Young Composers Initiative

OMEA Young Composers Initiative (OMEAYCI) Call for Submissions

The OMEA Young Composers Initiative was created in 2019 to encourage, foster, and promote musical creativity across Ohio’s young music students. Each year, we invite young composers ages 13-20 to submit compositions for a featured ensemble. The submissions are judged by the YCI board, a group of professional composers teaching in higher education programs around the state. 

The OMEAYCI invites submissions for its fourth Young Composers Initiative Composition Competition Concert at the OMEA PDC on Saturday, February 3, 2024. The concert will feature three young composers presenting their original compositions for 2-4 saxophones as performed by the Nexus Saxophone Quartet, an ensemble consisting of veteran music educators and performers from Central Ohio.  Students will receive valuable comments, feedback, and suggestions from the performers as well as from OMEA YCI board members on their scores. Prior to the event, winning composers will have the opportunity to receive virtual lessons on their scores from YCI board members. The OMEA YCI board is Dr. Jennifer Merkowitz, chair (Otterbein University), Dr. Marc Ainger (Ohio State University), Dr. Robert McClure (Ohio University), Dr. Marilyn Shrude (Bowling Green State University), and Dr. Aurie Hsu (Oberlin Conservatory).

For more information about the Nexus Saxophone Quartet, please visit www.nexussaxquartet.com.

To see the details of the call for submissions, please visit the YCI website. Applications must be submitted by an OMEA member sponsor through the OMEA portal by October 15, 2023. Any questions can be directed to Dr. Jennifer Merkowitz (jmerkowitz@otterbein.edu).