WT World Music Festival featuring John Tegmeyer
WT World Music Festival featuring John Tegmeyer
In the spring of 2025 the West Texas A&M University School of Music will present for the first time “World Music Festival.” Plans call for an annual
festival in which the university community, as well as residents of Amarillo, Canyon and the surrounding region, will explore the vast musical offerings
of different countries. For the inaugural festival in 2025, the focus will be on American music. The featured guest artist will be internationally celebrated clarinetist - and WT graduate - John Tegmeyer. Mr. Tegmeyer will perform a solo concerto with the WT Symphonic Band under the direction of Professor of Music Don Lefevre. Also included will be performances by WT faculty and students.
FROM THE PRESS RELEASE:
WT’s First World Music Festival to Feature American Music, WT Alumnus
Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu
CANYON, Texas — West Texas A&M University’s inaugural World Music Festival will feature a special performance by a world-renowned clarinetist and Buff alumnus.
John Tegmeyer, a 2004 graduate who has played with the likes of composer Hans Zimmer and hip-hop star Common, will perform “Freebirds” by Scott McAllister with the WT Symphony Orchestra at the close of the festival concert.
The concert will begin at 5:30 p.m. April 27 in Mary Moody Northen Recital Hall on WT’s Canyon campus. Admission is free.
The WT School of Music’s inaugural installment will focus on American music, said festival director Mila Abbasova.
“We want to celebrate all cultures around the globe eventually, but we’re starting with American composers’ music performed by some talented musicians from around the country and in our own backyard,” Abbasova said.
Future festivals will feature the music of Italy, England, Australia and more.
Also featured in the inaugural festival will be the WT Brass Quintet performing “Iron Horse” by Kevin McKee; soprano Sarah Beckham-Turner and clarinetist Doug Storey performing “Four Songs” by Willard Roosevelt, and the Symphonic Band performing “Rocky Point Holiday” by Ron Nelson, “Soul” by Kevin Day and “Shenandoah” by Omar Thomas.
Brass Quintet members include Dr. Guglielmo Manfredi, professor of music and horn player; Dr. William Takacs, professor of music and trumpet player; David Lough, instructor and trumpet player; Dr. Jeremy Lewis, professor of music and tuba player; and Dr. John Shanks, associate professor of music and trombone player.
Beckham-Turner is an assistant professor of voice and director of WT Opera. Storey is an associate professor of music.
Tegmeyer is an in-demand session musician who has contributed to a wide array of film and TV soundtracks, solo artist recordings and live ensemble performances.
He has recorded and performed with many notable artists, including Common, Prince, Snoop Dogg, Black Thought, Pomplamoose, Alan Silvestri, Hans Zimmer, and Peter Erskine, and played on soundtracks including “Crazy Rich Asians,” “Empire,” “Euphoria,” “Queens” and “The Morning Show.”
With his own groups, Tegmeyer offers original compositions that seamlessly incorporate elements from diverse styles, from post-bop jazz to impressionist classical, world fusion to funk groove. His solo performances showcase innovative techniques and dynamic orchestrations that invite the listener to experience the clarinet in fresh and unexpected ways.