My name is Brissa Arredondo, I am in 7th grade at Gallego Fine Arts Middle School. This is my first year at YCP. I have played the violin since I was three years old. I am familiar with the orchestra as I play in my school’s orchestra, but I also play the violin in a mariachi group called Los Changuitos Feos de Tucson AZ. I also play the trumpet in my school’s concert band, and do track for sports. I love singing, I think that’s my future plan. Thank you!

“Allegro in G Major” was inspired by a happy and energetic feeling, like a bright, sunny day. The fast tempo makes the music feel lively and full of movement. I imagined the instruments talking to each other, like a busy city, or a group of friends talking. The music is meant to sound joyful, playful, and exciting. Overall, it shows how music can feel like movement and happiness all at once.

Liam Dooley is a 6th grader at Orange Grove Middle School. It is his first year with YCP. He has been playing the cello for 3 years with his school’s orchestra.

His final composition project is titled Vampiric Counsel. When he wrote this song he had in mind a dark theme that could relate to a game about vampires. He enjoyed composing it and he hopes you enjoy listening to it.

Daniel Gralla is 11 years old, in sixth grade, and has just started the Young Composers Project this year. He has been composing since he was five, and also plays the violin and piano. Daniel also sings soprano with the Helios Ensemble and will do anything in his power to sing more. His other interests include math, airplanes, distance running, and various games like Minecraft, chess, and Magic: The Gathering.

This piece, “Quartet in G Minor,” is special because it is the first string quartet I composed, and is by far the longest piece I have ever written. Although it was not inspired by anything in particular, I found that it expresses my intense personality, in that the mood changes quite quickly. One of my favorite sections of the piece is when the first violin plays extremely high above all the others, and then I bring this melody back in the development and recapitulation. There are many different chord progressions and sequences to look out for, and I might have made the piece even longer if I had the time.

This is my first year in YCP and my first year composing music. I’ve also been learning music theory and composition with my piano instructor, which has helped me grow as a musician. I’ve participated in choir, played cello in orchestra, and currently play percussion in band, along with piano as a hobby. In the future, I’m interested in composing music for movies and video games.

I wrote Intense Season because I’m inspired by the weather and the Tucson monsoons. I love the stormy weather and wanted to write a piece that matched that energy. I really like the piece and I hope others do too.

Isaiah is an 8-year-old third grader at Pusch Ridge Christian Academy and a proud participant in the Young Composers Program with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. In his first year of composing, he is thrilled to hear his original piece brought to life. His love for music began through his school’s mariachi program and singing in his church choir, where he discovered both joy and curiosity in musical expression. These experiences have inspired him to explore how music is created and shared. Beyond music, Isaiah has a strong passion for math and enjoys tackling new challenges and ideas. In his free time, he loves playing basketball and soccer, reading, and building Lego.

I wrote this piece by trying out different musical ideas and seeing what sounded good. I just liked experimenting with the instruments and making new sounds. As I kept writing, I changed little ideas to make them more interesting. I had fun creating this piece and seeing where the music would go.

Eliana Johnson (11) is in sixth grade and has played the piano for six or seven years. This is her first year of TSO Young Composers Project. She has written the piece Monsoon inspired by the monsoon season. Eliana enjoys playing piano and dance, and she hopes to make pieces for herself in the future.

I have composed the piece Monsoon after the monsoon season. I just love being able to sit on the couch and listen to the rain and wind. It was difficult to write my C section, since I had used most of my ideas by then. Also, listen out for the pizzicato in the viola solo.

Nahum Johnson is a sophomore in high school. He has played the piano for longer than some of these kids have been alive. He is 15 and in his first year of the Young Composers Project. His magnum opus is Primo in C, named in this manner since it is the first composition he has actually put time into. He hopes you notice all of the cramming he did on Thursdays, right before the weekly deadline for additions to his piece.

I was inspired to write Primo in C out of necessity for YCP. I’d like you to notice the quality of the piece improving as it is played, culminating in an actually decent piece of music at the end. I decided to put my piece in ternary form, since it follows an easy to write ABA format which I desperately needed. I hope you notice the shared melodies of the beginning and the end of the piece. It was challenging to fix cluttered parts of my piece, so I honestly believe my ears eventually tuned out the terribleness of those parts to trick my brain into thinking that I am good at composing.

Joel Kikuchi is a 10-year-old fifth grader at Lineweaver Elementary. He plays piano, recorder, violin, and clarinet. This is his first year in the TSO Young Composers Project, but it has been a fun experience for him. His piece is called The Cyclone: Always in Motion because it is always changing throughout the entire piece. Outside of music, his hobbies include reading, algebra, and playing Dungeons and Dragons. He also likes to play soccer. Joel would like to be an architect when he grows up because he thinks that it would be fun to design buildings that people would live in.

I composed The Cyclone to be the culmination of all my work over this year of YCP. It is many of the pieces that I have created this year put together into one whole piece by different transitions and connectors. It was an easy choice to decide on the form of my piece because I thought that Rondo form was the coolest by far and away. I think that everybody will love the viola solos about 1½ minutes into the piece—so look out for it!

Atlas Lazos (8) is a third-grade student at Manzanita Elementary School. He studies piano as his primary instrument and also enjoys playing the drums. Drawn to both the energy of rock music and the expressive depth of classical piano, Atlas loves to explore a wide variety of musical styles. This year marks his first participation in the Young Composers Program at the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. His piece, The Wandering Wolf, is inspired by the dramatic tension of a lone wolf wandering for prey. He hopes that one day he will play the piano with the same skill and passion as piano grandmasters.

The Wandering Wolf is inspired by the dramatic solitude of a lone wolf on the hunt. The music moves from the quiet delicate tiptoeing along the forest trees to the dramatic tension between the hunter and the helpless prey during the hunt. It portrays the wolf’s powerful nature and the finality of the prey’s fate in a parallel dance for survival.

I am Olive Melillo and I’m eleven years old. I go to Wakefield Middle School and this is my first year in YCP. I’ve studied piano, but now I am focusing on violin. I am also a member of Mariachi Los Caballeros at Wakefield Middle School, and I am inspired by the Cape Breton fiddle style because I spend my summers in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. I am a rock climber and love being outside. I also like writing stories, and I want to become a climate change activist. I’ve enjoyed the program this year and I’d like to keep composing.

I was first inspired by a recurrent melody in a Charlie Chaplin film called A Dog’s Life. I have used part of that melody in the opening of my own piece, as well as in the middle section, and in the part for solo violin at the end. I named my piece Mahpiohanzia, a new word I learned that means “the sadness or frustration of not being able to fly.” I liked the word, and when I listened to my piece I felt like my piece was almost flying, but then falling back down over and over. In the end, the violin 1 part sounded like it was lamenting, because it couldn’t fly. Mahpiohanzia matched my piece perfectly.

Liesl Menke (9) is a first year TSO Young Composer who has been playing cello for two years with Ms. Alice Vierra and piano for one with Ms. Rebecca Frericks. Before moving to Arizona and discovering her true love—the cello—Liesl played violin for three years in North Carolina with Ms. Heather Spiel. When she is not playing or composing music, Liesl enjoys practicing Taekwondo, gymnastics, attending Cub Scouts, drawing, riding horses, and spending time with her family.

I was inspired to write this piece after hearing a song in my dad’s car that used pizzicato as a rhythmic base. Tanz des Drachen means “Dance of the Dragon” in German. I have been learning German and ASL over the past year and felt the title sounded like it was about a stronger dragon in German. I wanted the music to follow the dancing flight of the dragon into a golden sky and beyond the clouds ending on one final note as the dragon gently lands.

Lincoln John Pangburn (15) is an 8th grade composer, and has been in the Tucson Symphony Orchestra’s Young Composers Project for two years. He currently attends Cross Middle School, where he plays percussion with his school band under Mr. Edelbrock, and he plans on going to Canyon Del Oro for High School. Some of Lincoln’s favorite composers include Tchaikovsky, Johann Strauss, Khachaturian, Chopin, Mozart, Beethoven, Johann Sebastian Bach, and various Russian and German military composers. Outside of classical music, he listens to “Like It’s Christmas” by the Jonas Brothers, “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” by Andy Williams, “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby, and “Last Christmas (Pudding Mix)” by Wham!. Some of Lincoln’s favorite hobbies outside of music include building Lego, swimming, and watching Russian Military parades. Lincoln also enjoys researching airplanes and Illinois Windmills.

Lincoln loves watching military parades and was inspired to write Victory Day Parade 2024 by his passion for these parades.

Ellis Powell (11) is a fifth grader at Davis-Romero Elementary School. This is his first year in the Young Composers Project. He plays violin in the Davis mariachi group (Las Aguilitas), and he also plays piano. He takes piano lessons in the school of music at the University of Arizona. In his free time, he likes to do Lego, play music, and play Minecraft with his friends and his younger brother, Marlon.

His piece, Moonlit Lake, is a mix of mariachi rhythms and classical music. The reason he chose the name is because the piece sounds like rippling water, due to an effect in the Violin 1 and 2.

Isaac Ballesteros is a 9th grader at Rincon High School. Isaac’s main instrument is violin, and he plays several other instruments such as guitar, piano, bass, and drum set. This year is Isaac’s second year doing the Young Composers Program. Isaac is involved with his school orchestra and has performed in 4 quartets at the Southwest String Quartet Camp. While he was in 8th grade, Isaac performed a violin solo in Irish Legend by Soon Hee Newbold, and was first stand in the TUSD Middle School Honors Orchestra in 7th & 8th grade. In addition to composing music and playing instruments, Isaac also enjoys doing computer programming and mountain biking.

My piece, Trefoil Confluence is a combination of 3 distinct themes I’ve made over the past year. Trefoil Confluence has many small and large callbacks to different pieces I’ve made, and pieces that I enjoy. I’m really happy with it, as it’s a departure from my normal, more “repetitive” style. I really wanted to compose something that had very contrasting parts without sounding disconnected, and I think I’ve achieved that!

Graham Cooper is an 8th grade student attending Orange Grove Middle School. He plays viola and is currently in the Tucson Philharmonia Youth Orchestra. He was also recently 1st chair violist at the All-State Junior High Orchestra. He is currently planning to attend Catalina Foothills High School, taking courses in music and engineering. He’s been in YCP for 2 years, studying composition and chamber ensembles. While he prefers composing for strings, he also enjoys composing for winds, brass, and percussion as well.

I got inspiration for Dirigible Sketches from a previous YCP assignment. The assignment required an oboe solo with a piano accompaniment. In an attempt to add color to the piece, I experimented with raising the third of the originally minor scale. This raised third, known as a Picardy Third, created a unique sound and color I really enjoyed. I used this to create this wind quintet’s main sections, everything else seemed to fall into place after that.

Carter Ferrell is a 17-year-old vocalist, composer, and beginner pianist. This is his first year in the TSO YCP. He started composing in his junior year of high school, learning through online resources, peer feedback, and prior knowledge. Ferrell wrote his first piece for his high school choir during the fall of ’25. The piece titled, “Vitae Lux,” was performed twice during the summer of ’26, once at the Nashville Heritage Festival competition where the choir won Gold, and was then performed at Catalina Foothills High School. Ferrell plans to attend the University of Arizona to major in Music Education and possibly minor in composition, in order to help people find their purpose through music. He also enjoys spending time singing in choir and playing video games.

Fleeting Moments was inspired by video games soundtracks like Zelda, Animal Crossing, and Hollow Knight. I had wanted to write a piece that felt like an excursion through a beautiful forest, with lakes, fairies, and lush greenery. However, I also felt as though the journey through this forest was similar to my high school experience: in a unique kind of way. Something short, a moment that passes too quickly even though it is so enjoyable. It is not meant to be super philosophical, it just strikes that place in my heart. I hope that this allows you, the listener, to hear your own purpose for what this piece might mean to you.

Cristóbal Fontes is a freshman at Rio Rico High School. His main instruments are piano and French horn. He also plays trumpet, trombone, and euphonium. This is his first year in the Young Composers Project. He wants to become a composer and conductor after college.

Lullaby of a Realistic Dream came to me in different ways. Some of it was based on a song by Billy Joel, “Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel).” Other parts were based on how I feel when trying to fall asleep. The ending was based on how I felt during a period of time when my grandmother temporarily lost her hearing. This piece may be the most personal one I have written.

Blake Longoni is a junior at Ironwood Ridge High School, and is in his first year (intermediate level) at YCP. He plays piano, bass (electric & upright), trumpet, violin, and drum kit, but is only proficient on piano and bass. With 12 years of musical experience and 5 years in his school jazz band, Longoni dreams of one day becoming a film score composer, songwriter or theatre deck engineer/audio assistant. He enjoys arranging songs and composing originals on Logic Pro. Also having written unofficial fiction novels, he loves making music that is an extension of his literary universe, bringing its characters, conflicts, and atmosphere to life through sound. Hear his piano playing at The Showcase Place on YouTube!

I’ve always appreciated Balkan/Gypsy music since I researched Romani persecution and oppression and was interested in their love of music. Having created original songs in that style, the song Ciganine Sviraj Sviraj by Predrag Živković Tozovac is the one I chose to share. I chose a brass quintet for my arrangement because Balkan music also has a love for their big brass bands like Fanfare Ciocărlia (Romania) and Goran Bregović (international). A different arrangement by the Barcelona Gipsy balKan Orchestra caught my eye, and I have loved the band ever since. Creating music in this style I feel is analogical to my fictional group of people in my novel who have suffered the same history of the Romanis; their access & love of music even when there’s a class war!

I’m Coen McKenna. I like learning music theory and composing my own music. I am currently in the 9th grade, and I play 2 instruments—piano and violin. My future plans are to do something music related, although I am not sure what.

My piece, Finale, was written more from an emotion than a specific image or scene I had in my head. It is a hard feeling to describe, which could somewhat be described as a combination of mystery and triumph. Mainly, one of the main emotions tried to connect to when writing my piece was the German term “fernweh,” which best translates to “farsickness,” describing a longing for places you’ve never been.

My name is Madeleine Reed, and I’m a senior at Catalina Foothills High School. I play the bassoon, contrabassoon, trombone, and baritone currently, and I know how to play the piano and violin as well. I got into composing because of a class at Cat Foot, Mixed Ensemble, which taught me how to write music in the first place, write music for an ensemble, and how to write good music for an ensemble, because it was a class where all the music we played was written by a student in the actual class. I want to major in astrophysics and minor in music composition, and have very frequently combined my two interests, having written several pieces about the universe and its stories. I’m at heart a storyteller, and work best when I have a narrative or purpose behind what I do. I love writing music, and I plan on doing it for the rest of my life.

I wrote The Swan and the Goose because, as a bassoonist myself, I really wanted to write a fun piece with fun techniques I rarely get to play in my own music. Bassoons are compared to geese a lot (admittedly, we bassoonists have taken that comparison and run with it, so it’s kind of our fault), and as someone who has sat through 5th grade to high school to professional oboe playing, I’ve heard the oboe sound remarkably goose-like (aka squawky) as well, and those two facts kind of cemented my idea. I wanted to embody the waddling, jerkish, pretentious, arrogant, hoity-toity attitude of an average goose and swan who’ve encountered each other in the wild. I used the double reeds’ squawking, reedy tones to bring to life a horrible, no good goose who woke up and chose mischief (and violence), while using the flute’s and clarinet’s reputation as classical, soloistic instruments to bring to life an arrogant, snobby, pompous swan who didn’t wake up choosing violence but actively chose violence as soon as it laid its eyes on the goose. And the horn was used as the ugly gosling, switching from honking notes with the double reeds to perfectly harmonizing with the flute and clarinet. All in all, I just wanted a fun piece to write that was even more fun to play, about two funny little creatures: a goose and a swan.

Noah Spears is a 16-year-old composer and music producer. Passionate about music, he finds his inspiration simply in the beauty of sound and harmony. In his free-time, Noah enjoys making video game music and playing the piano and guitar.

as the world falls apart around us, and the stars slowly fade 
we do not mourn, we do not weep 
for though the sky is rent in two, and the torrent of chaos ensues 
it is but for an instant, only to be replaced by a strange feeling of bliss 
i watch as my friends disappear into the growing darkness, and i close my eyes 
and let myself fall…

Avery Toomey is in the seventh grade at Alice Vail Middle School. Avery is in his 2nd year of the Young Composers Project. He plays the saxophone, piano, clarinet, and various others and is in his school’s symphonic and jazz bands. His hobbies include playing video games, composing music for fun, and playing and collecting instruments.

I titled this piece Alpine Quintet because it is heavily inspired by the forest and mountains. The forest and mountains are a great source of inspiration to me and most of my family. I tried to go for an alpine theme for most of the song. There are double-reed solos because I feel that most double reeds have a “forest-y” sound to them.

Ryoto is currently a homeschooled 17-year-old. His main instrument is violin and has been studying it for 10 years.

This is his sixth year in YCP and his third year as an advanced student.

In August 2024, his first symphony composed for YCP, Accordionist’s Fantasy, won first place in the inaugural László and Fran Veres Young Composers Competition held by the Foothills Philharmonic in Tucson.

Ryoto’s piece this year is his Third Symphony, 2061. The inspiration came from a vision he had of the future in the year 2061. Ryoto describes, “I saw the world recreated anew, with lush pastures and other greenery. Amidst it stood a kingdom, which its gates and walls were built out of many kinds of precious stones such as gold, silver, ruby, sapphire, and pearl, where no impurities could enter it. It was more beautiful than anything I have ever seen in the past and the present. Inside the kingdom inhabited the righteous, and it was the most peaceful city ever.”

Comfort Ching’anda is a 9th grader at University High School and a cellist of four years, currently studying with Isabel Burgos-DeStephanis. This is his second year participating in the Young Composers Project and his first time writing an orchestral piece. Over the years, he has performed in several honors ensembles across Arizona and New Mexico, earning first stand in both the APS 7th Grade Honors Orchestra and the TUSD 8th Grade Honors Orchestra. He currently serves as principal cellist of RUHS’s Concert Strings orchestra. Aside from music, Comfort enjoys rock climbing, photography, and building computers.

During the conceptualization of Imperatives, I had many ideas rush to mind, but there were a few key ideas I had to include. These include a swift, light opening theme, a slower section with a harp solo and extended harmonies, and a swirling harmonic texture in the cellos. This culminates in a development section where previous themes appear in new environments, ending with the slow theme in a bossa-like style.

Hey, my name is Malcolm. And I really like to play video games. I also really like music! I’ve been in the TSO YCP for about 3 years now, and each time as made me a better composer. I go to the Flowing Wells High School and am in 9th grade. I hope one day I can become a professional doctor (because I’m really interested in science and dentistry. Also they get good pay.)

I didn’t really have an inspiration for A Knight’s Tale. I just wrote some stuff that I thought was interesting and turned into a piece. I later felt like my piece sounded like the background track for a sort of “hero’s arc.” (hence the title). The last part of my piece was actually a copy from another piece of mine called “Horn Ideas.” Anyways the basic idea is this castle is attacked by a dragon, the knight has been selected to go fight the dragon, goes on a few-day journey, fights the dragon, and returns home and is rewarded. Typical “knight” story, but a fun piece none the less.

My name is Liam, I am a sophomore at Andrada Polytechnic High School, I am in the vet pathway. I played the saxophone for all of my middle school career, however, I had to quit due to my high school not having a band or orchestra option. I’ve currently been playing the violin for nearly two years (I played the viola before this for two years). I have been playing with a youth group called Southern Arizona Youth Symphony for nearly three years. This is my third year in the Young Composers Project.

I’ve always been interested in songs that tell stories, so I decided to write my own, called The Rise and Fall of the Dark Emperor. It is about the emperor of a small town called Nightville who starts as a poor man but rises to power. Nightville is known as a dark and gloomy town which is why he’s a dark emperor, however, while he is in power, the town becomes light for the first time. However, the emperor gets a terminal illness and passes away which leads to the town to fall back into gloominess. At the end, the melody at the beginning repeats itself, which symbolizes the never-ending cycle.

I am 13 years old and in seventh grade. This is my third year in YCP, though my first in the Advanced class. I play several instruments; cello, bassoon, alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax, and piano, and I am always looking for opportunities to play more. Most of my hobbies are centered around music and I would love to continue composing in the future.

I did not have much specific inspiration for my Symphony in C Minor, though I did reflect on the styles of my previous final compositions for YCP. While I did not have this in mind during my writing process, my composition always makes me think of undulating waves – sometimes calm, tranquil, and rhythmic, other times soaring, violent, and mysterious.

Karim Trammel is a graduating 8th grader at Alice Vail Middle School, and is headed to University High School next year. He joined the Tucson Young Composer Program by the recommendation of his piano teacher, Allison Ewald. He’s played the piano for 7 years, as well as the French horn for 3 and the trumpet for 1.

For this piece, Night Walk, Karim planned to create a story for our main character [the clarinet] strolling throughout the night. In this “story,” we begin with a calm and legato, yet peculiar and dissonant start, conveying a feeling of uneasiness and dread. We then quickly transition into a loud, and alarming new melody, imparting the feeling of a chase into the listener(s). Finally, we end with a free and proud finish, simulating the sunrise and the relief one must feel at the end of an adventure.

I am a sophomore at Rincon/University High School. I have played piano for almost 12 years, saxophone for 5 years, trombone, bass trombone, and percussion for almost 2 years, and this is my 5th year in the Young Composers Project. I am a member of the Tucson Jazz Institute Ellington Big Band, and my local band Tucson Tarana. Recently, I had the excitement of winning 3rd place with my school’s indoor percussion ensemble at the WGAZ State Championships, as well as being selected through audition for the ABODA All-State Band and Orchestra Festival on trombone. I am also a leader in my school’s many ensembles, with my primary roles being the Band Room Manager for almost 300 people, and the Trombone Section Leader for two of our school’s three jazz bands.

Wood Glue, Children’s Glue, and Hot Glue was heavily influenced by the style of drum and bugle corps music. My piece starts with a marimba solo based on quartal harmony, and this represents the wood glue, since a marimba uses wood for its keys. Then, it moves into a textural passage with ship, wave, and ocean motifs that are meant to represent the wetness of Children’s glue, and the learning and building we do with it at school. It then goes through a cluster chord section which mimics a drum corps brass warmup, and a chorale without the high parts. These sections were originally part of my harp piece, and brass quintet respectively. As a bass trombone player, I felt the need and greed to add a bass trombone solo to the work, which starkly contrasts the beautiful chorale that follows. After another short trombone feature of their infamous glissando abilities, we go into a fast-paced drum corps style closer. This is my favorite section of the piece because it really builds the energy, and it goes through a lot of interesting key changes and memorable motifs. This last section represents the hot glue since the tempo is hot, and the runs are almost on fire, while it still stays intact between the sections showing the strength of hot glue.

Oliver Ward is a 17-year-old senior at The Gregory School. He studies trumpet with Betsy Bright-Morgan of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra (TSO) and has been a member of the Tucson Philharmonia Youth Orchestra for five years, serving as principal trumpet for the past four.

Oliver is also a committed composer. He has been a participant in the Tucson Symphony Orchestra’s Young Composers Project (YCP) for five years. Through YCP, Oliver has composed several works for Brass Quintet, Wind Quintet, and for full orchestra. He has had pieces premiered by TSO, most notably during TSO’s 2024 Primo Gala.

This fall, Oliver will attend UCLA, where he plans to study composition.

In Catharsis and Relapse, Oliver wanted to push his own musical limits, combining elements of rhythmic vitality, lyrical expression, and various musical timbres. Oliver was heavily inspired by composers such as Bernstein, Shostakovich, and Copland. Oliver hopes that his music can excite his audience and create a moment of shared musical joy.

Leo is an 8th grader at Alice Vail Middle School. He plays a variety of instruments including clarinet, saxophone, and percussion. Leo is closely involved with his schools band program, performing with every ensemble except beginning band, which includes Jazz band and Symphonic band. This is his 3rd year in the Young Composers Project.

I have always loved the music of fantastical cities. Whether its background music in a Star Wars movie or ambient music in a video game, I have always loved the musical colors that composers use when they write for cities. I tried to use many of those colors in my piece, Metropolis, including liberal use of the Lydian mode and harmonically rich chords. The piece is split into five sections: Morning, Daytime, Night, Nightmare, and Awakening.