Music & Arts announces the next phase of Project Imagine, a commissioned composition project aimed at providing underserved music programs the opportunity to perform high-quality pieces entirely free of charge. This program features a series of compositions (classified as grade/difficulty level 2-3 out of 5) intended for middle school and high school ensembles. Each piece is accompanied by optional rehearsal suggestions / tips and social-emotional learning curricula, creating a comprehensive nine-week thematic instructional unit that will create a memorable experience for directors and their students.
Following on the heels of the series’ first piece, Kelijah Dunton’s band work Color in the Grey, and the second piece, Victor C. Johnson’s choral work Awake, My Soul!, the third piece will be an orchestral work created by conductor and composer Soo Han. As Director of Orchestras at the Baldwin Conservatory, Soo Han is among the most preeminent voices in string education and serves as a contributing author for Hal Leonard’s Essential Elements for Strings. Han promises to bring not only his 25-plus years of pedagogical expertise to the work, but his cultural heritage as well. The composition is currently under development and will be ready at the start of the 2023/24 academic year.
Scott Lang, Music & Arts Director of Advocacy, remarks, “Issues related to access and inclusivity in music education are at the forefront of our profession. In designing Project Imagine, we wanted to do so in a meaningful, practical and scalable way. Our vision was simple: bring the best composers, with the best curricula, to the most deserving of programs, free of charge. In that respect, Project Imagine has exceeded our every expectation.
The first work created for Project Imagine, Kelijah Dunton’s Color in the Grey, is a gorgeous piece, accessible to middle school and high school ensembles, and it was premiered at the 2022 Midwest Clinic. The second release, Awake, My Soul!, is a choral work written by Victor C. Johnson that joyfully celebrates the creation and the wonders of imagination. Featuring soaring vocal lines, cool, contemporary harmonies, and a driving piano accompaniment, this piece sizzles with festive energy.
Brian Wilson, Music & Arts Vice President, School Services, remarks, “With Project Imagine, we are doing more than creating opportunities for programs and students in need, we are building and implementing a model that can serve as a blueprint for the future. This is something I am personally proud to be associated with and involved in.”
To learn more about Music & Arts and Project Imagine, visit MusicArts.com/cms/project-imagine.
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