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As 2025 comes to a close, let’s acknowledge many of the great moments from the past year for the West Texas Symphony.
2025 was a year of milestones and triumphs. From new initiatives, to classic programming favorites, we maintained focus toward our mission of enhancing the quality of life in West Texas through music performance and music education.
Performing the score to a movie is always a challenge, but it’s one that our Orchestra musicians, led by Music Director Gary Lewis, take on enthusiastically. We hope that you were able to come to our showing of ‘Superman In Concert’ in May.
Funding is a large consideration when programming. If you enjoy these types of concerts, contact myself or development@wtxs.org
Our Christmas season was packed with events and opportunities to experience your West Texas Symphony. From our timeless ‘Holiday Pops’ performance (this year with 2 shows!), to the 4th Annual ‘Basin Brass Christmas Bonanza’, to our participation in Midland Festival Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker, and all the various places and events you might have seen and heard our musicians in your community, we stay busy bringing in holiday cheer!
Our music education programming remains robust:
Above on the left, the West Texas Winds are performing at the Odessa High School Performing Arts Center for students of ECISD. On the right, the Lone Star Brass are performing at Alamo Junior High for students of MISD
Each of our three instrumental chamber groups - including the Permian Basin String Quartet - perform a total of 18 concerts for elementary students of both ECISD and MISD school districts.
Below, over 1,500 are in attendance at one of our 3 orchestral education shows that we call ‘Marvelous Melodies’. It’s a program created specifically for our local students by Maestro Gary Lewis!
With our 3 Marvelous Melodies performances and our 18 Instrumental Chamber Concerts, the West Texas Symphony performed for approximately 7,500 students within the Permian Basin in the past 2 months alone!
Speaking of our Chamber Groups, autumn 2025 featured two new programs:
On the upper left, the West Texas Winds, the Permian Basin String Quartet, and friends of the groups joined together to perform works written for larger instrumentations.
Our Chamber Showcase in October was a change from our established individual instrumental Chamber performances, and the feedback we received from the audience was very positive!
We cannot speak about our Chamber programs without the Chamber Chorale. Under the direction of Dr. Brad Light, the Chamber Chorale - joined by Chamber Orchestra - performed Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms as well as the Texas premier of “The Wedding of Solomon” by composer Anthony Maglione. A resident of Houston and Director of the Houston Symphony Chorus, Mr. Maglione was able to join us for rehearsal and performance in the beautiful St. Ann’s Catholic Church.
Featured above are Chris Chance (left) and Eric Baker (right), performing as featured artists with your West Texas Symphony Orchestra.
One of the things that makes the West Texas Symphony distinct is its’ ‘Principal Ensemble’ model. Through a monthly stipend, 14 talented, world-class instrumentalists perform in our 3 instrumental chamber groups. Most orchestras of our size simply have an orchestra concert, hire musicians from far and wide, then disperse until the next concert. Through our model, our musical leaders rehearse regularly and perform with each other in various opportunities beyond the main stage. The result is a ‘tighter’ and better-sounding orchestra for your listening pleasure.
If you want to know more about this distinct model, or wish to book one of the small groups for an independent event, you may contact myself or marketing@wtxs.org.
Below are our two newest Principal Ensemble members: Cellist Nick Pascucci, and tubist Parkey Burkey, join your West Texas Symphony in the 2025-2026 Season. Next time you see them, be sure to give them a big West Texas welcome!
For information about upcoming auditions for the West Texas Symphony, follow us on social media, go to wtxs.org, or email auditions@wtxs.org
In April, the West Texas Symphony Orchestra experienced a rite of passage with the performance of Rite of Spring. A work by Igor Stravinsky (who also composed The Firebird which was performed for the Midland Festival Ballet the month prior), it is a milestone for many musicians and a first for our Orchestra. It was coupled with our 3rd annual ‘side-by-side’ with local K-12 musicians. I couldn’t have been prouder of the result of this performance. It was a risk that was strategically planned and well-envisioned. Because of thoughtful leadership and work from everyone involved, the performance received great acclaim from our audience. Thank you to the Board of Directors, Maestro Gary Lewis, our Orchestral Musicians, the West Texas Symphony administrative staff, Jessica Bexley, and for all who attended.
Correspondingly, we are on a roll! You don’t want to miss any of our upcoming concerts scheduled for the remainder of our 63rd Season in Spring 2026:
You can purchase tickets to these, and other shows, by using the link above, or through our website at wtxs.org.
All West Texas Symphony ticketing is handled by the Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center. Please do not purchase from any other third party sites.
The start of this 63rd Season has been an important one for me personally. Starting any new job in May 2020 was always going to be a challenge, but it is often my M.O. to jump into those opportunities. It hasn’t always been easy, but I have been fueled by the possibilities of our continued momentum. As we head forward, I am grateful for the support of our Board, the expertise of our musicians, the work of those within our organization (current and past), our community partners, and Maestro Gary Lewis. It has brought me great joy to see tumultuous times lead to greater outcomes, but
there is more to go,
there is room to grow,
and I look forward to seeing you at a West Texas Symphony show!
- Ethan Wills
Ethan Wills has been a native West Texan for over a decade and Executive Director of the West Texas Symphony since May 2020. He is an active musician and educator within the community in groups such as Current 9, Moment’s Notice, sAge Low Brass Quartet, and he is an Adjunct Instructor for the University of Texas of the Permian Basin.
