Teens from across the nation will hear their compositions performed by an orchestra for the very first time on Sunday, November 13 in a free event, open to the public.

(Orlando, FL – October 29, 2011) – Over the past year, 45 students from 13 states submitted their compositions to the National Young Composers Challenge, a competition and workshop for musicians ages 13-18. On Sunday, November 13 from 2 to 5:30 p.m., the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra and the National Young Composers Challenge will present the 2011 YCC Composium, the culmination of the past year’s competition. During this free concert and commentary presentation, audiences will hear the top seven compositions performed by a professional orchestra for the very first time, with the young composers in attendance. Musicians, the panel of judges, and Music Director Christopher Wilkins will provide comments to the composers, and discuss the works. There is no cost to attend, and the event is open to the public.

The winning compositions include four pieces for small ensemble and three pieces for full orchestra. The ensemble pieces are entitled String Trio 1 by Ryan Dodge, age 18 of Winston-Salem, NC;  Reverie & Song, by Joseph Prior, age 17 of Winter Park, FL;  The Sailor, by Bradley Kroehling, age 16, of Merritt Island, FL;  and Shining Brass March, by Caleb Bancroft, age 15 of Oviedo, FL.  The full orchestra pieces are The New Frontier, by Tyler Durham, age 19, of Nixa, MO;  Paean, by Kyle Duffee, age 18 of Pueblo West, CO;  and Pillars of Creation, by Stephen Spies, age 17, of Albany, CA.

Submissions came from all over the USA, including Alaska, Colorado, California, Missouri, Texas, Illinois, Tennessee, Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Winners were chosen by judges Dan Crozier, composer and Assistant Professor of Theory and Composition at Rollins College; Jeff Rupert, composer, arranger, founder of Flying Horse Records and Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Central Florida; Keith Lay, composer and Course Director in Music History at Full SailUniversity, and Stephen Goldman, composer, philanthropist and founder of Distributed Processing Technology.

The National Young Composers Challenge is open to young musicians ages 13-18 from across the United States. The challenge includes a Young Composers Workshop, held in the spring, where students attend lectures by nationally-acclaimed composers on techniques in music composition, orchestration, scoring, and the latest music notation software. Additional sessions include discussions and demonstrations by Orlando Philharmonic musicians on proper writing techniques for each orchestral instrument.

“Mozart started writing his own compositions at an early age.” said Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra Executive Director David Schillhammer.  “The Young Composers Challenge is a unique opportunity to witness some of the great composers of the 21^st century at the beginning of their careers, and to gain an understanding of how orchestra music is created.”

The National Young Composers Challenge is sponsored by the University of Central Florida, Rollins College, Full Sail University, United Arts of Central Florida, the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Goldman Charitable Trust.

For more information on the National Young Composers Challenge, visit www.youngcomposerschallenge.org  or phone the Orlando Philharmonic offices at 407-896-6700 x 232. 

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Artist Biographies

Now in its 19th season, the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra is Central Florida’s resident professional orchestra, appearing in more than 125 performances each season. The Philharmonic’s mission is to foster and promote symphonic music through excellence in performance, education and cultural leadership. To learn more the Philharmonic and its programs, including the 2011-2012 Super Series, Focus Series and concert opera, Rigoletto, call the Philharmonic box office at 407-770-0071, or visit www.orlandophil.org.

Note: All entrants were age 18 or less at the time of submission.

Tyler Durham, a 19-year-old from Nixo, MO, has written numerous pieces for the Missouri State University composition challenge for high school students. This is his first year in the Young Composers Challenge. He calls his orchestra piece, The New Frontier, a modern take on western style music, inspired by the American sounds of composers like Copland and Bernstein. Tyler plays piano and percussion, and has been a vocalist all his life. He currently attends Missouri State University. He is the son of Paul and Debbie Durham.

Kyle Duffee, a 19-year-old from Pueblo, CO, originally wrote the piece, Paean, for the Pike’s Peak Young Composers in Silverton, CO, where he won first place. Inspired by composers like John Adams, he says his goal was to make his work “fast, brassy, and as exciting as possible.” Kyle is excited to hear it premiered by the Orlando Philharmonic as part of the 2011 Composium. He attends the University of Wyoming in Laramie, and is the son of Douglas and Pamela Duffee.

Ryan Dodge, an 18-year-old from Winston-Salem, NC, participated in the Young Composers Challenge in 2008, and has submitted works to other competitions, including ASCAP. His 2011 submission, String Trio I, is written in sonata form. Ryan began violin lessons at age nine, and started piano and composition shortly afterward. He says his greatest influence is the music of Brahms and the Second Viennese School. Ryan is currently a sophomore at the Juilliard School of composition. He is the son of Cynthia Dodge and Lawrence Hjersted.

Stephen Spies, a 17-year-old from Albany, CA was chosen to participate in the 2010 Composium with his piece Atlantis. He calls the experience “exciting and life-changing.” His orchestra piece for 2011, ‘Pillars of Creation,’ is based on a Hubble telescope photograph by Jeff Hester and Paul Scowen, which has the same name. It is meant to reflect the emotional impact of the photograph. In 2008, Stephen’s piece Train Hopping was performed and recorded for YouTube by ADORNO Ensemble. He has also participated in the Student Competition of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of National Association of Composers USA (NACUSA). Stephen has played violin since age 4, and also plays viola and piano. Stephen currently attends Albany High and is the son of Karen Chester and Robert Spies.

Joseph Prior, a 17-year old from Winter Park, FL, participated in the Young Composers Challenge in 2010, where his piece Dance Royale made the finals in the ensemble category. His 2011 entry, Reverie & Song, is written for strings and piano. Joseph is homeschooled in Winter Park, FL and he is the son of Becky Prior.

Bradley Kroehling, a 16-year-old from Merritt Island, FL, has played the cello since age four and the piano since age nine. He began taking composition lessons at age 13. Bradley’s compositions have been played by the New York Summer Music Festival and some smaller groups. He wrote his 2011 submission, The Sailor in February. “I usually write pieces for synthesizers because I never feel like they will be played professionally,” he said, “but The Sailor, was different. I took the players into mind, and it was a challenge writing something that had to be possible for real performers.” Bradley is a Junior at Edgewood High School, and the son of Lori McPherson and Hugh Kroehling.

Caleb Bancroft, a 15-year-old from Oviedo, FL, says his piece, Shining Brass March, is inspired by the marches of John Phillip Sousa. This is Caleb’s first year in the Young Composers Challenge. He is homeschooled, and the son of Cheryl and Dan Bancroft.

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 Contact:

Emily Lindahl elindahl@orlandophil.org
Director of Public Relations
Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra
812 E. Rollins Street, Suite 300
Orlando, FL  32803
PH: 407-896-6700 x223
FAX: 407-896-5512