KINGSVILLE, Tx — Texas A&M University- Kingsville is hosting the 2024 National Trumpet Competition, which hosts over a thousand students from 36 different states. It’s usually held at big state universities, but this year it was TAMUK's School of Music that caught their eye.
"I kind of pestered them that we have to do it in Kingsville saying hey have you seen the building we have? It’ll be a great place to have it. We’ve got great weather and the students are always involved. I think we can do it, trust me we will pull this off," TAMUK Associate Professor of Trumpet and Jazz Kyle Millsap said.
Cody Daughertee from Arkansas State University said he had never heard of Kingsville before this trip, but him and his friends already took advantage and checked out some local businesses downtown.
"For lunch we went to a diner place on main street and looked at a few shops down there. There was a boutique and the King Ranch shop and Harrels Pharmacy. I had never even seen a place with a restaurant and pharmacy all in one," Daughertee said.
Daughertee's professor, who also used to be a professor at TAMUK, said it felt surreal seeing the music building for the first time in years, especially since it got renovated.
"Facilities are absolutely incredible, acoustics are excellent, it's so welcoming. It’s very representative of the quality of the students here," Trumpet Professor at Arkansas State University Nairam Simoes said.
TAMUK has nine students competing this year, which is about the same amount they normally have. Senior Severin Manley will compete in the solo category, but this isn't his first rodeo.
"This is my fourth year. I've been to Pennsylvania and Delaware. Saturday and Sunday is just competing all day. Large ensembles, small ensembles, undergraduate soloists, graduate soloists, there’s high schoolers and middle schoolers who come to play," Manley said. "Kingsville has a good music program here... I'm grateful everyone gets to come here and see the program that we've built. I also love seeing old friends, it's just a big reunion of friends,"
One of TAMUK's new competitors sophomore Joseph Sosa said he was looking forward to traveling for the competition, but realized he's proud to have it right in his backyard.
"When everybody says Texas they think north Texas, but they never come down here to South Texas," Sosa said. "I think our corner here is really undiscovered and unknown. There's a lot to offer here. We have a great music program here, the work ethic here is evident, our facility is probably one of the best in the state. I hope that people walk out and think yeah it'll be cool if we can have it here again."
And with all the visitors in town for the next few days of spring break, that just means more business for the city.
"For our local residents it increases our sales tax so we can improve our roads, do more with our parks, increase public safety. All around it is a win for Kingsville," President of the Kingsville Chamber of Commerce Manny Salazar said.
If all goes well, the university hopes they can host again in the future.
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