Woofer Quartet takes top honors at festival

"This is a fantastic accomplishment," Frey said. "The competition featured groups from across the United States, including ensembles from large music programs with graduate students. The outstanding motivation, high standards and wonderful support our UNG students have received gave them the skills and confidence to succeed. It is a proud moment to see them earn this recognition."

Briar Dalton, AJ Lee and CJ Yeager, who are pursuing degrees in music with an instrumental music education concentration, all performed on the euphonium. Cooper Sandefur, the group's fourth member, was unable to attend the competition, and Atlanta native Tyler Johnson joined the quartet.

Yeager, a Dallas, Georgia, resident, said the opportunity to have Johnson join the ensemble was positive and valuable.

"It was a unique and valuable experience to be able to plug in with another player. He subbed in, and we all had to be adaptable and flexible," Yeager said. "That sort of thing - always working to refine your craft - is a valuable skill for no matter what you do in life."

Frey echoed support for including Johnson and how the musicians worked well together.

"Despite having only a few days to rehearse together, the quartet demonstrated exceptional musicianship, teamwork and dedication," Frey said. "Their shared commitment to achieving the highest musical standards resulted in an outstanding performance that earned the competition's top honor."

Michael S. Brown Jr. is the ensemble's primary chamber music coach, and additional coaching and mentorship comes from Frey, who recruited the students to form the quartet three years ago.

"The first-place finish highlights the strength of UNG's music program and the talent, dedication and collaborative spirit of its student musicians. Their invitation to perform at Spivey Hall further recognizes the ensemble's artistic excellence and provides another opportunity to represent the university on a distinguished stage," Frey said.

Dalton, a Commerce, Georgia, resident, first performed at IET in 2024 and won the student euphonium competition that year. The junior said this year's festival had been "an entire week of rapid growth as a player."

This was Lee's second time attending the festival, and he encourages others to attend, especially if they're interested in improving their musicianship. With attendees coming from Atlanta, Australia, China, Norway, and Sweden, the opportunities were varied.

"There's a lot to learn from incredible artists like Tim Buzbee, Mike Moore and Gong Hongliang," he said. "It really is an international festival. We've also had some students who had come from Australia, Canada and China."

Lee is a junior from Dahlonega, Georgia, and described the week as "an educational camp for all levels of playing."

The quartet has been invited to perform at the prestigious Spivey Hall as part of the venue's educational series in February, Frey said.