University News

WIU's Brunner Wins MTNA Young Artist Woodwind National Title

April 15, 2008

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MACOMB, IL - - Hillary Brunner, a senior oboist in Western Illinois University's School of Music, recently added national winner to her list of accomplishments; and to add to her joy, she received an acceptance letter April 14 to the Cleveland Institute of Music to begin her graduate studies in Fall 2008.

Brunner (Chadwick, IL), a five-year student of Western Illinois oboe Professor Michael Ericson, started her trek to the national award by winning the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Young Artist Woodwind competition at the state convention in October 2007 hosted by Western Illinois University, and then at the East Central Division competition - - which includes Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio and Michigan - - in January 2008 held in Bourbonnais, IL. She won the MTNA Young Artist Woodwind national competition, held in Denver March 31 during the MTNA National Conference, competing against finalists from six regions of the United States. Brunner performed Goossens "Concerto in One Movement" and the Pasculli "Grand Concerto" from memory.

"I'm happy to have won the competition, but more important to me than winning is how I feel about my playing," Brunner said. "Though I had some reed trouble because of the change in altitude, I was fairly happy with my performance. I guess what I value the most about winning this competition is the feeling of validation as a player.

"Personally, it has been great to be commended by faculty and peers I respect at WIU; but every so often I naturally start to question whether or not I'll make it outside of this community. To be picked as the winner by judges that have never heard you, or heard of you, is a really extraordinary feeling for any musician," she added.

Brunner also honored Western Illinois accompanist Jason Aquila.

"Jason was an extremely important part of my success in every round of this competition. I've been fortunate to work with him as my pianist for five years, and I'm so appreciative that he took the time out of his year to travel to Bourbonnais and to Denver with me," she said.

At Western Illinois University, Brunner served as the principal oboist of both the Symphonic Wind Ensemble and the Symphony Orchestra (2003-2007), and she was Western's Concerto Competition winner (2003, 2005, 2007). She has played 2nd oboe in the Peoria Symphony Orchestra on occasion, and has played principal oboe with the Muscatine (IA) Symphony Orchestra and English horn with the Quincy (IL) Symphony Orchestra.

"I met Hillary during her junior year of high school and realized immediately that she was an amazingly talented student," Ericson said. "I've never known another oboe student who possesses the incredible technical facility and innate musical understanding that she has.

"I believe that Hillary may be unique, in that she has won the WIU Concerto Competition three times in three attempts, playing each concerto from memory," Ericson added. "It's been a joy to watch her progression through the last five years, and I feel honored that I've been able to work with her."

Brunner's introduction to Ericson was as her judge her junior year at Milledgeville High School at the Illinois Music Educators Association (IMEA) All-State auditions in Peoria, then the WIU summer music camp.

"He asked me to come to the summer specialty camps at WIU. It was the summer before my senior year, and I decided I was probably too cool to do that," Brunner said. "But Mr. Ericson called my band teacher and then my parents made me. As soon as I spent one day at the camp with Mr. Ericson, I called my parents to tell them I was definitely going to study with him at WIU.

"I was accepted with scholarships to Western, the University of Illinois and DePaul University; but Mr. Ericson is THE reason I am at WIU," Brunner said. "Getting along with your teacher is the most important factor in choosing a school as a performance major. It has been five years, and I know that I definitely made the right decision to study with Mr. Ericson at WIU.

"Before I came to Western, I was personally contacted by many of the applied faculty and ensemble directors telling me about the University ensembles, my teacher and other reasons to attend WIU; but it didn't stop there. Since I came to Western, all of those faculty members have continued to care about me, congratulate me on performances and give me advice whenever I ask," she added.

Brunner will graduate in May with high honors (magna cum laude) and with two music degrees: a Bachelor of Music degree in music with an option in music performance and a Bachelor of Arts in Music degree with an option in music business. Her coursework was done in December, and she is completing a music business internship this semester.

Hillary, who is also a member of Golden Key International Honour Society and Phi Kappa Phi, is the daughter of Robert and Sheila Brunner of Chadwick.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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