UTEP Quintet Wins UT Regents’ Student Award
Last Updated on April 26, 2018 at 12:00 AM
Originally published April 30, 2018
By Daniel Perez
UTEP Communications
The University of Texas System Board of Regents recently announced that five UTEP students earned the Regents’ Outstanding Student Award (ROSA) in arts and humanities. They will be recognized at a regents’ meeting on Monday, April 30, 2018, in Houston.
The Regents Outstanding Student Awards winners from UTEP perform their winning piece, "Voice of the Prophets," which was composed especially for them by UTEP alumnus Eddie Lewis.
The University of Texas at El Paso’s Jacob J. Aun, Elijah I. Ontiveros, Juan P. Palacios, Isaac Ponce and Paul Reid were recognized for musical arts in the category of Group Performance. Four of them are music education majors; the other, Aun, is a sociology major. Palacios is a senior and the others have junior class status. They will divide a $2,500 prize from the regents, who recognized the students for their performance of “Voice of the Prophets.”
“To win one of these awards is truly a remarkable accomplishment,” said Sara Martinez Tucker, UT System Board of Regents chair in an acknowledgement letter also signed by UT System Chancellor William H. McRaven.
The students said that the recognition was a welcome surprise that turned into a sense of pride and accomplishment. They got the news while participating in the National Trumpet Competition at the University of North Texas, in Denton.
“It made me proud of the fact that as a group we achieved something this great by just going out and having fun doing what we love to do,” said Palacios, a native of Los Angeles.
Steve Wilson, DMA, chair of the Department of Music, said the University is proud of the students and their accomplishment. It is the first time that a music ensemble from an institution other than UT Austin has won in the group performance category.
“This was great and exciting news,” Wilson said. “This recognition is an example of our students’ level of talent and commitment, and of the fine teaching that can be found in the Department of Music’s wind and percussion section.”
The regents established the ROSAs in arts and humanities in February 2012 to recognize student achievement in the musical arts, the visual arts, and creative writing. The specific area for recognition varies each year. The program is designed to enhance excellence in student performance, reward outstanding students, stimulate the arts and humanities, and promote continuous quality in education.
Nominees go through a rigorous review at the campus level. The presidents of the UT institutions then forward the names to the UT System for consideration. An external review committee comprised of experts in musical arts evaluated the nominations based on several criteria such as excellent teamwork and musicianship.
Nancy Taylor, senior lecturer of music in trumpet, is the quintet’s applied teacher. She complimented their work ethic and ability to bring out the best in each other. Their winning piece was composed specifically for them by UTEP alumnus Eddie Lewis, whose compositions are known for their complex rhythms.
“Each part was custom written for each player,” said Taylor, who added that Lewis built the music based on each player’s strengths and weaknesses. “Each note is within their reach and they nail it. It’s like couture music. It’s tailored for them and the result is beautiful.”
The group received the piece, which got its title from the first names of the five musicians – all of which are found in the Bible – in late summer 2017 and rehearsed for several months. The practice allowed them to learn and become comfortable with its detailed complexities.
“Working on it was quite challenging because we still had to get our own respective parts down,” said Reid, who grew up in Covington, Georgia.
Ponce, a first-generation college student born in Juárez, Mexico, called the rehearsals “grueling” because of the late hours to accommodate everyone’s schedules. As time went by, the individual players truly became a polished collaborative.
“The opportunities that we have received through this ensemble have only helped us grow more as musicians and people,” Ponce said.
Ontiveros said he was grateful to have the opportunity to perform such an interesting piece so early in his musical life.
“It is very rare for a piece to be composed for you,” Ontiveros said. “Being able to perform it was amazing.”
Aun said the whole experience has been fun.
“Making music with your friends is one of the reasons that you play,” Aun said. “There’s never a dull moment when we’re all together. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”
The ensemble recently performed “Voice of the Prophets” at UTEP’s April 22 Honors Convocation in Magoffin Auditorium. The group plans to perform during the 43 rd annual International Trumpet Guild Conference on June 1 in San Antonio, Texas.
The last UTEP student to earn a ROSA was Heather Mawson in 2016. She was selected for her creativity and versatility in the three-dimensional art category. That year the regents honored students in the visual arts.