Jay Lester has been appointed as Associate Professor of Trumpet and Music Education at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene.

 

Although new to the world of college teaching, Jay has remained active as a performer throughout his career.  He has performed with the Abilene Philharmonic, the Allen Symphony, the Midland-Odessa Symphony, the San Angelo Symphony, and the Big Spring Symphony as well as with the Corpus Christi Wind Symphony and in over 35 different musical and opera pit orchestras.  In 2016 Jay helped charter the Lone Star State Trumpet Guild, an affiliate chapter of the ITG which was formed to create a bond amongst university trumpet teachers and symphony players mainly located in the West Texas and Eastern New Mexico area.  Their trumpet ensemble has twice performed at ITG and twice at the Texas Music Educators Association conference.  They have also hosted annual recital concerts and mini conferences that featured such guest artists as Bobby Shew, Rex Richardson, Ashley Hall-Tighe, and Cathy Leach.  

Jay's primary trumpet teachers include Paul Hankins, Dave Scott, Scott Mather, and John Daniel.  He earned a BM and MM from Hardin Simmons University and a MEd from the University of North Texas.  He has also taken additional coursework at the University of Miami and VanderCook College of Music.  In addition, Jay also serves as the Director of Bands at HSU and as Executive Secretary for UIL Region 6. (Source: Jay Lester)