Front row: Weicheng Zhao (student of Cherry Rhodes) Katelyn Emerson (first place winner), Morgan Simmons, Kirk Rich. Back row: Nicolas Capozzoli, Tamer Edlebi (oboist), Zachary Zwahlen (student of David Higgs).
On Friday, June 18, I was privileged to attend the competition in Houston preliminary to the National Convention of AGO and honored to have one of my compositions, “Reflections for Oboe and Organ”, played as a required piece by all five of the finalists. I must say it was a heady time for this old codger! Each of the organists did a super job of interpreting the piece with very beautiful and sensitive playing by the oboist Tamer Edlebi, a master’s degree student at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University.
A big thanks to Jay Peterson, who was in charge of planning the event and then executing all the details that made it such a success. He was also responsible for choosing my piece, for which I’m grateful!
Several North Shore chapter members attended the convention: Michael Gagne, Jill Hunt, Jay Peterson, Joyce Robinson, and Barry Wenger among them. Although I didn’t stay for the whole of the convention, I had opportunity of visiting with many treasured friends and hearing more excellent playing. The future of the profession looks bright because of the wealth of talent exhibited by the young players who are already making names for themselves. Keep an eye and ear on them!
Morgan Simmons