©2025 Ohio Music Education Association
Committee Updates
OMEA Young Composers Initiative (OMEAYCI) Update and Call for Submissions
Jennifer Merkowitz
L-R: OMEA Past President Mike Crist, guest performers Anthony Marchese and Benjamin Hoffman, finalists Bella Morgan and Charlotte Winter, YCI chair Jennifer Merkowitz, finalist Andrew Schneider, YCI board member Matthew Kennedy.
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 and teachers from around the state of Ohio.
At the OMEA PDC in Cleveland this past February, guest performers Benjamin Hoffman and Anthony Marchese (BGSU) performed 3 duos for violin and cello composed by our finalists: Autumn and Winter by Charlotte Winter (Westerville, OH; sponsored by Sarah McPeak), Mystic Circle of the Forest Dwellers by Andrew Schneider (Delaware, OH; sponsored by Gillian Henning), and Four Roses by Bella Morgan (Pickerington, OH; sponsored by Jordan Koogler). At the concert, students received feedback and suggestions from the performers on their scores. They were also introduced and recognized by Dr. Michael R. Crist, OMEA Past President, who was instrumental in the creation of the YCI.
This coming year, we are pleased to continue our partnership with the Bowling Green State University College of Musical Arts. Their generous sponsorship will support the participation of our featured performers from BGSU, saxophonist Jake Loitz and percussionist Chris Harris.
The OMEAYCI invites submissions for its sixth Young Composers Initiative Composition Competition Concert at the OMEA PDC in Columbus on Saturday, January 31, 2026. The concert will feature three young composers presenting their original compositions for alto saxophone and percussion duo. 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. Cara Haxo (The Walden School), 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 17, 2025. Any questions can be directed to Dr. Jennifer Merkowitz (jmerkowitz@otterbein.edu).