Celebrating Music Creation Composition Event

Celebrating Music Creation – Music Teachers National Association 150th Anniversary Celebration

This is a student-focused event that gives participants the opportunity to learn tips and tricks to creating music, compose a piece, get feedback from a professional in the field, rehearse and work with performers, and hear the piece come to life in live performance. It celebrates all kinds of musicians (performers, composers, teachers) and highlights Music Teachers National Association’s goal of access to all through free participation.

Southern Arizona has very few opportunities for student composers. This event will have no entry fee barrier, allowing participants the opportunity to work with a professional composer and hear their pieced performed. Participants will not only have the opportunity to create a work, they’ll also be able to edit it after receiving comments from the professional composer. They will then work directly with performers to realize their composition’s vision, and then have it performed for a live audience.

Performers of these compositions will be brought in from the MTNA Collegiate Chapter at the University of Arizona, music majors at both UA and Pima Community College, members and advanced students of the Tucson Music Teachers Association, and others as needed. The greater Tucson community is invited to enjoy the events of the day, including helping to select the Audience Favorite prize.

This event is funded by a grant from the Music Teachers National Association Foundation Fund's 150th Anniversary Grant program.

EVENT :

Sunday, February 1^st, 1-5pm

Pima Community College Center for the Arts Recital Hall

1:00 pm – Welcome

1:15pm – Composer session [to be determined]

2:15pm – Composition masterclass with participants

3:15pm – Q&A with the composer

3:45pm – short break to set up for performances

4:00pm – Composition Recital

5:00pm – Announcement of prize winners

TIMELINE :

October 15^th – Registrations due (free!)

November 1^st – Composition submissions due

December 5^th – Compositions returned to students with composer commentary

December 1 – January 10 – Call for performers

January 5^th – Composition revisions due (optional)

January 10^th-15^th – Compositions distributed to performers

January 12-31 – Performer practice/rehearsals

week of January 26^th – Mandatory rehearsal with composer (time/location TBD)

February 1^st – Celebrating Music Creation event

REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS :

Due October 15^th

Participant must be at least seven (7) years old
Participant must have at least one (1) year of music study completed (music class in public school, private music instruction, music school, etc.)
Collegiate participants must be in their undergraduate degree program of study (music major is optional)
Participants must be able to

1. Submit a composition by November 1^st
2. Accept constructive comments from a professional composer
3. Willingly work with performer(s) of their composition
4. Attend a mandatory rehearsal with the performer(s) the week of January 26^th
5. Attend all Celebrating Music Creation events on Sunday, February 1^st (participants not in attendance will not be eligible for awards or prizes).

- - Participants may also be asked to be in the masterclass (TBD).

COMPOSITION REQUIREMENTS :

Due November 1st

Pieces must be at least one (1) minute and no longer than five (5) minutes in performance length
Ensembles must contain four (4) performers or fewer.
Any percussion included must be supplied by composer/performer(s) for the performance
Prepared piano is not permitted.
Must be notated on a digital score (e.g. Sibelius, Noteflight, etc.). If this is a hardship, handwritten scores will be accepted only with advance notice by October 15th.
TMTA reserves the right to decline any composition that does not meet the requirements stated above, or that conflicts with MTNA’s Strategic Plan.

Provided by December 5^th

Comments by a professional composer regarding the composition will be given to the participant via email.
Participants are then welcome to revise their composition based on the comments provided.

Due January 5^th

Any revisions to the composition must be submitted by January 5^th in order to be distributed to the performer(s).

REHEARSALS :

Around January 10-15

Compositions will be distributed to all performers
Participants and performers will receive contact information for each other in order to coordinate details
Scheduling of the mandatory rehearsal will be set

January 10-31

- - Performer(s) will practice and rehearse as needed
  - Composer will be available for feedback within 48 hours if performer(s) has questions.

Week of January 26^th

- - One (1) mandatory rehearsal is required this week with both the performer(s) and composer
  - Rehearsal in the performance space may be available (TBA)

February 1^st

Participant composers are required to be at the event by 1:00pm
Performers are required to be at the event by 3:30pm for warm up, set up, and performance
Performance of all compositions will occur during the recital beginning at 4:00pm in the Pima Community College Center for the Arts Recital Hall.

AWARDS :

Top Composition - $125, trophy, and certificate
2^nd Place - $75, plaque, and certificate
3^rd Place - $50, plaque and certificate
Audience Favorite - $100 and trophy
All participants will receive a certificate
Awards and prizes will be presented to both composer and performer(s). Monetary awards are awarded solely to the composer.
Award criteria will be announced

QUESTIONS? :

Contact Kassandra Weleck, event coordinator, at kkweleck@pima.edu

Click here to register now!

REGISTRATIONS ARE DUE BY 11:59PM ON OCTOBER 15.

Karalyn Schubring (b. 1999; BM ‘20 University of Michigan) is a composer, pianist, and educator whose work centers around stirring up the creativity of her audiences. Her compositions often contain inspiration from nature imagery, improvisations, and luxurious melodies. Ever since a lightbulb inspiration moment in middle school, Karalyn’s music has received support from award-winning musicians and national organizations like MTNA, ACF, ACO, NPR’s From the Top, and ASCAP. Karalyn resides in Mesa with her husband and daughter, where she enjoys teaching composition to brilliant young students at East Valley Yamaha Music School.
karalynschubring.com