Winners of 2015 Carol Klose/Hal Leonard Composition Competition Announced
MILWAUKEE - Hal Leonard Corporation proudly announced the winners of the second annual Carol Klose/Hal Leonard Composition Competition.
Hal Leonard, the world's largest publisher of songbooks and music educational materials, created this online student piano composition competition in honor of Carol Klose (1945-2013), a popular piano teacher and prolific Hal Leonard composer. The purpose of the competition is to encourage the creative musical spirit that Carol always fostered, by giving piano students a platform to compose, perform and share their original pieces.
Nearly 200 contestants created original compositions and submitted YouTube videos of their performances in the competition's three age categories: Junior Composer (ages 12 and under); Teen Composer (ages 13-18); and Collegiate Composer (ages 19-23). They vied for prizes of generous Hal Leonard gift certificates. The collegiate winner, Pamela Cioroch, will also have her piece published as sheet music in the Hal Leonard Student Piano Library Showcase Solos series. The complete list of winners is attached and their performances of their pieces are posted at
this YouTube channel.
Larry Morton, president of Hal Leonard and one of this year's judges, states, "I was impressed by the level of talent from all the age levels in this year's contest. Piano teachers can certainly be proud of the work they've done to help these kids become such talented and ambitious musicians. We love that this competition keeps Carol's passion for encouraging kids' creativity alive."
Details of the 2016 Carol Klose/Hal Leonard Composition Competition will be posted at
www.halleonard.com/klosecompetition.
2015 Carol Klose/Hal Leonard Composition Competition Winners
JUNIOR COMPOSER
(Ages 12 & under)
GOLD
ADAM KULJU
Markham, Ontario
Composition: Flying High
Piano Teacher: Michael Esch
SILVER
WINSTON SCHNEIDER
Omaha, Nebraska
Composition: Attack of the Jabberwock
Composition Teacher: Ken Meints
BRONZE
MARILYN FAY GANS
Batavia, Illinois
Composition: Driplets
Piano Teacher: Carol Hoepe
HONORABLE MENTION
ALYSA ENGLEHARDT
Pinecrest, Florida
Composition: Tango Moderno
Piano Teacher: Cynthia Chun Kam
TEEN COMPOSER
(Ages 13-18)
GOLD
MICHAEL BANWARTH
Dubuque, Iowa
Composition: A Spring Morning
Piano Teacher: Sharon Jensen
SILVER
WALTER THOMAS-PATTERSON
O'Fallon, Illinois
Composition: Circus Suite
Piano Teacher: Amy Jo Sawyer
BRONZE
JOSHUA YANG
Burnaby, British Columbia
Composition: Release
Piano Teacher: Daniel Mahlberg
HONORABLE MENTION
MICAH LEARY
Eden, New York
Composition: Starlight Escape
Piano Teacher: Lois Jones
COLLEGIATE COMPOSER
(Ages 19-23)
GOLD
PAMELA CIOROCH
Tiny, Ontario
Composition: Tobermory Toccata
School: Joyful Sounds Music Studio
Piano Teacher: Cheryl Graham
SILVER
BENJAMIN HOLLOWAY
Temple Terrace, Florida
Composition: Café au lait
School: Florida College
Piano Teacher: Becky Barlar
BRONZE
JESSE LINCOLN DUNN
Wheaton, Illinois
Composition: The Life of an Intel Processor
School: Wheaton College
Piano Teacher: Dr. Aaron Stampfl
HONORABLE MENTION
NATHAN CHEUNG
Pleasanton, California
Composition: Whirling Wombat Waltz
School: Eastman School of Music
Piano Teacher: Nelita True