Elementary and Middle School Students… Have you ever dreamed of composing a piece of music to be performed by a live symphony orchestra? Here’s your chance!

The Grand Junction Symphony Guild’s Crystal Baton Composition Competition is a unique opportunity for elementary and middle school students to compose a simple melody line that will be arranged, orchestrated, and then performed by the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra (GJSO).

Melodies should be between 16 and 64 measures in length, be clearly notated, and can be submitted either handwritten on staff paper or composed with computer-aided notation software.

Entries can be submitted online at GJSO.org/education/crystalbaton or a PDF form can be downloaded from the website.

Entries must be received by or delivered to the GJSO office at 414 Main Street by Friday, March 26th.

Selection of the winning entry will be made by a panel of local music professionals. The winning student will be notified by Friday, March 29th. They will receive a hand-blown crystal baton, a bound copy of the conductor’s score, and their piece will be performed at the GJSO’s Metamorphosis concerts on Saturday, April 6th at 7:30pm and Sunday, April 7th at 3:00pm. Both concerts will be held at the Avalon Theatre.

For more information, please contact the GJSO office at 970.243.6787.

The Crystal Baton Composition Competition began in 2009 and has been supported by the Grand Junction Symphony Guild since its inception.