Voices Chorale NJ’s award-winning Young Composers Project held its annual concert recently at Music Together in Hopewell, N.J.
Twelve budding composers, ages 6 to 11, premiered their original pieces. This program, which reflects VCNJ’s core mission of providing music education and community engagement, offers a unique and exciting opportunity for children in grades K-7 to create compositions, develop them in workshops, and receive mentoring from local composers.
This year, composer and producer Ken Guilmartin, founder and artistic director of Music Together, collaborated with Helen Linz to bring the young musicians’ creations to life. Their compositions spanned a wide range of themes: from nature and animals (such as spring, seahorses, rain and rabbits) to weightier topics like love, war, power, hopes, and dreams.
Among the whimsical arrangements was a piece titled “Your Soda Can is Almost Empty” and an ode dedicated to Lionel Messi, the Argentine soccer player. An ensemble of over 20 Voices Chorale singers provided accompaniment for most of the performances, complemented by a variety of instruments, including piano, drums, cello, and even glockenspiels.
After a shy 6-year-old bravely sang his composition, “It’s Time to Play in the Rain,” on his own, Guilmartin then encouraged Voices Chorale and the entire audience to accompany him for a rousing encore that brought down the house. The concert was an unforgettable experience for the participants and their families.
The Young Composers Project is set to reconvene in the 2024-2025 academic year. If you know a creative child who loves music, enjoys singing, or has a story to tell through music, contact Carole Moore, VCNJ Young Composers Project administrator, at carolekmoore@outlook.com or 609-658-2636. To stay up-to-date on future projects you can join the mailing list at voiceschoralenj.org.
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