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Wednesday, January 25, 2012

HARMONIUM SPONSORS 15TH ANNUAL STUDENT CHORAL COMPOSITION CONTEST

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15th Annual New Jersey High School Student Choral Composition Contest

The contest is open to all students enrolled in grades nine through twelve in any public or private school in the State of New Jersey. It is also open to all students who are legal residents of New Jersey participating in home schooling at the high school level.

Harmonium invites eligible students to submit their original choral compositions no later than March 5, 2012. Compositions must be five minutes or less in length and based on Psalm 121 or selected texts from works by 19th Century English poets. To view a list of texts, guidelines and additional contest materials, visit http://harmonium.org/contest.shtml or contact entry coordinator Marty Sedek at ccc@harmonium.org.

2011 Winners, SponsorsA panel of judges consisting of professional musicians, composers and music educators will select the winning compositions. The Grand Prize winner will receive a cash prize of $1,000 and $250 will be awarded to a runner-up. In addition, the sponsoring teachers of the winning student composers will receive a monetary award. This year's winners will be notified by late March or early April. Above: 2011 New Jersey High School Student Choral Composition Contest Winners and Sponsors From left to right: Ken Hess, Department Head of Music Education, Performing and Visual Arts at New Providence High School; Tim Laciano, the 2011 Grand Prize Winner, New Providence High School; Second Prize Winner J. Eric Roper, New Providence High School; Susan Kirkland, Director of Vocal Music, New Providence High School.

The winning composition will be performed and recorded live during Harmonium's spring concert From the Mountains to the Sea. To celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the High School Student Composition Contest, Harmonium is commissioning a suite featuring past winners. The concert also will present an electic selection of works by Schutz, Chen Yi, Billings and many more. From the Mountains to the Sea will be presented at 7:30 PM Saturday, June 2 and Sunday, June 3, 2012, Grace Church, Madison, N.J. 

In 2009 Harmonium received national recognition by winning the Chorus America Education and Outreach Award. One significant factor cited for presenting Harmonium with the award was its sponsorship of the New Jersey High School Student Choral Composition Contest.

Harmonium needs sponsors to support the high school choral composition contest. Please see From the Mountains to the Sea or send contributions by mail to Harmonium Choral Society, P.O. Box 1317, Morristown, NJ 07962-1317. Or call 973.538.6969 for more information.