SMU French Horn Student Daniel Hawkins (’15) Wins First Place at Texas MTNA Competition

DALLAS (SMU) — Daniel Hawkins, a junior studying for a Bachelor of Music in French horn at SMU’s Meadows School of the Arts, has been named a first place winner in the Young Artist Performance category of the Texas Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Competition, held November 9-10 at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville.

The Young Artist category is open to musicians aged 19-26, and includes separate competitions in brass, strings, woodwinds, piano and voice. Students must perform works from at least two different periods of music (Baroque, classic, romantic, impressionistic or contemporary).

Hawkins won in the brass category with his performance of Introduction and Allegro, op. 30 by Johan Kvandal; Romance, op. 36 by Camille Saint-Saëns; and Concerto  No. 1 in E-flat Major, op. 11 by Richard Strauss. 

Hawkins will represent Texas in the South Central Division competition to be held January 18-19, 2014, at Northwestern State University of Louisiana in Natchitoches, La., competing against brass players from Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. Division winners will compete in the national finals in Chicago in March 2014.

A native of Chandler, Texas, Hawkins studies at SMU with adjunct professor Greg Hustis, principal horn emeritus of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Hawkins also performs with the Meadows Symphony Orchestra and Meadows Wind Ensemble.

ABOUT MTNA

The Music Teachers National Association was founded in 1876 with the purpose of advancing the value of music study and music-making to society while supporting the careers and professionalism of teachers of music. Today, MTNA has cemented its role as an organization essential not only to the professional and individual well-being of music-teaching professionals, but also a vital partner in their growth and development. It provides both a collective voice for teachers worldwide and a powerful alliance with a highly prestigious and influential group.

With nearly 22,000 members in 50 states – and more than 500 local affiliates – the MTNA is the pre-eminent source for music teacher support,  where members embody like-minded values and commitments to their students, colleagues and society as a whole, while reaping the rewards of collaboration, continuity and connection throughout the lifetime of their careers.

Read more about the SMU Meadows Division of Music at www.smu.edu/Meadows/AreasOfStudy/Music/Welcome.

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