Hazzard stays very active as a team building and leadership consultant and writer.
Mr. Hazzard’s professional affiliations include the Texas Music Adjudicators Association, Texas Music Administrators Conference, Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, and Ph Beta Mu. He is married to Whitney, a saxophone private teacher in the DFW area. They have two daughters, Caitlyn and Lauren and a son, Cameron.
Pete Hazzard
NV Bands & Orchestras
Michael Roberts
Place the BIO here.Mr. Roberts is a 2002 graduate of West Texas A & M University with a Bachelor’s Degree
of Music Education, Instrumental Emphasis, double majoring on Saxophone & Oboe.
During his teaching career, he has taught at both the high school and middle school levels
in the state of Texas. Bands under Mr. Roberts have enjoyed much success and recognition
at contests and festivals on the state and national level. He is the Director of Bands at
Forestwood Middle School (Flower Mound, TX) in Lewisville ISD. He is an alumnus of
Kappa Kappa Psi, Pi Kappa Lambda, and Alpha Chi. He holds memberships in Texas Music
Educators Association & Texas Bandmasters Association.
Michael Roberts
NV Bands & Orchestras
Tom SoRelle
In 2020, Tommy Allyn SoRelle retired after fifty-one years of teaching students about music and band in the public school of Texas. His life adventure started in 1947 in the small community of Jayton, Texas, where he helped on the ranch with the crops and the livestock. This outdoor experience is where he developed his love for nature, gardening and bird watching – all stressless hobbies that have followed and entertained him throughout his life. His mother, Tommie Joyce SoRelle, was a dedicated stay at home mom and his father, Purvis SoRelle, was a farmer and rancher and for many years Sheriff of Kent County.
Tom began his interest in music when his grandmother decided it was time for him to play the piano. She taught him to play gospel style from the Baptist hymnal. He and his sisters, Sharon Kocurek and Melody SoRelle, soon joined the First Baptist Youth Choir and had the great fortune to work with truly dedicated and fantastic directors.
In the fifth grade, Tom enrolled in the band at the school as an alto sax player. In high school, Tom was selected for All Region Band and for the first time, played advanced music far above the level he had played at Jayton. By this time, he had already decided to be a band director and teach others his love for band. His band directors, Hap Meyers, Roark Barnes, Tom Taylor and C. Doyle Gammill, had supported and encouraged his band experience. Tom served the band as Drum Major and bass drummer his senior year.
Tom got additional musical experience organizing and playing with a local rock band called the Gables. They played for dances, parties, and special programs. In the group, Tom sang, played guitar, tenor sax and keyboards.
Almost from birth, Tom grew up with a cute, dark haired, sassy girl as one of his friends. Kathy Cave was an athlete, a cheerleader, a twirler and played flute. It took a while for him to smarten up to how fantastic she was. But soon she became his girlfriend for high school and college and then became his bride. Fifty-one years later, they are very happily married having raised two great sons who were both musicians, Jeffrey, who lives in San Angelo with his wife Elizabeth, and Jonathan, who God took in December of 2019. Their sons gave them three beautiful granddaughters, Lauren, SoRelle, Abbey SoRelle and Leah SoRelle/Sutton. Leah married Noah Sutton and brought a treasured new grandson-in-law into the family.
Tom’s family made a huge contribution to his career. His only regret is that he had to spend so much time away from them. Without their love and support, any accomplishments would have been meaningless.
Tom entered school at Texas Tech University in 1965 and was truly fortunate to become a member of the Goin’Band from Raiderland under the direction of Dean Killion. At Tech, he was proud of his service in Kappa Kappa Psi Band Fraternity as well as his service to the Goin’ Band. In the Goin’ Band, he started on alto saxophone and his senior year, Mr. Killion asked him to play lead bass drum in the percussion line. Tom came in early, learned the cadences, and started on a real band adventure as a percussionist. He loved it.
After graduation from Tech in 1969, Mr. SoRelle began his teaching career under his friend and mentor, Phil Anthony. He taught junior high band for two years at Littlefield Junior High, where the band earned first division awards and placed second in the TMEA Honor Band contest.
In 1971, Tom accepted the head director position at Springlake-Earth Consolidated Schools and stayed for three years. This was a unique experience since he was called on to teach not only high school band, but also all middle school band classes, elementary music, and assist with the choir.
Tom was called back to Littlefield as the Head Director in 1974. Under Tom’s direction, the Littlefield Band became a leader on the South Plains by introducing modern corps style drill and music into the marching show. They were one of the first schools to use rifles and flags with the band. The Littlefield Band was a Sweepstakes Band every year and was a competitor in the early years of Texas State Marching Competitions at Memorial Stadium in Austin, making the finals three times. A winter storm canceled one of the finals performances, and another was tragically ended when a thunderstorm hit the stadium just as the Littlefield Band took the field. Colleagues who were significant in Tom’s early career were Ralph Smith, Bill Woods and Earl and Laverne Ray.
In 1981, Tom accepted the position as Director at Bands at Texas City High ISD and stayed for twenty years. This gave him the opportunity to get some experience with 5A band literature and a new marching style. Thanks is given to Randy Luster, assistant director for twenty years with Mr. SoRelle. Randy was a fabulous musician and had terrific knowledge of instruments and of band literature. Tom was again fortunate to have outstanding directors to mentor him. Eddie Green, Jim Sudduth, and George Walters were always available to help.
At Texas City, there was a special relationship between the band and the community, the band was asked to play for dedications of fountains, memorials, and statues in remembrance of the Texas City Disaster in 1947, where so many were killed in the explosions. Tom’s other great memories from Texas City were the performance welcoming the King of Denmark to Houston, the performance for the Republican National Convention in Houston, and playing the last game of the season for the Oilers every year at the Astrodome.
In 1998, Mr. SoRelle accepted the position of Director of Bands at Frenship High School. The Frenship Band flourished, growing in participation, enthusiasm, and musical skills. How fantastic to have not only outstanding students and directors, but also enthusiastic parents, teachers, and administrators to work with. The Frenship Band won Sweepstakes all twenty years of Mr. SoRelle’s tenure, and never received a rating from any judge lower than 1st Division in concert, sight reading, or marching.
The Frenship Band performed eight times at the Texas State Marching Contest and was an Honor band finalist on several occasions. The band was fortunate to travel and perform at competitions around the state and nation. The highlight for the band was the patriotic performances on eight separate occasions at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Mr. SoRelle had fantastic staff members at Frenship. The first year, master teachers Ray Lashaway, June Bearden, Scott Carter, and Geoff Bissett joined Tom to help build the Frenship Band Program. Many other fine student teachers and directors followed. Tom was truly fortunate to have new teacher Scott Carter who stayed on the staff for twenty years as Associate director. A special thanks to the other directors who helped with the Frenship Band. Keith Bearden, Dr. Charles Traylor, and Dr. Sara McCoin were valuable musical colleagues to the program.
During this time, Mr. SoRelle volunteered weekends with the local youth symphony orchestra as woodwind and brass coach. In addition, Mr. SoRelle has almost always been music director at church. At his most recent church, the choir attendance more than doubled under his direction.
Mr. SoRelle served as TMEA Region 17 Band Chair, Area Coordinator for the All-State and Area auditions and Texas State Band Chair for TMEA in 1994 and 1995. He served as President of TMEA in 1997. Tom continues to serve TMEA as Area A Chair for the TMEA Mentoring Network where he assigns mentors to new or experienced directors who request help.
Mr. SoRelle was honored in August of 2000 in Chicago, Illinois, by Band World Magazine and the Sousa Foundation by induction into the John Philip Sousa Foundation Legion of Honor.
Mr. SoRelle is immensely proud of the band students who graduated from his bands. They have grown up to be leaders, as well as outstanding citizens of their communities.
Tom would like to thank the Hall of Fame Committee and the membership of Phi Beta Mu for this amazing recognition and knows that through the continued efforts of amazing Texas Band Directors, the future of music education is in wonderful and capable hands.
Tom SoRelle
NV Bands & Orchestras
Russ Teweleit
Dr. Russ Teweleit is the Associate Professor of Music, Associate Director of Bands and Coordinator of Music Education at West Texas A&M University. Dr. Teweleit joined the WTAMU faculty in 1999. Before coming to the University, Dr. Teweleit served as the associate director of bands (1991-1996) and then director of bands (1996-1999) at Canyon High School. During his tenure with the Canyon band program, Dr. Teweleit’s bands consistently received superior ratings at contests and festivals. His bands also earned opportunities to compete in the Texas State Marching Contest and 4A Honor Band competition.
Dr. Teweleit serves as the coordinator of music education and associate director of bands. His duties at WTAMU include conducting the Concert Band. He also observes student teachers and teaches jazz improvisation. Dr. Teweleit serves as the faculty adviser for both Tau Beta Sigma and Kappa Kappa Psi.
Dr. Teweleit is active as a clinician for marching band, concert band, jazz band, and instrumental pedagogy. His research interests include the use of music technology in the classroom and historical research in music education.
Dr. Teweleit and his wife Tina have two children: Lindsay and Matthew, and one grandson, Owen. His hobbies include mountain biking, hacky sack, riding the air-chair water ski, and performing as a freelance trumpet artist.
Russ Teweleit
Jazz Bands
Heather Bolin
Heather E. Bolin graduated from Texas Tech University in 2005 with a degree in Music Education and a minor in Vocal Performance. She established and maintained the Evans Middle School Choir in Lubbock for ten years as the largest and most awarded middle school choir in Region 16. Her choirs worked extensively with Texas Tech Music Education, hosting dozens of preservice teachers.
She now serves a music education lecturer and Arts Education Coordinator for the J.T. And Margaret Talkington College of Visual and Performing Arts at Texas Tech University. She enjoys her roles as consultant, liaison, and advocate for many arts education communities across the state.
Mrs. Bolin is supported by her wonderful family: husband-Jody, children- Linden and Beckam Mack, and springer spaniels- Dolly and George
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Heather Bolin
Concert Choirs
Trenton Davis
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Trenton Davis is in his fourteenth year of teaching and first as the Director of Choirs at Allen High School. Prior to joining the Allen Independent School District, Davis taught nine years in West Texas for the Midland and Ector County Independent School Districts. Choirs under the direction of Davis have toured Croatia, Italy, New York City, Hawaii, and Florida, received consistent superior ratings at UIL Evaluations, and many have earned membership in the Texas All-State Choir Ensembles. In 2019, Davis conducted the Lee High School Varsity Treble as an Invited Choir at the Texas Music Educators Association Convention in San Antonio.
This year, Davis was selected as a 2024 UIL Sponsor Excellence Award recipient. He was has also received the 2023 Lowery Freshman Center Teacher of the Year, Midland Magazine “Top 20 under 40 Young Professionals”, a two-time recipient of the “Teacher in Excellence Award for Fine Arts”, and received the “Recognized Alumnus” from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin for Exceptional Professional Achievement in Music Education. Davis is a proud member of TMEA, ACDA, TMAA, and TCDA and currently serves as the TMEA Region 25 Vocal Chairman and Texas All-State Tenor-Bass Choir Organizer. Davis holds a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Texas of the Permian Basin and a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Texas Tech University. Trenton is married to his best friend, Kaitlin, and with their daughters, Clara and Eleanor, reside in Allen.
BIO here.
Trenton Davis
Concert Choirs
Paula Edwards
Paula T. Edwards, conductor, clinician & choral music specialist, is a veteran music educator. Her teaching career spans over 4 decades primarily in high school public school, where she spent many years directing the choral program at Midland Legacy High School (formerly Midland Lee). Choirs under her direction have received consistent UIL “Sweepstakes” ratings, toured internationally, and have been featured multiple times at Texas Music Educator Association conventions.
Mrs. Edwards received both her Bachelor and Master of Music Degrees at Hardin-Simmons University- Abilene, Texas. She has served TMEA as All-State Mixed & Treble Choir Organizer, All-State Section Leader, and Region Chair. She has frequently hosted and organized TMEA auditions, UIL Concert & Sight-reading Evaluations, and Region Clinic & Concerts. In addition, Mrs. Edwards has presented workshops & clinics for TMEA, TCDA (Texas Choral Directors’ Association) and school districts around the State and neighboring states, as well as conducting honor choirs in Texas, Georgia, Alabama, and Kentucky.
Mrs. Edwards awards include the TCDA Choral Excellence Award, UIL Sponsor Excellence Award, MISD Hero for Children Award, MISD Education Foundation Shining Star, PTSA Honorary Life Membership for outstanding service to children and youth, the Marcia McEntyre Zoffuto Hero Award as an exemplary music educator, Distinguished Alumni Award- Hardin- Simmons University, and Outstanding Teacher- Midland ISD and Northeast ISD- San Antonio. Recently Edwards was inducted to the Midland Lee/Legacy High School Wall of Honor.
Mrs. Edwards and husband, Phillip reside in Santa Fe, New Mexico and have twin adult daughters and four grandchildren.
Paula Edwards
Concert Choirs
Cloyce Kuhnert
Cloyce Kuhnert is a Professor of Music at West Texas A&M University. She is a mezzo-soprano and completed her DMA in vocal performance at the University of North Texas. She has done leading roles at WTAMU, UNT, Amarillo Opera, and TEXAS. She has staged operas such as Marriage of Figaro, Die Fledermaus, Cosi fan Tutte, Don Giovanni, Pirates of Penzance, and Susannah. Dr. Kuhnert has been involved with TEXAS for thirty-one seasons (thirteen seasons as Music Director). She is also the choir director for First Presbyterian Church in Canyon, TX. She holds membership in NATS and TMEA. Her students have been successful in winning competitions and are working with opera companies, universities, and public schools across the country.
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Cloyce Kuhnert
Show Choirs
Kennith Freeman
Dr. Kennith Freeman is Professor of Collaborative Piano at Wayland Baptist University. An avid chamber musician, he can regularly be found accompanying recitals with both vocalists and instrumentalists as well as performing as a soloist. In addition to his collaborative work at Wayland, Dr. Freeman is a member of the board of directors for Opera of the Plains. He is coordinator of Wayland’s Academy of Fine Arts, a community music program offering private instruction to students of all ages and abilities in both traditional and virtual formats and teaches courses in the Piano Pedagogy Certificate available through WBU. Kennith has served as a church musician in Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, and California over the last 25 years in roles ranging from pianist to Director of Worship Ministries; he currently serves as pianist for the Singing Men of Texas’ Panhandle chapter.
Kennith Freeman
Piano Solo & Ensemble
Sarah Rushing
Dr. Sarah Rushing, NCTM is Assistant Professor of Piano at West Texas A&M University, where she teaches applied piano, class piano, and piano pedagogy. Rushing’s commitment to teaching is evidenced through her years of experience teaching private and group piano classes in both the community and university settings in Louisiana, New York, Colorado, Virginia, and Texas. Rushing has been an active member of Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) since 2009, serving as a faculty advisor, local competitions coordinator, and adjudicator for various regional and state competitions. In 2017, Rushing led the University of Colorado Boulder Collegiate Chapter of MTNA to receive the prestigious Collegiate Chapter of the Year Award.
In addition to her teaching duties at WT, Rushing is actively involved in training up the next generation of piano teachers; she serves as co-director of the WT Music Academy, co-advisor for the WT Collegiate Chapter of MTNA, and co-director of the Grace Hamilton Piano Festival. Passionate about continuing education opportunities for all teachers, Rushing is a frequent presenter at state and national conferences, recently appearing at the Virginia Music Teachers Association State Conference, the MTNA Piano Pedagogy Symposium, the Colorado State Music Teachers Association State Conference, the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy, the MTNA National Conference, and the Group Piano/Piano Pedagogy Forum. Rushing has also served as the MTNA South Central Certification Commissioner since 2021, grading applications and advocating for the prestigious Nationally Certified Teacher of Music designation. She also serves her profession by writing CD and book reviews for American Music Teacher, Piano Magazine, and the Association for Recorded Sound Collections Journal.
As a performer, Rushing enjoys playing music off the beaten path and has appeared in competitions and recitals throughout the US. In 2013, she was featured on American Public Media’s “Performance Today.” Other radio appearances include a live broadcast on KGNU in Boulder, CO. Rushing enjoys collaborating with colleagues and has recently been engaged with the North American Saxophone Alliance, the Flute New Music Consortium, and College Music Society. 2022 saw the formation of two unique trio projects (violin, saxophone, piano & soprano, horn, piano), with whom Rushing will be touring the southern states in 2023.
Before moving to Texas in 2020, Rushing was an Instructor of Piano at Virginia Tech. She completed the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Colorado Boulder in the studio of David Korevaar, where her research focused on the music of Johannes Brahms and Claude Debussy. She earned the Masters of Music in Piano Performance degree from Ithaca College, where she studied with Jennifer Hayghe. A Louisiana native, Rushing attended Louisiana State University to pursue the Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance degree, where her teachers included Willis Delony and Gregory Sioles.
When not teaching and performing, Rushing enjoys hiking, running, and enjoying the great outdoors, which has taken her to numerous summits in the US and abroad, including 19 mountains above 14,000 feet in Colorado and Mount Kilimanjaro.
Sarah Rushing
Piano Solo & Ensemble
Ruth Allen
Ruth Allen is in her 33nd year as a Band Director and 12th year at Hornedo Middle School in El Paso ISD. She leads all aspects of the band program and conducts the Honor Band, Jazz Band and Beginning Woodwinds. Under her direction her bands consistently receive sweepstakes at UIL Concert/Sightreading Contests, Band Festivals and Jazz Festivals. Her bands have received “Best in Class” in festivals held in San Antonio, Dallas and California. Most recently the HMS Honor Band placed 1st in Area A at the TMEA 3C Honor Band Competition and advanced to the State Semi-Finals. Also, the Honor Band was a named a Commended Winner in the Mark of Excellence National Wind Band Competition for 2023. The Hornedo Jazz Band also performed at TMEA and Midwest in 2023.
Mrs. Allen’s main instrument is clarinet. She received her Bachelor in Music Performance from West Texas State University. She played under the direction of Dr. Gary Garner and studied clarinet with Robert Spring and Doug Story. She is a graduate of Riverside High School in El Paso and is a two-time Texas All State Clarinetist and studied under Maria Galindo Chadwell and Vin Richards. She is an active judge and clinician in El Paso and throughout Texas and New Mexico. Her professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association, Phi Beta Mu and Texas Band Masters Association where she served on the TBA Spouses Board from 2018-2024
Mrs. Allen is married to Daniel Allen, who is currently teaching 5th grade Beginning Band. He recently served on the Texas Band Masters Association Board of Directors. Their son Christopher plays horn and piano and graduated from The University of Texas El Paso with a Bachelor of Music Education degree and a Master’s degree in Conducting. He is starting his teaching career as Assistant Director and McNeil Middle School in Wichita Fall, TX. Their daughter Lauren is a recent graduate of Coronado High School in El Paso ISD. She is a two time Texas All State Choir student. She is currently attending UTEP.
Ruth Allen
WW/Brass/Percussion Solo & Ensemble
Yesenia Campos
Ruth Allen is in her 33nd year as a Band Director and 12th year at Hornedo Middle School in El Paso ISD. She leads all aspects of the band program and conducts the Honor Band, Jazz Band and Beginning Woodwinds. Under her direction her bands consistently receive sweepstakes at UIL Concert/Sightreading Contests, Band Festivals and Jazz Festivals. Her bands have received “Best in Class” in festivals held in San Antonio, Dallas and California. Most recently the HMS Honor Band placed 1st in Area A at the TMEA 3C Honor Band Competition and advanced to the State Semi-Finals. Also, the Honor Band was a named a Commended Winner in the Mark of Excellence National Wind Band Competition for 2023. The Hornedo Jazz Band also performed at TMEA and Midwest in 2023.
Mrs. Allen’s main instrument is clarinet. She received her Bachelor in Music Performance from West Texas State University. She played under the direction of Dr. Gary Garner and studied clarinet with Robert Spring and Doug Story. She is a graduate of Riverside High School in El Paso and is a two-time Texas All State Clarinetist and studied under Maria Galindo Chadwell and Vin Richards. She is an active judge and clinician in El Paso and throughout Texas and New Mexico. Her professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association, Phi Beta Mu and Texas Band Masters Association where she served on the TBA Spouses Board from 2018-2024
Mrs. Allen is married to Daniel Allen, who is currently teaching 5th grade Beginning Band. He recently served on the Texas Band Masters Association Board of Directors. Their son Christopher plays horn and piano and graduated from The University of Texas El Paso with a Bachelor of Music Education degree and a Master’s degree in Conducting. He is starting his teaching career as Assistant Director and McNeil Middle School in Wichita Fall, TX. Their daughter Lauren is a recent graduate of Coronado High School in El Paso ISD. She is a two time Texas All State Choir student. She is currently attending UTEP.
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Yesenia Campos
Strings Solo & Ensemble
Lyndi Williams
Lyndi Williams is an accomplished concert soprano with a dynamic career spanning national and international stages. She has performed with esteemed ensembles, orchestras, and opera companies, including the Amarillo Symphony, Amarillo Opera, University of North Texas Opera, and the American Baroque Opera Company. Her concert repertoire features solo performances in iconic works such as Handel’s Messiah, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Mozart’s Requiem, and Orff’s Carmina Burana. Notably, she premiered Edward Manukyan’s A World Without War, set to words by Noam Chomsky, and debuted the English version of Loris Tjeknavorian’s Love Songs.
Lyndi’s international debut in the Republic of Armenia marked a pivotal moment in her career, where she had the honor of collaborating with some of the nation’s most revered composers, including Alexander Arutunian and Edward Mirzoyan.
In May 2023, Lyndi earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of North Texas, completing years of rigorous academic and professional development. Her passion for music and education continues to guide her journey as she embraces new opportunities to inspire and uplift others.
Now based in Panhandle, Texas, Lyndi has returned to her roots, embracing life surrounded by family and the community that shaped her. She serves as a Pre-K paraprofessional at Panhandle Elementary and a school bus driver, while continuing to teach private voice lessons—a passion she has nurtured for over 20 years. These roles allow her to give back while staying grounded in her hometown values. Alongside her dedication to education, Lyndi remains devoted to her musical craft, teaching, and inspiring the next generation.
Outside of work, she enjoys trail running, creative arts, and making cherished memories with her two daughters, Clara and Parker. Her journey is one of resilience and hope, as she draws from her life experiences to foster growth and contribute meaningfully to her community and beyond.
Lyndi Williams
Vocal Solo & Ensemble
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