©2023 Ohio Music Education Association
Committee Updates
OMEA Young Composers Initiative (OMEAYCI) Call for Submissions
Vocal Point A cappella group from Marietta High school in Marietta, Ohio
The OMEA Young Composers Initiative was created in 2019 to encourage, foster, and promote musical creativity across Ohio’s young music students. Each year, we invite young composers in grades 7-12 to submit compositions for a featured ensemble. The submissions are judged by the YCI board, a group of professional composers teaching in higher education programs around the state.
The OMEAYCI invites submissions for its fifth Young Composers Initiative Composition Competition Concert at the OMEA PDC on Saturday, February 8, 2024. The concert will feature three young composers presenting their original compositions for violin and cello duo to be performed by Benjamin Hoffman and Anthony Marchese from BGSU. Students will receive valuable comments, feedback, and suggestions from the performers as well as from OMEA YCI board members on their scores. Prior to the event, winning composers will have the opportunity to receive virtual lessons on their scores from YCI board members. The OMEA YCI board is Dr. Jennifer Merkowitz, chair (Otterbein University), Dr. Marc Ainger (Ohio State University), Dr. Carolyn Borcherding (Baldwin Wallace University), Dr. Aurie Hsu (Oberlin Conservatory), Dr. Matthew Kennedy (Heidelberg University), Dr. Robert McClure (Ohio University), and Dr. Marilyn Shrude (Bowling Green State University).
To see the details of the call for submissions, please visit https://www.omea-ohio.org/young_composers_initiative.php. Applications must be submitted by an OMEA member sponsor through the OMEA portal by October 31, 2024. Any questions can be directed to Dr. Jennifer Merkowitz (jmerkowitz@otterbein.edu).
