skip to Main Content

Dates

Registration Deadline: Fri. Oct 6, 2023

REGISTER

Oct 16, 2023, 4-6 pm: First Composition Session with FAME Composer-In-Residence, Troy Webdell 

Oct 18, 2023, 4-6 pm: Second Composition Session

Mar 15, 2024, 6 pm: Rehearsal of Concert, Grand Wayne Center

Mar 16, 2024 5 pm: Premiere Performance, Grand Wayne Center

Composition Project at Weisser Elementary, October 11-13,  2022

Fort Wayne FAME Composition project

Northeast Indiana area fourth and fifth grade students nominated by their music teachers participate as FAMEous Student Composers and collaborate with FAME’s Composers-in-Residence Troy Webdell.

During composition and “composium” sessions in October, the FAMEous Composers will utilize a music composition and notation app called Noteflight, along with music technology workstations to compose their own Musical Signature Compositions then, creatively collaborate with Mr. Webdell about how their musical ideas would be orchestrated into a Project Composition inspired by FAME’s 2023-2024 cultural focus “Myths and Legends” of Scandinavia and the Nordic Regions.

 

This project meets education standards of  3-5 Indiana Music Education Standards (Objectives).

Project Activities (Subject to Change)

  • Fri, Oct 6, 2023:  Registration Form Deadline.

Location:  Weisser Park Arts Magnet School

902 Colerick Street

Fort Wayne, IN  46806

  • First session – Monday, Oct. 16, 4:00-6:00 PM
  • Second Session – Wednesday, Oct. 18, 4:00-6:00 PM
  • Concert Rehearsal – Friday, Mar. 15, 2024 6:00 PM,  Grand Wayne Center
  • Premiere Performance – Saturday, Mar. 16, 2024 5 pm:  FAME Celebration of Youth Concert, Grand Wayne Convention Center, Fort Wayne

To Participate

Register your students in the FAME Composition Project by completing the registration form or online registration form, or by calling FAME at (260) 247-7325.

Downloads 

About Composer-in-Residence Troy Webdell           

As a Music Educator for over 30 years, Webdell has taught and counted all levels of instrumental musicians from beginning to professional.  Most recently, he was the Director of Orchestras at Purdue University Fort Wayne and continues his role in music education as the conductor of the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Youth Orchestras.  Under his leadership, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Youth Orchestras have become the premiere orchestral experience for young musicians in Northern Indiana.  The Youth Orchestra’s 2021 performance recording of music from Zorba the Greek has been selected to be included in the official Mikis Theodorakis Archive Museum in Athens, Greece.

Additionally, Webdell had composed numerous pieces for band and orchestra, including a commission from Indiana University for music to commemorate the opening of the “Shadows & Echoes Sculpture Garden created by artist Neil Goodman.  As a conducting clinician and guest speaker, Webdell has presented clinics at the International Music and Confucianism Symposium, and the Indiana Music Educators Association (IMEA) Festivals and State conventions.

More information about the Composer-In-Residence.

The 2019-2020 Composition may be heard here.

Fort Wayne FAME Composition project

Northeast Indiana area fourth and fifth grade students nominated by their music teachers participate as FAMEous Student Composers and collaborate with FAME’s Composers-in-Residence Troy Webdell.

During composition and “composium” sessions in October, the FAMEous Composers will utilize a music composition and notation app called Noteflight, along with music technology workstations to compose their own Musical Signature Compositions then, creatively collaborate with Mr. Webdell about how their musical ideas would be orchestrated into a Project Composition inspired by FAME’s 2022-2023 cultural focus “Fables and Folklore in Eastern Europe and the Balkans”.

The FAMEous Composers access a project portfolio to complete various reflection assignments, which help to stimulate creative input and facilitate feedback for assessment during the music composition, rehearsal, and performance process.

FAME and the Fort Wayne Philharmonic’s ongoing collaboration with the Fort Wayne Ballet continue this year, as once again, the composition is being enhanced through originally choreographed dance movements created by the ballet’s Youth Company to perform as part of the composition’s Premiere Performance. The FAMEous Composers meet with the ballet’s Youth Company dancers for a pre-premiere presentation of the creative dance ideas for the composition and engage in a collaborative exchange of reflections about the dance’s artistic and thematic meanings. Each student receives a score of the music with his/her contribution highlighted.

This project meets education standards of  3-5 Indiana Music Education Standards (Objectives).

Project Activities (Subject to Change)

  • Fri, Sep 30, 2022:  FAMEous Composer Registration Form Due Date.
  • Tue, Oct 11, 2022 4:00-6:00 pm:  “Composium”/Composition session with Wendy Bloom, Project Coordinator, and FAME  Composer-in-Residence Troy Webdell, Weisser Park Elementary School.
  • Wed, Oct 12, 2022 4:00-6:00 pm:  “Composium”/Composition session with FAME  Composer-In-Residence, Troy Webdell, Weisser Park Elementary School.
  • Thu, Oct 13, 2022 4:00-6:00 pm:  “Composium”/Composition session with FAME  Composer-In-Residence, Troy Webdell, Weisser Park Elementary School.
  • Fri, Oct 14, 2022 4:00-6:00 pm:  “Composium”/Composition session with FAME  Composer-In-Residence, Troy Webdell, Weisser Park Elementary School.
  • Jan (Dates TBD) :  “Composium” Review session with FAME  Composer-in-Residence Troy Webdell, FAMEous Teachers, and Wendy Bloom, Project Coordinator
  • Sat, Mar 4, 2023 5:00 pm: Creative Dance Collaboration Session with Fort Wayne Ballet Youth Company, Fort Wayne Ballet Center, Auer Center for the Performing Arts, 300 W. Main St, Fort Wayne.
  • Fri, Mar 10, 2023: Rehearsal for Celebration of Youth Concert at the Grand Wayne Center at the Convention Hall.
  • Sat, Mar 11, 2023 10-11 am: Final Composition Project Session, Holding Room E
  • Sat, March 11, 2022 5 pm: FAMEous Composer Recognition Ceremony and Composition’s Dance Premiere Presentation by the FW Ballet Youth Company, Grand Wayne Convention Center, Fort Wayne,

To Participate

Register your students in the FAME Composition Project by completing the online registration form, by emailing FAME at info@famearts.org, or by calling (260) 247-7325.

New Downloads

Revised Project Events Schedule

Revised Project Invitation Letter

 

Downloads

About Composer-in-Residence Troy Webdell           

Troy Webdell is the Youth Education and Family Concert Conductor for the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, the Music Director, and Conductor of South Shore Orchestra in Valparaiso, Indiana, and the Artistic Director of American Confucian Arts worldwide. American born and trained, Webdell continues to enthrall audiences with his ability to connect people through his eloquent conducting and the language of music. His innovative programming and balance between contemporary music, world music, and the standard orchestral repertoire has created a welcomed niche in the world of classical music.

Maestro Webdell’s interest in classical music and culture has impelled him to travel the world, including conducting orchestral concerts throughout China in renown concert halls in over 40 major cities such as Beijing, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Nanjing, Yangzhou, Ningbo, Jiaxing, Shaoxing, Quanzhou, Fuzhou, Cixi, and Zhengzhou, where his interpretations of the Chinese classical music repertoire have been received with critical acclaim. In 2015, Webdell was awarded the “Global Harmony Through Music” award from the Confucius Institute (Beijing) for his work and dedication to create cultural understanding and acceptance through music. In 2018, Webdell was invited to conduct the inaugural concert at the grand opening of the Ulanhot Grand Theatre in Ulanhot, Inner Mongolia. His orchestral concerts have been nationally televised and broadcast on CCTV throughout China and on PBS in the USA.

 

The 2019-2020 Composition may be heard here.

The 2019-2020 Composition may be heard here.

 

Fort Wayne FAME Composition project

Northeast Indiana area fourth and fifth grade students nominated by their music teachers participate as FAMEous Student Composers and collaborate with FAME’s Composers-in-Residence Kent Klee.

During composition and “composium” sessions in October, the FAMEous Composers will utilize a music composition and notation app called Noteflight, along with music technology workstations to compose their own Musical Signature Compositions then, creatively collaborate with Mr. Klee about how their musical ideas would be orchestrated into a Project Composition inspired by FAME’s 2021-2022 cultural focus “Jazz Age in North America”.

The FAMEous Composers access a project portfolio to complete various reflection assignments, which help to stimulate creative input and facilitate feedback for assessment during the music composition, rehearsal, and performance process.

FAME and the Fort Wayne Philharmonic’s ongoing collaboration with the Fort Wayne Ballet continue this year, as once again, the composition is being enhanced through originally choreographed dance movements created by the ballet’s Youth Company to perform as part of the composition’s Premiere Performance. The FAMEous Composers meet with the ballet’s Youth Company dancers for a pre-premiere presentation of the creative dance ideas for the composition and engage in a collaborative exchange of reflections about the dance’s artistic and thematic meanings. Each student receives a score of the music with his/her contribution highlighted.

This project meets education standards of  3-5 Indiana Music Education Standards (Objectives).

Project Activities (Subject to Change)

  • Fri, Oct 8, 2021:  FAMEous Composer Registration Form Due Date.
  • Tue, Oct 19, 2021 4:00-6:00 pm:  “Composium”/Composition session with Wendy Bloom, Project Coordinator, and FAME  Composer-in-Residence Paul Klee, Weisser Park Elementary School.
  • Wed, Oct 20, 2021 4:00-6:00 pm:  “Composium”/Composition session with FAME  Composer-In-Residence, Kent Klee, Weisser Park Elementary School.
  • Thu, Oct 21, 2021 4:00-6:00 pm:  “Composium”/Composition session with FAME  Composer-In-Residence, Paul Klee, Weisser Park Elementary School.
  • Jan-Feb, 2022 (Dates TBD) :  “Composium”/Zoom session with FAME  Composer-in-Residence Kent Klee, FAMEous Teachers, and Wendy Bloom, Project Coordinator
  • Mon, Jan 10, 2022:  Project Composition Score, and Digital Audio File sent FAME Composer-In-Residence, Kent Klee, Kent Klee to FAMEous Coordinator, FAMEous Teachers, FW Philharmonic Youth Symphony Director, FW Ballet Youth Company Director and FAME Office.
  • Sat, March 5, 2022 (Date TBD):  FAMEous Composers and Parents Creative Dance Collaboration Session with Fort Wayne Ballet Youth Company, Fort Wayne Ballet Studion at the Auer Center
  • Thu, March 17, 2022, 6 pm:  FW Philharmonic Youth Symphony, FW Ballet Youth Company, FW Children’s Choir Rehearsal, Anthony Wayne Ballroom, Grand Wayne Convention Center.  Please Note: FAMEous Composers NOT in attendance.
  • Sat, March 19, 2022, 10-11 am:  FAMEous Composers and Parents, Final “Composium” session with FAMEous Comoser-In-Residence, Kent Klee, Room Jefferson C, Grand Wayne Convention Center
  • Sun, March 20,2022, 3 pm:  Open Mini-Rehearsal, Anthony Wayne Ballroom, Grand Wayne Convention Center.
  • Sun, March 20,2022, 4 pm:  FAMEous Composer, FAMEous Parents, FAMEous Teachers, FAMEous Principals Reception, Room Jefferson C, Grand Wayne Center.
  • Sun, March 20,2022, Sunday, 5 pm: Project Composition Premiere Performance at the FAME/“Celebration of Youth Concert”, Anthony Wayne Ballroom, Grand Wayne Convention Center

To Participate

Register your students in the FAME Composition Project by completing the online registration form, by emailing FAME at info@famearts.org, or by calling (260) 247-7325.

Downloads

Composition Project Resources

About Composer-in-Residence Kent Klee             

Kent Klee is an award winning composer, arranger, performer, and educator. He attended the University of North Texas where he studied with legendary Jazz drummer Ed Soph. He graduated from IPFW with a bachelor degree in Music Performance. He completed his post Graduate work with a master’s degree in Music Performance from Ball State University. He has taught at both the University of Notre Dame and Ball State University. He has been the director of percussion at Homestead High School for 27 years.

As a composer/arranger and teacher, Kent has won 8 Indiana Marching Band State Championships, and 1 W.G.I. National Championship. He has taught percussion at over 40 High School Band programs, and has taught hundreds of Private Students.  He is Adjunct Professor at PFW.

Composition Project: Wabash

Time table:

  • TBD : Registration forms due to Judy Ward
  • Fall, TBD: Sessions with Composer in Residence
  • March 19, 2022: Premiere performance at Honeywell Center

The 2019 Composer-in-Residence for the Wabash Composition Project was Dr. Chris Lessly from Indiana Wesleyan University.  This year’s composer will be announced later. The composition will be premiered at the annual FAME Festival in March at the Celebration of Youth Concert on Saturday afternoon.

To Participate

Register your students in the FAME Composition Project by completing the online registration form, by emailing FAME at judyw9538@gmail.com or by calling (260) 571 2279.

October 21, 2019–
March 15, 2020

REGISTER
Students Write Music On Computers For The Composition Project
Students Write Music On Computers For The Composition Project

Students write music on computers for the Composition Project

Students Share Ideas While Writing Music For The Composition Project

Students share ideas while writing music for the Composition Project

Students In FAME's Composition Program Pose For Picture

Students in FAME's Composition Program pose for picture

David Crowe Teaches Students About Music Composition

David Crowe teaches students about music composition

David Crowe And The FAMEous Composers

David Crowe and the FAMEous Composers

About the project

Northeast Indiana area fourth grade students nominated by their music teachers participate as FAMEous Student Composers and collaborate with FAME’s Composers-in-Residence David Crowe for Fort Wayne and a guest composer for Wabash to create a musical composition.

During the music composition and “composium” sessions, the FAMEous Composers compose, notate, and orchestrate their very own musical signature compositions, then creatively collaborate with their Composer-in-Residence about how their musical ideas are to be orchestrated into the project composition. The Composers-in-Residence orchestrate the student composers’ musical ideas into a symphonic piece themed in conjunction with FAME’s yearly cultural focus.

Each student receives a score of the music with his/her contribution highlighted. This project meets education standards of MENC: The National Association for Music Education.

Composition Project: Fort Wayne

Time table:

  • October 4, 2019 by 4 pm: Registration forms due to the FAME office
  • October 21-24, 2019, 4–6 pm: Composition and “Composium” sessions with Composer-in-residence David Crowe at Haley Elementary School
  • October 24, 2019, 4–6 pm: “Creative Dance” session at Haley Elementary with Fort Wayne Ballet Youth Company Director Lauren Ettensohn
  • February 29, 2020, Saturday, 1–2 pm: “Creative Dance” session at Fort Wayne Ballet Studio
  • March 14, 2020,  Saturday, 10–11 am: Final “Composium” session, holding room E, Grand Wayne Center
  • March 15, 2020, Sunday, 1:30 pm: Rehearsal (location TBD)
  • March 15, 2020, Sunday, 3 pm: Celebration of Youth Concert featuring Premiere Performance of Composition Project and Fusion of Concert Colors art (location TBD)

David Crowe is this year’s Composer-in-Residence for the Fort Wayne Composition Project. The composition will be premiered at the annual FAME Festival in March at the Celebration of Youth Concert on Sunday afternoon by the Fort Wayne Philharmonic Youth Symphony and Concert Orchestras along with an originally choreographed work to the composition by the Fort Wayne Ballet Youth Company.

Each student receives a score of the music with his/her contribution highlighted. This project meets education standards of MENC: The National Association for Music Education.

To Participate

Register your school in the FAME Composition Project by completing the online registration form, by emailing FAME at info@famearts.org, or by calling (260) 247-7325. School membership is required.

Downloads

Composition Project: Wabash

Time table:

  • Sept. TBD, 2019: Registration forms due to Judy Ward
  • Fall, 2019: Sessions with Composer in Residence
  • March 21, 2020: Premiere performance at Honeywell Center

Last year’s Composer-in-Residence for the Wabash Composition Project was Dr. Chris Lessly from Indiana Wesleyan University.  This year’s composer will be announced later. The composition will be premiered at the annual FAME Festival in April at the Celebration of Youth Concert on Saturday afternoon.

To Participate

Register your school in the FAME Composition Project by completing the online registration form, by emailing FAME at judyw9538@gmail.com or by calling (260) 571 2279.  School membership is required.

Back To Top