KMEA Hall of Fame
Dwight Beckham
Inducted in 2006
Dwight Beckham moved from Oklahoma to Plainview, KS at the age of 12. While attending Plainview High School he became a charter member of the Wichita Youth Symphony and the youngest member of the Wichita Symphony. At 19, Dwight was awarded the principal trumpet position with the Interlochen, Michigan Honor's Orchestra. He has held principal trumpet positions in the ensembles at Wichita State University where he pursued the BME and MME degrees as well at 97th Army Band, Wichita Chamber Orchestra, Newton Mid-Kansas Symphony Orchestra, and Annual Chamber Music Celebration Orchestra at Moorhead, KY. Dwight taught trumpet at Wichita State University and Bethel College. He spent 30 years in the public schools of Valley Center and Newton where his ensembles maintained a long tradition of excellence. Mr. Beckham is a member of KNEA, NEA, KMEA, MENC, KBA, NFIMA, Wichita Musician's Association, Phi Beta Mu, American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers and has served as adjudicator in Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Missouri. Honors include Kansas Teachers Hall of Fame in 1996, Newton High School Hall of Fame in 2003, Federated Music Clubs of Kansas Music Educator of the Year in 1997, Kansas Arts Commission Mini-Fellowship in Music Composition in 2005, and Who's Who in America in 2006.