David Buck Takes $1,000 First Prize
In 3rd Annual Texas Guitar Competition

RICHARDSON, Texas (March 26, 2004) — David Buck, 30, who currently resides in Tucson, Ariz., won the $1,000 first prize over the weekend at the third annual Texas Guitar Competition and Festival, held at The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD).

Rade Amanovic, 26, a native of Yugoslovia who also now lives in Lubbock, took the $500 second prize, and Edward Trybeck, 22, a native of Virginia who now lives in Pasadena, won the $250 third prize.

The competition, designed to showcase outstanding classical guitar students who are at least 16 years of age, was sponsored in part by the Carl J. Thomsen Fund for Student Enrichment and Savarez Strings of France. Monetary prizes, donated by Renaissance Capital Group, were awarded for first, second and third place, and all of the prize winners will be invited to perform in the UTD 2004/2005 Guitar Series.

Buck returned to compete after taking second prize in last year’s Texas Guitar Competition. He has a Bachelor of Music degree from Arizona State University and a Master of Music degree from the University of Arizona. Buck, who has received guitar instruction with Frank Koonce and Tom Patterson, was a semi-finalist at the 2001 Guitar Festival America Competition and was a finalist in the Stevens and Sholin competition at the University of Arizona. In addition, unbeknownst to the judges, Buck celebrated his 30th birthday on March 20, the day he received the award and was presented with a birthday cake by a UTD guitar board member during the awards announcement.

Amanovic began studying the guitar in Knjazevac, Yugoslavia, at the age of nine. He was a student of Uros Dojcinovic at the Josip Slovenski School of Music in Belgrade from 1992 until 1996. After winning 3rd prize at the International Guitar Competition in Voronezh, Russia, in May 1996, Amanovic began studying with Dr. James Bogle at Texas Tech University. He finished second in the guitar competition at Appalachian State University in the spring of 2000. He is now a graduate teaching assistant pursuing his master’s degree at Texas Tech University.

Trybek began his musical training at the High School for Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, with a focus in jazz guitar while studying privately with Terry Gashen. He received his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Southern California, where he is currently pursuing his master’s in music and studying privately with Scott Tennant. Other awards he has won include first prize in the 2001 ASTA / Aron Gren Guitar competition, grand prize in the 2002 ASTA California Guitar competition, semi-finalist in the Lachire International competition in 2003 and semi-finalist in the GFA 2003 competition.

For information about the many musical, arts, theatre, dance and other performances and exhibitions held throughout the year at UTD, please call 972-UTD-ARTS (972-883-2787), e-mail sprater@utdallas.edu or visit the School of Arts and Humanities’ web site at http://ah.utdallas.edu/. Persons with disabilities needing special accommodations may call 972-883-2982, Texas Relay Operator: 1-800-RELAYVV.

About UTD

The University of Texas at Dallas, located at the convergence of Richardson, Plano and Dallas in the heart of the complex of major multinational technology corporations known as the Telecom Corridor®, enrolls more than 13,700 students. The school’s freshman class traditionally stands at the forefront of Texas state universities in terms of average SAT scores. The university offers a broad assortment of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs. For additional information about UTD, please visit the university’s Web site at www.utdallas.edu.