BIOGRAPHY

Erick Morales is a fifth-year undergraduate Music Education and Clarinet Performance student at the University of North Texas. In 2023, he was the First Prize Winner of College of Music's William Gammon Henry Concerto Competition. As part of his prize, he appeared as a guest artist with the Norman Philharmonic of Norman Oklahoma in November.

Following a successful audition process in April, Erick secured a position in the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” of Washington, D.C - the premier musical organization of the U.S. Army. In January, Erick will complete basic combat training after which he will be stationed at Ft. Myer in Virginia. As a clarinetist in the Army Band, he will assist in rendering musical honors on a regular basis for our Nation’s leaders, foreign dignitaries, heads of state, diplomats, and veterans. The band’s most important duties are performed in honoring our Nation’s fallen heroes at Arlington National Cemetery.

During his time at UNT, Erick has performed as a member of the North Texas Wind Symphony, the UNT Symphony Orchestra, the Aaru Reed Quintet, the Lone Star Wind Orchestra, and served the Wind Studies area as a music librarian. His primary teachers are Dr. Kimberly Cole Luevano, Deborah Fabian, and Gregory Raden. Outside of UNT, Erick maintains a studio of young clarinetists at Lone Star High School and Stafford Middle School in Frisco, TX.

Born and raised in Laredo, TX, on the US-Mexico border, Erick began playing the clarinet at age 11 without applied instruction until starting his studies at the College of Music. He is a first-generation college student and is grateful for all the support he has received from his family, friends, colleagues, and mentors.