Buffalo Grove senior named national winner in composition competition

Buffalo Grove High School senior Janelle Finton was named one of six winners in the annual NextNotes High School Composition Awards.

NextNotes is a national program designed to nurture the next generation of creative voices in music composition, inclusive of all musical styles. Awards encourage and recognize the creative and talented composers with mentorship, scholarship funds and a performance of their work by professional musicians.

"I am so grateful to have had the chance to have taken AP Music Theory at Buffalo Grove High School and develop my composition skills through this course," said Finton.

"I am so thankful for the music directors at Buffalo Grove High School, to have given me the opportunities to perform some of my compositions with the Buffalo Grove ensembles.

"Getting to hear your music come to life is exhilarating, and it is helpful to be able to revise compositions for the future in order to make sharing music more accessible to everyone."

Nearly 200 submissions were entered in the competition and were evaluated by a panel of composers, including Betsey Biggs, Craig Harris, Paula Matthusen, Linda May Han Oh, and Carl Schimmel.

The NextNotes winners will travel to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in June for mentorship with leading professional composers Carol Barnett, Joshua Clausen, and Pavielle French, as well as rehearsals and performance of their winning works by professional musicians.

The culminating NextNotes Showcase Concert will take place June 22 at the Southern Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The showcase is free.

"All of us at the American Composers Forum are thrilled to discover and nurture talented composers of our next generation through this program," said Vanessa Rose, ACF president and CEO.

"Through mentorship, workshops, and performances by professional musicians, each NextNotes composer has a unique opportunity to develop their voices, make new connections, and hear their music come to life."