Music-COMP
Music-COMP (Music Composition Mentoring Program) was founded in 1995 as an organization that teaches students in grades 3-12 how to compose original music. Operating as an independent nonprofit organization until 2026, Music-COMP is now VT's premiere composition program run through the VMEA. Our goal is to help each student find their musical voice while supporting music educators across the state as they, too, learn and cultivate creative opportunities in their classrooms. Our young composers range from people who have never written a note before in their life all the way to students interested in composition as their profession.
How does it work?
Each young composer we work with is directly paired with a professional composer as their mentor in a way that transcends geographic boundaries. On our secure website, a mentor will connect with each student from the very first notes written to the final performance. It is not uncommon for a professional composer from New York City to be helping a student from a small rural community compose a piece of music, which in turn may then be premiered by a violinist who performs with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. Our mentors include college professors, working jazz and classical composers, Fulbright scholars, graduate students at Juilliard, and more. In addition, we partner with other organizations to perform and share the amazing music created by our students including Vermont Public Media, the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, the Vermont Philharmonic, TURNmusic, and more.
Explore student works from our Opus 40 Concert
(April, 2026) @ Elley Long Music Center.
Who can participate?
We prioritize access to our programs. No experience is necessary and all students in grades 3-12 may compose during our annual writing cycle. This approach has enabled young musicians from a variety of backgrounds in all corners of Vermont to participate each year. Our student population is a cross-section of our communities, and we continue to expand our reach further and further each year. If you are a VMEA member, your students have access to our composition programming! No further membership required.