Members of the TCU Clarinet Ensemble with Curt Wilson, Gary Whitman, Diego Torres and Harrison Collins.
The TCU Clarinet Ensemble was invited to perform at the prestigious ClarinetFest, held this year in Fort Worth. The international conference rotates annually, with last year’s event in Ireland, and next year’s scheduled for South Korea.
In addition, the TCU Clarinet Trio received an invitation to perform, an especially noteworthy accomplishment for an undergraduate chamber ensemble.
The ensemble presented an all-TCU program featuring an arrangement by former Director of Jazz Studies Curt Wilson, the premiere of a new work by current student Tyler Cloyd and a premiere by recent graduate Harrison Collins. The final piece, “Odessa Bulgar,” was a special collaboration that brought together alumni from the past 30 years, the composer and former TCU clarinet professor Gary Whitman.
Mackey conducting the Buffet Crampon’s 200th Anniversary Clarinet Choir.
“It was a celebration of TCU,” said Corey Mackey, D.M.A., assistant professor of clarinet. During the conference, Mackey conducted Buffet Crampon’s 200th Anniversary Clarinet Choir, which featured more than 170 clarinetists. He also served on the Artistic Leadership Team responsible for planning and executing ClarinetFest.
“The TCU performances had a packed crowd and the energy was electric,” said Mackey. “I am so incredibly proud of these students. They gave up part of their summer to share great music for the international clarinet community, and we were able to promote the wonderful new music being made in the TCU Music Composition Department.”
The ensemble’s performance featured the following pieces:
- “Blue Rondo à la Turk” by Dave Brubeck, arranged by Curt Wilson
- “The Sound the Stars Make Rushing Through the Sky” by student Tyler Cloyd, conducted by alumnus Diego Torres, D.M.A. ’25
- “Crystal Coyote” by alumnus Harrison J. Collins ’24
- “Odessa Bulgar” by Christin Hablewitz