New statewide original music composition program encourages innovation and education

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart began composing music at the age of five. Other famous composers, such as Ludwig van Beethoven and Johann Sebastian Bach, started their music-writing careers as adolescents. Now, a new music composition program based at the University of Missouri-Columbia will provide Missouri’s young musicians the opportunity to showcase their talents and follow in the footsteps of their classical counterparts.

Jeanne Sinquefield, a Mizzou parent and friend from Pacific Palisades, Calif., will provide $50,000 each year for three years to support a statewide music composition competition among students of all ages. The Creating Original Music Program (COMP) advisory board, composed of MU School of Music faculty and students, has worked with Sinquefield to design the two-part program that will encourage young musicians to compose diverse original pieces and help build music programs across the state. In addition to individual student awards, COMP will provide financial awards to state music programs that sponsor winning composers and contribute to music education.

"Music stimulates creative thinking and builds self-confidence in young people," Sinquefield said. "I'm thrilled to partner with MU to motivate Missouri youth to try their hands at musical composition."

COMP K-12 is composed of three levels of competition: elementary, middle and high school. Each of these levels has multiple entry categories that will be judged by three adjudicators selected by the COMP advisory board. Winners in the K-12 competition will perform their compositions at the COMP Music Festival on April 15, 2006.

The second component of COMP is the Sinquefield Composition Prize for MU Students. Any full-time MU student is eligible to submit an original fine art composition for judging by the composition faculty of the School of Music. One winner will be selected to compose and record a larger piece with the Symphonic Wind Ensemble or the University Philharmonic. The winner also will receive an MU scholarship and a cash prize. The composition will be performed at the Chancellor’s Concert on March 18.

"Mrs. Sinquefield’s generous gift will benefit music education students and programs both at MU and across the state, which will provide youth an incentive and opportunity to continue their exploration of music," Chancellor Brady Deaton said. "Appreciation of the arts is a vital part of education, and MU is proud to have this program that will affect students in every grade. We look forward to listening to the winning compositions and hope the awards will encourage these talented musicians to explore additional opportunities."

The mission statement of COMP is to inspire self-esteem, self confidence and pride through the creation of music. An advisory panel hopes to institutionalize the program after its first three years. The program started in October. The deadline for submissions is Jan. 15, 2006. Visit music.missouri.edu/COMP for more information or an application.

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