New Music/New Communities Initiative

For more information about the New Music New Communities Initiative, please contact Kathryn Welter at welter@composersconference.org.

MEET OUR 2023 YOUNG COMPOSERS!

  • Luke Zielinski

    How old are you?

    I recently turned eleven years old.

    What instrument(s) do you play? How did you become interested in your instrument?

    I play the piano and am starting the French horn. Beginning at age two, I would play music and copy what I heard around me using various child instruments around the house. Our family got an upright piano when I was five and I started to teach myself how to play. I have been taking piano lessons at the Concord Community Music School for the last nine months to further improve my playing and understanding of the instrument.

    What music have you been listening to on repeat recently?

    I have been listening to a lot of impressionistic music, such as Debussy, Ravel and Satie, and other twentieth century style pieces such as The Firebird by Stravinsky, and The Pines of Rome by Respighi. I like how Stravinsky incorporates dissonance along with elements of romantic music, how Respighi uses unique harmonies and techniques and how impressionistic composers can create beautiful atmospheres with their choice of chords rather than melodies.

    What excites you the most about the idea of composing your own music?

    I have been transcribing music for a few years now and am excited to test my ability by creating my own. I think it is cool to make music that will last forever and to imagine how people in the future will react to it.

  • Judson West

    How old are you?

    11 Years Old

    What instrument(s) do you play? How did you become interested in your instrument?

    Viola. It was a random choice, but now I love it.

    What music have you been listening to on repeat recently?

    The Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack.

    What excites you the most about the idea of composing your own music?

    The fact that I get to make my own music instead of following the notes in a certain order. I love the idea of making up my own things.

  • Gianna Cruz

    How old are you?

    I am currently 13 years old but will be fourteen in 2 months.

    What instrument(s) do you play? How did you become interested in your instrument?

    I have been playing the flute for three years and have just started playing the alto saxophone recently.

    What music have you been listening to on repeat recently?

    I am currently involved in many different groups, so I usually listen to all the songs I play so I can get familiar with the pieces.

    What excites you the most about the idea of composing your own music?

    I am very excited to start composing my own music! What I am most excited about is being able to make music that is fun but also challenging to play!

  • Felix Gary

    How old are you?

    11 in fifth grade

    What instrument(s) do you play? How did you become interested in your instrument?

    Violin. At school there were a few different instruments to pick and I picked violin because it plays high notes.

    What music have you been listening to on repeat recently?

    I like to listen to nature sounds mixed with music when I'm falling asleep at night.

    What excites you the most about the idea of composing your own music?

    I don't know a lot about composing yet, but I'm excited to make a new song. I like to learn how music works.