Donovan Neal was the principal bassoonist for the Summit High School Wind Symphony, where he graduated in 2020. He now attends Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. During his seven years of playing bassoon, Donovan has received local, state, national, and international recognition. Donovan is a consistent all-region finalist and was the regional champion in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2019 respectively. 2019 marks the 5th consecutive year of placing top fourth in the all-region auditions. Most recently, Donovan placed 2nd at the 5A Area in 2018, and advanced to the All-State level in 2019 and 2020, where he was named the 2019 Texas Music Educators Association All-State Concert Band Champion for Bassoon, and in 2020, played in the prestigious TMEA All-State Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Carl St. Clair and the world premiere TMEA Centennial Ensemble under the direction of Frank Ticheli. In the fall of 2018 and 2019, Donovan performed at the 45th and 46th annual Western International Band Clinic in Seattle, Washington where he served as principal bassoon in the Thunderbird band, where he was the only person from Texas in the band. He was also invited in the fall to perform at the Music for All National Concert Band Festival with the National Honor Band of America in Indianapolis, Indiana in 2019 and 2020, serving as principal bassoon in 2020. Donovan also toured and performed with the Pacific Honors Ensemble Program in Sydney, Australia in 2019. He was additionally the only one from Texas and one of the only four that applied to receive a scholarship. Additionally, Donovan was selected for the incredibly prestigious National Youth Orchestra in 2020. His accomplishments continued into his college auditions, winning alternate for Texas Christian University’s prestigious Nordan Young Artist award, and earning Oklahoma State University’s Max A. Mitchell Scholarship, the highest scholarship awarded to incoming music students. In addition to his accomplishments, he also held principal positions in the Summit High School Wind Symphony, Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra, and the former Arlington Youth Symphony. The Summit High School Wind Symphony performed at the 71st Annual Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, Illinois in 2017. He can be heard in the ensemble as a soloist in the U.S. Premiere of “Preludio Espressiva”. Donovan was a consistent “First Division” winner at solo and ensemble contests. He has received “Outstanding Soloists” captions for six years in a row. In addition, the Summit/Lake Ridge High School Bassoon quartet and trio was named an Outstanding Ensemble and was featured at the Lake Ridge Spring Concert in May of 2019 and 2020. Donovan Neal was also selected as an Outstanding Woodwind/Front Ensemble Member in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2020. He served as the senior Drum Major for the Summit High School Marching Band. His professionalism reaches out to many bassonists and conductors across the country.
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