WT Student Wins Statewide Music Competition, Advances to Division Level

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

CANYON, Texas — A West Texas A&M University student won a statewide woodwind competition and will compete among winners from three other states.

Dillon Martin, a senior music education major from Odessa, won the Texas State Young Artist Woodwind Competition on Nov. 2 at Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth. He now will compete as a division finalist in the Music Teachers National Association’s South Central Division Finals. Division winners will be announced in mid-January; division-competition winners will compete in MTNA’s national finals.

“Being selected to represent the state of Texas in the MTNA divisional round is one of my biggest accomplishments of my career thus far,” Martin said. “It was the culmination of a lot of hard work and long nights. I am beyond thankful for this opportunity and hope to push on with confidence in the next stages of the competition.”

Martin is president of WT’s The Sound of West Texas Buffalo Marching Band and president of the WT chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity; he also serves as a national representative for the fraternity. In 2024, he won WT’s concerto competition and is principal saxophonist for the WT Jazz Band I and the Symphonic Band. He is on the roster of the Jordan Kahn Music Company, for which he travels around the state playing jazz and pop music for weddings and other events.

“Dillon’s commitment to his craft and his work ethic serves as an inspiration to his peers, and it has been a privilege to see his growth and dedication firsthand,” said Dr. James Barger, associate professor of saxophone. “This achievement is a reflection of the level of artistry and commitment we aim to cultivate within our program.”

Music Teachers National Association is a nonprofit organization comprised of 17,000 independent and collegiate music teachers committed to advancing the value of music study and music making to society and to supporting the professionalism of music teachers. Founded in 1876, Music Teachers National Association is the oldest professional music association in the United States.

Recruiting, rewarding and retaining the very best students is a key mission 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 more than $160 million.

About West Texas A&M University

WT, a Regional Research University, is redefining excellence in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus, as well as the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. 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 more than 9,000 and offers 58 undergraduate degree programs, one associate degree, and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor’s and master’s degree, a specialist degree and 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.

—WT—