Music

Worldwide students perform for music festival

TMF Orchestra Fellows

Guests gathered to engage in the 2013 Texas Music Festival Orchestra Fellows performance Thursday evening at the Dudley Recital Hall. Caroline Cox (left) traveled from North Carolina to perform with the orchestra and accompanied Wisconsin-native Hope Cowan (right) who played the harp. | Tuhin Dey/The Daily Cougar

Musical students from numerous states and countries performed Thursday evening in the Dudley Recital Hall for the on-going Texas Music Festival.

Chosen through a live and recorded audition process, the Texas Music Festival Orchestra Fellows receive full tuition and housing assistance to accommodate their stay in Houston. Some participants came all the way from Japan, South Korea, Thailand and China.

Music performance alumnus Rajeesh Sooden said the festival has a great impact on UH.

“It brings a sense of culture to UH,” Sooden said. “Its important not only for music majors but for all students to enjoy a performance and soak in the atmosphere.”

Music performance alumna Rebecca Tobin has been performing for 10 years.

“I think its very important for the University to host events such as the Texas Music Festival,” Tobin said. “It brings the community together and attracts people through all walks of life.”

The festival’s allure reached far beyond campus. Stephanie Mientka, a music history senior from Rice University, also attended the event and shared her appreciation for the program.

“Music has been around as long as language itself. Music is its own language,” Mientka said. “Houston’s art and entertainment scene is booming and an event like this is exactly what this city needs.”

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