https://www.composersguild.org/home daily 1.0 2025-09-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6046e3c8cf74f91d6acd712b/2e76f961-ea91-496a-91fd-bf7a2b09d32d/imagejpeg_0+2.JPG Home - Make it stand out Above: Composers and Performers from Bradley University at the 2025 In Their Own Write event. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6046e3c8cf74f91d6acd712b/1615259123890-U1G98QSKN42Z4TELN5ZB/2018-+rehearsal+002.jpg Home Above: Dr. Mario Pelusi rehearses a work by a student composer while other members of the Composers’ Guild follow along. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6046e3c8cf74f91d6acd712b/1615341012103-KHPQRBSZSFDAUNDRE9U7/2019-+ITOW.jpg Home Above: Dr. Roy Magnuson leads the ensemble from Illinois St. University at In Their Own Write 2019. https://www.composersguild.org/about daily 0.75 2021-03-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6046e3c8cf74f91d6acd712b/1615341195898-P5JTM352TL5LPMSYJY9U/2020-+Lecture.jpg Mission & Vision https://www.composersguild.org/the-director daily 0.75 2021-03-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6046e3c8cf74f91d6acd712b/1615260210653-KCP5YT3ERHNRDFDQ7ROM/009.jpg The Director https://www.composersguild.org/recordings daily 0.75 2026-03-31 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6046e3c8cf74f91d6acd712b/3049acba-b878-42e1-9503-b3f8fbde58fd/Screenshot+2026-03-31+at+2.00.08+PM.png Recordings - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6046e3c8cf74f91d6acd712b/957fc8d1-4045-475b-bba9-7634d0db357f/Screenshot+2026-03-31+at+2.01.16+PM.png Recordings - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.composersguild.org/awards daily 0.75 2025-03-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6046e3c8cf74f91d6acd712b/7e87121b-3925-4fc6-be04-033010be7a48/Logo.jpeg Awards - ILMEA Award Winners Students are encouraged to submit their works to the ILMEA Composition Contest. Pieces are due annually in early November. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6046e3c8cf74f91d6acd712b/1615343040456-LXX46N9Y9QGUY9C26E8U/Awards%281%29.JPG Awards - Best of Show Winners Since 2017, there has been a “Best of Show” recipient at each In Their Own Write event, as well as an Honorable Mention composer. Pictured Right: Lauren Schaff posing with David Getz (L) and Dr. Mario Pelusi (R) after winning the inaugural award in 2017. https://www.composersguild.org/guest-composers daily 0.75 2025-09-05 https://www.composersguild.org/curriculum daily 0.75 2021-03-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6046e3c8cf74f91d6acd712b/1616460303522-1J8IPWEP1A110MNRHQ6V/2016-%2Brehearsal%2B002.jpg Curriculum - Workshops & Structure The Composers’ Guild meets after school on the campus of Morton High School in Morton, IL. While students are strongly encouraged to compose year-round, the official Guild season runs from November through the end of April. In Their Own Write, the annual public performance of student compositions, is typically scheduled in early February and a private live performance workshop is typically scheduled in late April. https://www.composersguild.org/workshop-schedule-materials daily 0.75 2022-04-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6046e3c8cf74f91d6acd712b/e0decc7a-e348-411d-a408-a437a4b4810c/Guest+Lecture+Series_+Leah+Getz.jpeg Workshop Schedule & Materials - Guest Speaker Series: Leah Getz Leah Getz is a graduate of Morton High School and is an independent singer-songwriter as well as a visual artist. She released her debut album, “Only God Sees Me Cry,” in 2019, and she performs regularly in the greater Peoria area. She spoke to the Composers’ Guild on April 12, 2022 about her creative process and performed two of her most recent songs. Press on the link to listen to this inspiring and motivational session. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6046e3c8cf74f91d6acd712b/32f231e7-b597-4d3a-9f54-3c1f22d0c943/sheet-music.jpg Workshop Schedule & Materials - Workshop 05 - Score Presentation As you work to complete your composition, you want to start perfecting the look of your score. Make sure you aren’t making careless notation mistakes, and start adding things (articulations, dynamics, etc…) that will make your music pop! In this workshop, Mr. Getz shows off scores from Composers’ Guild concert’s past, and you can learn how to polish your score into a nice, finished product. LINK TO 2017-2018 COMPOSERS’ GUILD SCORES (Piano, Cello, Flute year) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6046e3c8cf74f91d6acd712b/1639577003298-0QLIO37F24VA1C6JFTH6/unsplash-image-Oze6U2m1oYU.jpg Workshop Schedule & Materials - Workshop 04 - Harmony 101 Our Western Tonal System lives and dies based on harmony. But what exactly is it, and how can we, as composers, manipulate its tendencies to accomplish our creative vision? In this workshop, we will explore harmony through the lens of musical gravity (hence, the solar system), and discuss how and why it is so important for young composers to master. LINK TO GOOGLE SLIDES https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6046e3c8cf74f91d6acd712b/1639520722500-U8UAT82XDCFJ9YVK5ZXP/unsplash-image-MEL-jJnm7RQ.jpg Workshop Schedule & Materials - Workshop 03 - Songwriters Workshop! Want to learn how to get started with writing basic pop/folk songs? In this workshop, we talk through some basic songwriting tips, learn some helpful templates to get started, and Mr. Getz composes a quick song on the spot about the Tortoise & The Hare! A big thanks to Kat Reinhart & Sarah Gulish, the creators of Songwriting For Me, for the awesome resources! LINK TO GOOGLE SLIDES https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6046e3c8cf74f91d6acd712b/1638975327462-3CSZJB8BE3JW1HVVL0S6/unsplash-image-5Wj_tk8_Ens.jpg Workshop Schedule & Materials - Workshop 02 - Form & Structure: Creating Worlds for Your Melodies to Thrive! Once you’ve written a melody, you have to broaden it and expand it to fill the entirety of your piece. Before you begin writing more, take a step back and think about the large-scale form of the piece you want to create. Pretend that your melody is your story’s “hero” and you now need to create the setting of the world in which they will explore. We will explore terms like phrase, themes, binary form, and theme and variations. LINK TO GOOGLE SLIDES https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6046e3c8cf74f91d6acd712b/1638476932487-R0Z97TQ9WLBYU4D50J5W/unsplash-image-rPOmLGwai2w.jpg Workshop Schedule & Materials - Workshop 01 - The Creative Process & How To Get Started: Writing Melodies In this workshop, Mr. Getz gives an overview of the creative process, talks about his “Lego” philosophy of composing, and gives an introduction to Western Tonal Music’s greatest hero…the melody! Students are instructed how to setup a Noteflight account and how to get started writing music today! LINK TO GOOGLE SLIDES https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6046e3c8cf74f91d6acd712b/3e434342-f05c-408d-bed4-a4c211691fc5/Logo.jpeg Workshop Schedule & Materials - Introduction In the opening meeting of the 2021-2022 Comp. Guild season, Mr. Getz welcomes a new set of students, talks about the nuts and bolts of Comp. Guild, shares some of his favorite inspirational quotes, and recounts his journey of composing. Link to GOOGLE SLIDES https://www.composersguild.org/past-workshops daily 0.75 2023-11-30 https://www.composersguild.org/current-workshop-schedule daily 0.75 2023-11-30 https://www.composersguild.org/donate daily 0.75 2025-05-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ce82d5d7cff9a0001025c64/1565807681737-B0SD7OH81DVOGLQR0A6C/20160125-A05A0708.jpg Donate