The annual KMEA composition competition was held again this year with Scott Hershberger’s In the Dancing Meadow for solo piano selected as the winner. Brandon Jones’ work Light in the Sky, also for solo piano was awarded second place. Hershberger is a freshman at Washington University and Jones is a senior at Garden City High School. Both compositions are scheduled for performance at the 2017 KMEA In-service workshop.
This year’s adjudicators were Dr. Andrew Poor, Dr. Jack Stamp and Dr. Craig Weston. Dr. Poor is a published composer with Northeastern Publications and Director of Bands at South Forsythe Middle School in Cumming, Georgia. Dr. Stamp is recently retired from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania and presently serves on the faculty of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Dr. Weston is the Chair of the Theory/History/Composition division of the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance at Kansas State University. Each of these adjudicators rated each composition and wrote constructive comments. Each composer received his or her respective comments from these adjudicators to help guide them in their future efforts.
Categories for the competition include Electronic, Solo Instrument/Voice, Ensemble and Jazz. Detailed information as well as deadlines for next year’s competition may be found on the KMEA website.
