Page 52 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2025 - Online Magazine

Nurturing Talent on

the High Plains:

Buffalo Grass Fest

by Stacy Keith, Director, Lubbock Cultural Arts Foundation

n Fall 2020, Lubbock received performed at the Cactus Theater Sciences on Friday April 21. The
its Texas Music Friendly and shared about their careers and performance was followed by a
ICertification. This recognizes paths to professional music. series of professional development
Lubbock’s pursuit of a thriving live workshops which included such
music scene as well as encourages In 2023, our featured educator was topics as stage plotting, contract
the community to create unique Rick Beato. Mr. Beato is a YouTube review, budgeting, copyrighting
opportunities for musicians. As phenom with over two million music, working with a recording
part of this program, a Lubbock followers and the opportunity to studio and other such topics. Many
Music Friendly Advisory Team was conduct compelling interviews of the speakers were our local
created. This group, comprised on his channel with musicians industry experts and educators
of commercial musicians, record like Sting. He performed in from South Plains College and
producers, music venues, and music Crickets Theater at the Buddy Texas Tech University.
educators, began to shape what Holly Hall of Performing Arts and
they wanted this new certification
to do for music in the Hub City.
In 2022, an educational event was
established titled “Buffalo Grass
Fest” with the long-range goal
of creating a music educational
conference for independent artists.
There is a need in Lubbock for
strong educational opportunities
for professional musicians, many
of whom work for themselves. The
first Buffalo Grass Fest brought in
YouTube music educator Aimee
Nolte and jazz guitarist Taylor
Roberts. The duo visited Lubbock
High School for a morning session
and performed and spoke with
150 music, orchestra, and band Shelley King
students. That evening, they

52 Lubbock Senior Link