University of Missouri-Kansas City Hosts Trumpet Festival
The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) hosted its inaugural UMKC Trumpet Festival on February 28, 2026. The event drew students, educators, professionals, and community members from the Kansas City region and five surrounding states for a full day of masterclasses and performances.
The festival was hosted by Dr. Matthew Vangjel (Assistant Professor of Trumpet), the UMKC Conservatory, and the UMKC Trumpet Studio, with support from the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Family Foundation, the UMKC Conservatory Student Association, and the International Trumpet Guild.
The day began with a warm-up session led by Vangjel, focused on breathing, free buzzing, call and response, and improvisation with an easy, relaxed, resonant sound as the constant goal. All participants had a chance to join Vangjel on stage and participate in the session.
The first masterclass was led by international trumpet soloist and life coach Ashley Hall-Tighe. Students performed selections of their choice and received insightful feedback, as well as tips for improvement. Hall-Tighe spoke about strategies for managing performance anxiety, connecting to your why when performing, and focusing on sharing the joy of music with listeners.
Featured artist and educator Wiff Rudd of Baylor University performed a recital in collaboration with Dr. Karen Savage featuring works by Joseph Turrin, Kevin McKee, Jean Hubeau, Jennifer Higdon, and Duke Ellington. His recital also included an improvisation piece titled Now and Then, where five participants from the festival joined him on stage to improvise a piece.
Following the recital, selected participants were invited on stage to perform orchestral trumpet excerpts for Julian Kaplan, Omri Barak, and Shea Kelsey of the Kansas City Symphony trumpet section. The musicians provided feedback, demonstrated excerpts as a section, and invited participants to play alongside them.
Rudd later led a second masterclass, encouraging musicians to learn to operate the trumpet efficiently and to incorporate practice strategies away from the instrument. His thoughtful insights and patient, kind demeanor served as a reminder that meaningful growth takes time and that small successes along the way are worth celebrating.
The festival concluded with a concert by the Hall-Otamendi Duo, featuring Hall-Tighe on trumpet and cornet and pianist Dr. Ana Maria Otamendi. The program included several arrangements for trumpet and piano by Dr. Nathan Tighe, as well as Concertino Classico by Joseph Horovitz, performed in collaboration with Vangjel, and concluded with a dynamic performance of Variations on The Carnival of Venice by Jean-Baptiste Arban.
The UMKC Trumpet Studio also had opportunities to perform at both concerts of the day, showcasing UMKC Conservatory musicians in trumpet ensembles. Additional thanks go to Austin Custom Brass and BAC Musical Instruments for serving as exhibitors throughout the day, as well as to the UMKC Conservatory Academy and the UMKC Conservatory faculty, staff, and students for their support of the event. (Source: Victoria Sewell)
Pictured left to right: Wiff Rudd, Matthew Vangjel, Ana Maria Otamendi, and Ashley Hall-Tighe.
Back row (left to right): Bradly Mathews (UMKC), Caleb Shepard (UMKC), Shea Kelsay (Kansas City Symphony), Omri Barak (Kansas City Symphony), Julian Kaplan (Kansas City Symphony), Austin Barry (UMKC), Julian Ramcharan (DePaul University), Wayner Ramon Ortega (University of Kansas). Front row (left to right): Patrick Ferguson (University of Missouri), Emily Schmidt (Missouri State University), Emmitt Rieffer (UMKC), Victoria Sewell (UMKC), and Zoe Meins (UMKC).
Kansas City Symphony trumpet section (from right to left): Julian Kaplan, Omri Barak, and Shea Kelsay
Now and Then ensemble (left to right): Matias Bledsoe (UMKC), Bradly Mathews (UMKC), Victoria Sewell (UMKC), Julian Ramcharan (DePaul University), Bryce Davis (University of Central Oklahoma)
Hall-Otamendi Duo in recital
Wiff Rudd with Karen Savage