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, the FAMEous Composers will utilize a music composition and notation appication, 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 cultural theme for the year.
This project meets education standards of 3-5 Indiana Music Education Standards (Objectives).
Project Activities
- November 2 – 4, 2026: Students create original music with Composer -in – Residence, Troy Webdell (PFW Music School)
- March 13, 2027 at 5pm: Music is performed by Fort Wayne Youth Symphony at the Celebration of Youth Concert (Grand Wayne Center)
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.