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The Weatherford Music Teachers Association hosted its annual Fall Solo and Hymn Festival at Lakeshore Baptist Church on Nov. 14.
There were 67 piano students who performed in the Solo Piano Festival and 58 piano students who participated in the Hymn Festival. They came from all over Parker, Palo Pinto and Tarrant counties. They performed for judges John Fisher, Dr. Ilka Araujo, Anne Brown and Dr. Richard Shuster, all from the Metroplex. Teachers who entered students in the two festivals were Paul Andrews, Holly Hughes, Russell Hughes, Emily Laney, Steve Lent, Susan Smith and Elizabeth Wynne.
Due to the pandemic, the festival was run with certain safety precautions, which included no honor recitals. However, students who received the top rating of Superior Plus still earned a trophy and purple ribbon, just no invitation to perform on an Honor Recital. Students earning the rating of Superior or Superior Minus earned a medal and a blue ribbon. Students earning the rating of Excellent or Excellent Plus earned a red ribbon.
There were three students who earned the top rating of Superior Plus in both festivals: Blake Marshall, Reed Johnson and Matthew Zarkivach.
In the solo category, the students were required to play one solo by memory. Of the 67 participants, there were 26 other students who made the top rating of Superior Plus. Besides the three students listed above, the solo awardees were Graham Artho, Claire Ashby, Gabby Barberena, Dakota Belding, Seth Bullard, Jaelle Carlson, Sydney Carter, Evelyn Cooper, Dallin Doolittle, Evan Eytcheson, Rachel Gilchrist, Brigham Harmer, Emma Henry, Hodge Hunter, Holt Hunter, Katlyn Johnson, Sophia Knowles, Kinsey Montague, Carlyle Palmer, Elizabeth Phillips, Eshan Rous, Lucas Silva, Greta Snyder, Estelle Stephens, James Stephens and Madelyn Woodring.
In the hymn category, the students were required to play two hymns which did not need to be memorized. More advanced students were also expected to perform a skill related to being a church accompanist. Of the 58 participants there were 14 who received the highest rating of Superior Plus, besides the three students listed above who earned a trophy for both festivals. The top awardees in the hymn category were Lucy Bengfort, Kaitlin Brummer, Allie Clark, Margeaux Davis, Behr Gentsch, Rebecca Gilchrist, Eda Hansen, Jasper Harmer, Ailee Haynes, Bridget Lapp, Audrey Smith, Olivia Stukey, Bishop Williams and Josie Zylman.
If any teacher has questions about becoming a member of the Weatherford Music Teachers Association, please contact President Elizabeth Wynne at 817-441-9138.
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