UT Tyler Holds First Soloist Competition for Music Majors

March 4, 2025 | Hannah Buchanan

Winners to Perform in Concert April 15

Music students at The University of Texas at Tyler recently participated in the first UT Tyler Soloist Competition, hosted by the School of Performing Arts. Winners will perform during the upcoming UT Tyler Collage Concert at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 15, in the R. Don Cowan Fine and Performing Arts Center.

They were chosen by a panel of three guest judges who represented music programs at institutions in Louisiana and Texas.

“The competition was extremely close, with each participant showcasing exceptional talent and dedication,” said Dr. Sarah Roberts, UT Tyler associate professor and School of Performing Arts director. “Congratulations to all for their outstanding performances. We are so proud and look forward to seeing everyone’s continued growth and success.”

UT Tyler Soloist Competition winners are listed by hometown with instrument.

PINELAND – Lauren Taylor, trumpet – third place.

CANADA – Benjamin Reider, piano – second place.

NEW YORK – George Foreman, trombone – first place.

Foreman is a senior pursuing a UT Tyler Bachelor of Music degree in instrumental performance and studies with adjunct instructor Nicholas Losos. Reider is a junior pursuing a UT Tyler Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance and studies with distinguished lecturer, Vicki Conway. Taylor is a senior pursuing dual UT Tyler Bachelor of Music degrees in instrumental performance and music education and studies with associate professor Dr. Jeremy McBain.

UT Tyler’s annual Collage Concert showcases the talents of UT Tyler student performers and features multiple ensembles performing a wide variety of musical genres. For free tickets to the concert, visit: Collage Concert webpage.

The UT Tyler School of Performing Arts is comprised of a community of recognized artists and musical professionals committed to providing a quality learning and performance environment where students can develop knowledge, skills and professionalism for their future careers. For more information, visit uttyler.edu/music, or email Roberts at sroberts@uttyler.edu.

With a mission to improve educational and health care outcomes for East Texas and beyond, UT Tyler offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 10,000 students. Through its alignment with UT Tyler Health Science Center and UT Health East Texas, UT Tyler has unified these entities to serve Texas with quality education, cutting-edge research and excellent patient care. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World Report as a national university, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.