SOCORRO STUDENT MAKING NOISE AT UNM

June 2, 2003

SOCORRO STUDENT MAKING NOISE AT UNM

Tallyn Wesner, a 2001 graduate of Socorro High School, is on the Dean's List at the University of New Mexico. Of note, Wesner is a music major focusing on music performance on the clarinet.

Wesner, daughter of Richard and Leanne Wesner, chose UNM because "it would be the most cost beneficial option for me without sacrificing on the quality of education," she said.

Music is her key interest. "I enjoy all aspects of it - theory, performing, listening, researching - the list goes on," she said.

Starting her musical training by singing at a young age, by seven years she knew she wanted to play the clarinet. But, she said, "I didn't actually begin until I was 10."

Her first clarinet teacher, Loretta Krein, was influential. "She opened my eyes to the fact that there's more to music than playing in the band," she said. "She was also one of the first people to acknowledge that I have potential."

"In Socorro, my first music teacher was Mr. Romero. He was wonderful and I always enjoyed going to music class. I also spent eight years in the band program with Jon Licha. While I can't say I'm a huge fan of band - I'm still not and probably never will be - playing in that group was an excellent time and I'm glad I stuck with it," she said.

She played in three of New Mexico Tech's spring musicals - The King and I, Anything Goes, and Into the Woods - and was a member of the NMT orchestra for two or three semesters with Doug Dunston, she said.

Wesner also gave the saxophone a try, playing with the Socorro High School Jazz Band for four years. "I wasn't any good at that, but it was quite an experience just the same," she recalled.
She considers her UNM clarinet professor, Keith Lemmons, a current mentor. "He has worked with me for just over two years now. He pushes me beyond my personal limits," she said.

Wesner spent last summer in Los Angeles at the University of Southern California where she had the opportunity to work with David Howard, a USC faculty and member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. She said he gave her insight into the orchestral world.

She has also had the opportunity to study with Frank Cohen, principal of the Cleveland Orchestra, and Nathan Williams, Interlocken School of Music. "The master classes I had with those individuals were completely productive and memorable," she recalled.

Wesner is enthusiastic about the UNM Music Department faculty and said that since she works at Keller Hall in the UNM Center for the Arts, she's had the opportunity to work with every person in the department.

After she earns a bachelor's degree, she plans to go to graduate school. "I haven't the slightest idea where I'll go; it all depends on how much I progress in the next two and a half years. I'm not quite sure what I'll do after I get my DMA, Doctorate of Musical Arts," she said.

She thinks the ideal situation would be to be on a university faculty and a member of an orchestra. But, she said, "I'd be happy having my own studio teaching high school students, as well."

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