Fifth Grade
Norwich Student Wins
National Composition
Talent Search

Eva Sachsse, a fifth grader at Marion Cross School in Norwich, VT, is the elementary division winner of the National Student Electronic Composition Talent Search! sponsored by the National School Board Association and MENC:The National Association for Music Education. Her composition will be performed at the NSBA Technology + Learning Conference General Session in Denver, Colorado in October, 2004. She and her teacher, Carolyn Keck, will also take part in a panel discussion about the use of the computer as a tool for music composition along with the middle and high school division winners.

Eva's song emerged from a 5th grade classroom study of the Odyssey. After listening to or reading all the stories from Homer's epic, each student selected one story and designed an independent project. Projects varied greatly; among them were theater pieces, art work, board games, and music to depict the events of an individual story. Eva was drawn to the tale of the Sirens and decided to create a song about them. Using paper and pencil, she jotted down words and then created a melody to the lyrics. The next step involved putting the music and lyrics into Sibelius notation software and creating an accompaniment. Final touches came when she recorded her piece and added effects at nearby Hartford High School in their music technology lab. You can view the various stages of Eva's work in the movie above. You can also listen to the final product and view her Sibelius file.

Eva's mom recalls that Eva was interested in playing the piano when she was two and began lessons when she was in first grade. Eva also sings in her church choir.

MENC: The National Association for Music Education and the National School Board Association collaborate to select a winning composition at three levels: elementary, middle level, and high school.  Requirements by MENC and NSBA specify that compositions use electronic instruments or electronic media for manipulating sound, alone, or with any combination of vocal and/or acoustic instruments. A recording of the composition, printed score, and description of how the piece was created must be sent to the selection committee. Eva chose to enter her description as a powerpoint presentation. You can view this as a QuickTime movie above.

Eva will receive Sibelius notation software for her home use and a copy of Photoscore Professional. Marion Cross School will receive numerous prizes from this competition: a 5-user lab pack of Sibelius notation software, as well as the entire Sibelius educational suite of products (Notes, Starclass, Compass, Instruments, Auralia, and Musition).

Prizes contributed by MENC to the teacher are: a copy of Composing and Arranging: Standard 4 Benchmarks, Composition in the Classroom: A Tool for Teaching, and Why and How to Teach Music Composition: A New Horizon for Music Education.

Additional prizes: are one year subscriptions to Electronic Musician and Mix magazines for both teacher and student, Exploring General Music 5 keyboard lab student books from Carl Fischer, and  FUJIYAMA DVD and FUJIYAMA book with CD by Akira Jimbo.