Pampa Native Wins Inaugural Eric Barry Vocal Competition at WT

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — A West Texas A&M Univesity graduate student won a $1,000 scholarship in a first-of-its-kind competition at the University.

Taylor Lindley, a graduate student in music from Pampa, was named the winner of the first Eric Barry Vocal Competition, named for a WT alum and opera performer.

Thirteen WT music students entered and were judged by a panel consisting of Barry; Melody Rich, a member of Amarillo College’s voice faculty; and George Jackson, music director and conductor of the Amarillo Symphony.

“I feel so honored to be the grand prize winner,” Lindley said. “I am so thankful to Eric Barry for making this competition a possibility for WT vocalists, and I can’t wait to see how it grows from here.”

During the March 7 competition, the panel whittled the full slate down to five finalists: Lindley; Justin Williamson, graduate student in music from Amarillo; Brooklynn King, a junior music major from Pearland; Erin Hinds, a senior music major from Amarillo; and Sarah Estes, a sophomore music major from Turpin, Oklahoma.

Estes earned a $200 “encouragement” award. Williamson was invited to perform with the Amarillo Symphony in its 2024-25 season.

“As a singer, vocal competitions are a big way to earn income,” Barry said. “I didn’t know anything about that field when I was training, and having a competition like this here would have been so helpful.”

Barry graduated from WT in 2004 after studying both music and business. He earned a master’s degree and an artist diploma from Yale University, and in his professional career, he has performed with many of the top opera houses and symphonies in the world.

He and his wife, Judge Ana Estevez, established the competition through a $25,000 endowment of an opera scholarship.

“Our first Eric Barry Vocal Competition was a tremendous success, highlighting our world-class talent,” said Sarah Beckham-Turner, assistant professor of voice and WT Opera director. “This gift from Eric and Ana will have a profound, lasting impact on our students’ training and experience, and we are so thankful.”

Fostering an appreciation of the arts is a key component of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign’s new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised nearly $160 million.

About West Texas A&M University

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 59 undergraduate degree programs and more than 40 graduate degrees, including two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

Photo: Taylor Lindley, center, a graduate student in music from Pampa, was named the winner of the first Eric Barry Vocal Competition on March 7. Also pictured are, from left, Sarah Beckham-Turner, assistant professor of voice and WT Opera director; George Jackson, music director and conductor of the Amarillo Symphony; Barry; and Melody Rich, a member of Amarillo College’s voice faculty. Jackson, Barry and Rich were the contest's judges.  

—WT—