KIDS COMPOSE history, including recordings, finalists, winners, & notes
(click on titles for recordings)
Jump to information about performances in the spring of:
2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007
2018-2019
Grade School Winners
ORCHESTRA - Ashauntess Watts, Layla Mackie, Owen Miller, Eve Arnold
CONCERT BAND - Amaya Stinson, Grace Mobley, N'Dia Hamilton, Wyatt Norrick
IU Composer Winners
ORCHESTRA - Yi-De Chen, Leigha Amick
CONCERT BAND - Liam Ramsey-White, Alvin Tam
Performance Dates
Concert Band
Spring 2019, Feb. 12, Musical Arts Center (MAC), 10:00AM
Orchestra
Spring 2019, Feb. 6, Musical Arts Center (MAC), 10:00AM
2017-2018
Grade School Winners
ORCHESTRA - Rylee Arther, Lazar Jankovic, Noah Selo, Charlie Smith
CONCERT BAND - Eleanor Coddens, Seoyeon (Sophia) Hohn, Charlie Morris, Janice Pinkston
IU Composer Winners
ORCHESTRA - Katherine Bodor, Zhigong Wei
CONCERT BAND - Yi-De Chen, Alex Tedrow
Performance Dates
Concert Band
Spring 2018, Feb. 6, Musical Arts Center (MAC), 10:00AM
Orchestra
Spring 2018, Jan. 24, Musical Arts Center (MAC), 10:00AM
2016-2017
Grade School Winners
ORCHESTRA - Ainsley Crean, Miles Ellenwood, Anthony Sherman, Kristen Cole
CONCERT BAND - Luke Miller, Austin Hsieh, Ava Gaal, Trinity Vuyyuri, Betsy Moore, Eliot Pennington, Owyn Smith
IU Composer Winners
ORCHESTRA - Jacob Walsh, Chris LaRosa
CONCERT BAND - Amin Sharifi, Patricia Wallinga
Performance Dates
Concert Band
Spring 2017, Feb. 7, Musical Arts Center (MAC), 10:00AM
Orchestra
Spring 2017, April 12, Musical Arts Center (MAC), 10:00AM
2015-2016
Grade School Winners
ORCHESTRA - Alexandra Shilrey, Morgan Cockerill, Nicholas Shirley, Charlie Hedrick
CONCERT BAND - Ethan Murphy, Aaliyah Moore, Ian Hamstra, Henry Floyd
IU Composer Winners
ORCHESTRA - Ara Cho, Corey K. Rubin
CONCERT BAND - Qi Li, Jihyun Kim
Performance Dates
Orchestra
Spring 2016, Feb. 16, Musical Arts Center (MAC) 10:00AM - David Effron, conductor
Concert Band
Spring 2016, Feb. 9, Musical Arts Center (MAC), 10:00AM - Eric Smedley, conductor
Program Notes:
#19: Ethan Murphy and Qi Li
Yummy Orange Chicken: Aaliyah Moore and JIhyun Kim
Dead of Night: Ian Hamstra and Qi Li
Mysterious Rhythm: Henry Floyd and Jihyun Kim
2014-2015
Grade School Finalists
Lucy Billett and Avery Sturgis (Binford), Sam Fischman (Binford), HeeWon Jung and Wonki Hong (Binford), Kaitlyn Wong and Julia Layton (Binford), John Beggs (Child's), Alivia Arnold (Clear Creek), Josie Allender (Grandview), Ailish Shipley (Grandview), Collin Jones (Marlin), Alexandra Shirley (St. Charles), Nicholas Shirley (St. Charles), Helen M. Sobiech (St. Charles), Andres Chopite (Summit), Mya Hall (Summit), Steven Fort (University), Rhianna Gides (University), Caroline Dunigan (Unionville)
Grade School Winners
ORCHESTRA - Talinaiya "Angel" Bao, Teddy Gonyea, Cassidy Sims, Lucy Backs
CONCERT BAND - Shaylynn Beard, Lucia Walker, Mateo Fuentes-Rohwer, Miranda Graham
IU Composer Winners
ORCHESTRA - Chen Yihan, Max Ramage
CONCERT BAND - Danny Hansen, Curtis Smith
Performance Dates
Orchestra
Spring 2015, Mar. 10, Musical Arts Center (MAC) 10:00AM - David Effron, conductor
Concert Band
Spring 2015, Feb. 10, Musical Arts Center (MAC), 10:00AM - Eric Smedley, conductor
2013-2014
IU Composer Winners
CONCERT BAND - Ari Fisher, Erik Ransom
ORCHESTRA - Kevin Hartnett, Melody Eötvös
2012-2013
Grade School Finalists
Eleana Silberstein, Patrick Pettinger, Julian Anderson, George Harvey, Teddy Lashley, Marielle Beren, Dexter Wu-Corts , Skylar MacLean, Michael Salzer, Caroline Rensi, Caitlin Liechti, Tyler Dixon, Gus Richter, Oliver Adams, Phillip Hammond, Lauren Conner, Hannah Lee, Anna Yoon, Kaitlyn Young , Riley Gallagher, Ava Craft, Ted Backs, Melina Raglin, Nathan Till, Katelyn Farmer, Joey Bomba, Jessie Brown, Riley Wichern, Roxanna Ray, Joy Bhattachaya , David Baumann, Braydyn Lents, Clara Voskuil, Yujin Cha, Jensyn Bowman,Margaret Comentale, Chloe Dekydtspotter
Grade School Winners
CONCERT BAND - Anna Yoon, Clara Voskuil, Helen Crist, Joy Bhattachaya, Chloe Dekystspotter
ORCHESTRA - Riley Gallagher, Harilaos Deliyannis, Roxanna Ray, Jessie Brown, Braydyn Lents
IU Composer Winners
CONCERT BAND - Benjamin D Taylor, Nicholas Cline
ORCHESTRA - Junyi Chow, Texu Kim
Performance Dates
Orchestra
Spring 2013, Feb 12, Musical Arts Center (MAC) 10:10AM
Concert Band
Spring 2013, February 5, Musical Arts Center (MAC), 10:10AM
Program Notes:
Ocean March, arranged by Benjamin Taylor
Melodies by Anna Yoon, Clara Voskuil, and Helen Christ
Ocean March begins with Anna's lyrical melody played by a solo piccolo flute and gradually expands to a full band orchestration of her melody. The energetic yet playful melody cowritten by Clara and Helen then enters featuring a solo saxophone. The piece ends with a combination of the two melodies. The title was suggested by Anna who thought the song suggested imagery of the ocean while also feeling like a march.
Under the Ocean/NightMusic, arranged by Nicholas Cline
Melodies by Joy Bhattachaya and Chloe Dekydtspotter
In Under the Ocean, Joy depicts schools of colorful fish swimming through the ocean. One lonely fish, played by a clarinet, swims along and is quickly joined by another, then another until all types of fish and instruments are swimming together. Suddenly, all the fish scurry off into the deep water.
Chloe's vivid Night Music paints a picture of the night in sound -- from twinkling and shooting stars to howling wolves and bats flying through the sky. The story ends, like all nights do, with the warm sunrising.
2011-2012
Grade School Finalists
Brian Ash (Grandview Elementary), YiKang Bin (Binford), Lucas Byrd (Clear Creek), Logan Gosser (Arlington), Phillip Hammond (St. Charles), Anne Larsen (University), Carl Pohl (Limberlost Christian Academy), Molly Wagschal (University), Katie Delap, Kate Burkhart, Serena Fox (University)
Grade School & IU Composition Major Winners
Orchestra, Jan. 24, 2012
Magic Carpet Ride / Stomping Down the Street, arranged & orchestrated by Steven Snethkamp
Haley McVey (St. Charles- Y. Polyanskaya/K. Gorr)
Gian Gonzales (St. Charles- S. Freund)
Song of the Singing Pirates, arranged & orchestrated by Ben Taylor
Gianna Marie Davy, "Pirates and Parrots", grade 3, Grace & Hope Academy
Nicholas Narducci, "Song of the Singing Winds", grade 5, Binford (Susan Schoch/L. Zorn)
Band, Feb. 7, 2012
A Foggy Night and The Spook, arranged & orchestrated by William Bryant
Jasper Maclean (St. Charles- S. Freund)
Davis McCourt (St. Charles- S. Freund)
Summer Fun and Andante, arranged & orchestrated by Mahlon Berv
Maggie Bui (Childs Elementary/R. Johnson)
Lauren Leal (St. Charles- K. Gorr)
Program Notes:
2010-2011
Grade School Finalists
Alison Albright (Summit); Jessica Carmichael (Clear Creek); Tiseok Choi (U. School); Gianna Davy (Grace and Hope Academy); Nick Dolson (St. Charles); Ben Foley (U. School); Se Min Ko (St. Charles); Finley Krauter (U. School); Lauren Leal (St. Charles); Tai Min Lee (St. Charles); Kaya McCloud (Marlin); Greta Meya (U. School); Patrick Mooney (St. Charles); Melina Raglin (U. School); Roxanna Shanla (University School); Connor Starks (U. School); Graham Todd (U. School); Joshua Tseng (U. School); Tanner Waldrip (Marlin), Sophie Young (U. School)
Grade School & IU Composition Major Winners
Orchestra, Feb. 9, 2011
Train and Wild Ride, arranged & orchestrated by Sang Mi Ahn
Sam Stright, "Wild Ride", GRADE 6, University
Alan Nguyen, "Train", GRADE 5, St. Charles
Midnight Star Party in Springtime, arranged & orchestrated by Carlo Frizzo
Grace Mullins, "Midnight Star Party", GRADE ?, St. Charles
Jamie Lee, "Springtime", GRADE ?, Childs
Band, Feb. 16, 2011
Dragon in the Rain, arranged & orchestrated by Francisco Alvarez
Isabel Flynn, "Drip Drop Rain Drop", GRADE ?, St. Charles
Riley Halloran, "Mystical Dragon", GRADE ?, St. Charles
Spring Stroll Through the Meadow, arranged & orchestrated by Timothy Miller
Abbey Allen, TITLE, GRADE ?, St. Charles
John Bannee, TITLE, GRADE ?, Clear Creek
Program Notes:
Train and Wild Ride by Sang Mi Ahn
Train and Wild Ride is written for the Kids Compose project at IU Jacobs School of Music. The melodies in this arrangement are composed by Alan Nguyen and Sam Stright. When I first saw their melodies, I realized immediately that they would work well together in a single composition. Both Alan's and Sam's melodies are based on D, and the titles of their melodies, Train (by Alan) and Wild Ride (by Sam) also share the idea of a journey. Alan’s lively melody provides a great opening theme and Sam’s energetic melody is suitable for building up the climax of the piece. To enhance the characteristics of each melody, I arranged each melody with a different orchestration. For Alan's melody, I used winds, strings, and the harp to set up a playful and dreamy mood. For Sam’s melody, I used the brass to bring out the majestic and masculine characteristics of the melody and to build up to the climax. The repeated notes in the strings accompanying Alan’s melody give a sonic impression of the railway. After introducing both melodies in their original forms, I used fragments of each melody to create more dialogue between the smaller musical units and to create a more varied texture.
Train and Wild Ride is also inspired by a children's animation I watched when I was little but whose title I cannot recall. In the animation, I remember scenes in which I saw a train flying in space. In this piece, I hope audiences can freely imagine riding on their own trains and traveling through the landscape of their dreams.
Midnight Star Party in Springtime by Vini Frizzo
“Midnight Star Party in Spring Time” is an orchestral arrangment of two melodies. The first melody heard, “Midnight Star Party” was composed by Grace Mullins. Creating celebrietory images of magic in the heavens, Grace employs a rhythmic hemiola into her melody that adds a sense of drive and excitement. This lively melody is incredibly catchy and is presented twice encomposing the first half of the work. The second melody, “Spring Time” by Jamie Lee immediately follows the climax concluding the first half of the piece. This theme with its long flowing lines has an endearing sweetness that is both alluring and meaningful. The work as a whole is a colorful expression of the youthful exurberance and optimism that I found in Grace’s and Jamie’s music. My hope is that I was able to accentuate the natural magnetism and inspriation of their melodies.
Spring Stroll Through the Meadow by Tim Miller
Spring Stroll Through the Meadow combines two short melodies written by Abby Allen and John Bannee, both elementary students in Bloomington, IN. For this short work, I wanted both young students to feel invested in this larger orchestrated piece for band that uses their melodies. I asked each student about what their favorite instruments were and what kind of music they liked, along with other ideas about their feelings and ideas they were thinking when writing their melodies, and wanted to make sure to evoke them in the piece. In this case, Abby said her favorite instrument was the Glockenspiel and Flute, so in the first half of the piece, you will hear portions of her melody in both of these instruments. Throughout the first half of the piece, the Trumpet leads the band in a journey of growth and springtime, leading to an exciting arch of brass chords and a fanfare.
John’s melody seemed to evoke a jazzy type quality too it and I felt it would fit perfectly in the Alto Saxophone. After speaking with John, I discovered that his favorite instrument was the Saxophone and he really like jazz music! So in the second half of the piece, the music begins with a jazzy melodic figure in the Bassoons and Alto Saxophone. Quickly the full band takes John’s melody and reaches a moment of gorgeous fulfillment followed by a little surprise at the end.
Dragon in the Rain by Francisco Cortés-Álvarez
Once upon a time in the Far East there was a little and colorful village inhabited by hard working and happy people. They were farmers, and they harvest rice year after year, but one year they had a terrible drought and they were worried about their crops. How could they survive without a successful harvest? So, the wisest men went on a long journey to the most treacherous mountain on the horizon to find the Ancient Dragon of Good Luck. After long days of danger they found the dragon; and the dragon heard their plea for water. The dragon wanted to see the people happy, not worried, so he tried his best to help, but the dragon feared that he would not be able and began to cry.
This musical piece is about the day after the wise men talked with the dragon. When suddenly from the deep of the horizon the dragon appeared magnificently flying over the little village. He was crying; crying with magical tears. As the dying crops were touched by the magical tears they instantaneously became the freshest crops in the world; and since that day the town became wealthy and famous for harvesting the best rice in the word.
“Dragon in the Rain” is the sum of “Drip Drop Rain Drop” composed by Isabel Flynn and “Mystical Dragon” composed by Riley Halloran.
2009-2010
Grade School Finalists
Tarell Perine, Summit; Jasmine Velasco, University; Patricia Moon, University; Joonyoung Kim, Binford; Clancy Lyles, Childs; Max Menczer, Binford; Marc Tourev, Binford; Betsy Begg, Childs; Claire Janda, Childs; Kyra Taylor, Templeton ; Gion Gonzales, St. Charles; Julia Smith, St. Charles; Eunsung Lee, University; Hannah Mohamed, University; Adam Baker, St. Charles; Liz McHaley, Clear Creek; Julia Telthorst, St. Charles; Matt Skirvin, St. Charles; Natalie Cook, Childs; Lauren Cox St., Charles; Olivia Evan, Childs; Hannah Jesseph, St. Charles; Kate Burkhart, Binford; Emma Alexander, St. Charles; Ramanda Reed, Templeton
Grade School & IU Composition Major Winners
Orchestra, Jan. 27, 2010
Rain/Darkest Hour, arranged & orchestrated by Adam Haws
Claire Janda, Darkest Hour, GRADE ?, Childs
Liz McHaley, Rain, GRADE ?, Clear Creek
TITLE arranged & orchestrated by Brendan Faegre
Hannah Jesseph, TITLE, GRADE ?, St. Charles
Lauren Cox, TITLE, GRADE ?, St. Charles
Band, Feb. 10, 2010
TITLE arranged & orchestrated by Max Grafe
Betsy Beggs, TITLE, GRADE ?, Childs
Olivia Evans, TITLE, GRADE ?, University
Max and Marc’s Song and The Swan Dance, Orchestrated by arranged & orchestrated by Melody Eötvös
Julia Telthorst, Untitled, GRADE ?, St. Charles
Jean Lee, The Swan Song, GRADE ?, Childs
Program Notes:
Rain/Darkest Hour, arranged & orchestrated by Adam Haws
This short piece was arranged based on melodies by elementary school students Claire Janda and Liz McHaley. The work begins with “Darkest Hour”, a somber melody. It then transitions into “Rain”. I imitated rain in the orchestration through the pattering of the side drum, xylophone and celesta, and the dabs of flute and harp harmonics. “Darkest Hour” briefly returns before the piece ends with a hopeful coda. Throughout the piece, the melodies are confined mostly to the plaintive double reeds (oboe, English horn, and bassoon) and the strings.
2008-2009
Grade School & IU Composition Major Winners
Orchestra, Jan. 28, 2009
TITLE, arranged & orchestrated by Elizabeth Ogonek
F. Javier Rodriguez, "Night Song", grade 6, Templeton
Mac Vogelsang, "Riddle Man", grade 6, University
A Snatch of Song, a Flash of Fire Arranged & orchestrated by Joshua Groffman
Wesley Oliver, "Fire", grade 4, Arlington Heights
Lauren Bauman, "A Song", grade 3, St. Charles
Band, Feb. 11, 2009
Escape, arranged & orchestrated by Lawrence Chappell Kingsland
Allison Neal, "Escape in Pursuit", grade 5, Childs
Walter Friesel, "Worship", grade 5, St. Charles
Prancing Horse/Song in G Minor, arranged & orchestrated by Jonathan Sokol
Javier Fuentes-Rohwer, "Song in G Minor", grade 6, Childs
Holly Barnhart, "Prancing Horse," grade 6, University
2007-2008
Grade School & IU Composition Major Winners
Orchestra, Nov. 14, 2007, Kevin Noe, conductor
Yeah!, arranged & orchestrated by David Werfelmann
Luke Crowe, Untitled, grade 5, CHilds
Megan Coghlan, "Yeah!", grade 6, St. Charles
Jogging Girl and Marching Dog, arranged & orchestrated by Elliott Bark
Nicholas May, "The Happy Dog", grade 3, University
Danielle Davila, "The Hair", grade 4, St. Charles
Band, Mar. 5, 2008
The Musical Art of Chinese Polka, arranged & orchestrated by Jeffrey Stanek
Korina Flater, Untitled, grade 5, Fairview
Melody Herzig, "Chiese Polka", grade 2, Marlin
Untitled/The Dark Night, arranged & orchestrated by Jonathan Graybill
Jacob Huston, untitle, grade 6, home-school
Alexis Butcher, "The Dark Night", grade 5, Summit
Program Notes:
Jogging Girl and Marching Dog, by Elliott Bark
This piece is based on two melodies: The Hair by Danielle Davila and The Happy Dog by Nickolas May. When Composing this melody, Danielle, a 4th grader from St. Charles School, thought of a girl running on a mountain in the Spring morning and of her "hairs" blowing. Nick, a 3rd grader from Univeristy Elementary School, wanted to express the sound of marching with the "happy dog." I started thinking how to combine these two melodies and drew a fun picture in my head. A girl is running in a not too fast speed, and her dog is following, not running but marching, wearing his "happy gold crown."
2006-2007
Grade School & IU Composition Major Winners
Orchestra, Feb. 6, 2007
Blooming Lavender, arranged & orchestrated by Laura M. Kramer
Sarah Williams, "Blooming Ideas", grade 4, University
Agnes Zhu, "Lavendar", grade 5, Summitt
The Dawn Hour arranged & orchestrated by Matthew Peterson
Julia Telthorst, "When the Moon Comes Out", grade 3, St. Charles
Andrew Nguyen, "Nice Day", grade 4, St. Charles
Band, Feb. 14, 2007
TITLE arranged & orchestrated by Eric Knechtges
Anna Raphael,TITLE, grade 2, University
John Weiss, TITLE, grade 2, Rogers
NaOH Airplanes, arranged & orchestrated by David Farrell
Payon Werner, "Sodium Hydroxide", grade 5, Home-school
Walter Friesel, "The Little Airplane", grade 3, St. Charles
Program Notes:
The Dawn Hour by Matthew Peterson
The Dawn Hour begins in the darkness before the dawn with Julia Telthorst's melody "When the Moon Comes Out," and ends with a brilliant sunrise, Andrew Nguyen's "Nice Day."