The KHS America Academic Alliance is an organization that has founded multiple companies that specialize in producing instruments. Each year through KHS, the Texas Bandmasters Association holds a compositional melody contest for students in grades 6-12.
The 2017 winner of this contest, announced at the beginning of May, is Quinton Porter, a junior here at Timber Creek.
“I originally found out about the contest through an email the band directors sent out about it. When I entered the competition, I told people that I wasn’t going to win and entered only for the experience,” said Porter.
In order to enter the contest, students must reside in the state of Texas as legal US citizens, be in grades 6-12 during the 2016-17 school year at the time of submission, and be enrolled in their school band program.
“I entered because I had no homework one Sunday afternoon and was bored, so I sat at the computer for about 20-30 minutes and wrote a quick melody,” said Porter.
For a contestant’s work qualify as first place, it must be an original work of a single melody composed after Jan. 1, 2017. All entries submitted must be original melodies. The entries must fill certain requirements, such as being 16 measures long. The score must contain tempo markings, time signatures, a key signature, a title, composer name and contact information for the applicant.
“When I opened up the webpage and saw my picture I started flipping out. My friend John Roberts, who was with me at the time, started flipping out with me,” said Porter. “It felt really surreal, and I was extremely shocked.”
