All Score Urbana and Urbana High School Orchestras reunited in Spring 2021 to build on the 12 session introductory music composition program from our previous collaboration in 2019. With support from College Music Society’s CMS Fund and Urbana Arts and Culture Commission, we provided opt-in weekly composition workshops for members of Urbana High School’s Orchestras and Bands over Zoom.
High school students chose which instrumentation they wanted to write for from the available teaching artists: violinist Alyssa Tong, composer/collaborative pianist Mike McAndrew, baritone Geoffrey Schmelzer, and multi-reedist Nathan Balester. In working with them and composers Ralph Lewis and Kayla McComb, students created original projects. (Bios of the teaching artists are available here.) The program also featured a presentation by composer Brittany J. Green about her recent string quartet “Recontres” (commissioned by JACK Quartet) and her process of writing music live instruments and electronics.
This program is funded by College Music Society’s Community Engagement Seed Grant Award and the Urbana Arts and Culture Arts in the Schools Grant.
Ralph Lewis: Composer 