Update for Violettes Youth Songwriting Contest and Composition Competition for ages 10 thru 17.

Written by Becky Chaffee
Published: November 10, 2014 at 2:59 AM [UTC]

To all who have music students: I am not a professional musician, but I am all about creativity of any kind. A couple of my son's music teachers gave him assignments to make up songs. Over ten years later, these assignments still stand out in our memories out of 12 years of music lessons. One assignment was to obtain a picture, whether he drew it himself or cut it out of a magazine (He drew a picture of a golfer on a magazine photograph of the moon), then to record himself playing a song about the picture. When he was older, he was given a poem, and told to make up the music to it for the elementary dance troupe to dance to it. No matter what level the children are on, this is a fun exercise and an alternative use of the music brain.

Violettes would like to see more entries in the Songwriter Contest. Have your students write a poem about themselves, then set it to tune. They can be mentored a little. If they are not comfortable singing the song for the you tube or MP-3 entry, they can have a friend sing it for the submission. If they can't afford the $10 entry fee, the fee can be waived.

For complete Guidelines and Prizes for the Violettes by Becky Youth Composition and Songwriter Competition see:
Competition Guidelines and Prizes

You are welcome to sign the student up now, and pay when you submit just in case the effort never gets finished.

I have tried my own hand at it, and find that setting the poem to music really rough, but I learned something about what is easier and harder to set to tune. In the end, I was too wordy, and have created a ballad. I admit, I passed it onto my musician brother to set to tune. I am excitedly waiting to see the results. Joint efforts are welcome as long as the students are in the same age category, and they are willing to split any prize they may win.

Please share news of the competition to help pass on the opportunity.

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