2026-2027 Workshop Schedule

Wednesday, Oct 14 Intro & The Creative Process

• In this first workshop, we will talk about the philosophy of composition and the creative process and lay the groundwork for the rest of the year. You will learn about many valuable resources that will get you started on your composition journey!

Wednesday, Oct 21 Fantastic Melodies & Where to Find Them

• In this Workshop, we will talk about basic melody writing, specifically for the instruments being featured in ITOW.

Wednesday, Oct 28 Form & Structure

• In this Workshop, we will talk about how to structure your piece from a Bird’s Eye View. How many sections will it have? How many tonal centers? Will it end loudly or dissolve into silence? We’ll explore historic forms and see how master composers built their pieces from the ground up.

Wednesday, Nov 11 Harmony & Accompaniment

• Once you have your piece's melody ("main character") and form ("setting") set, you have to start populating the world. Harmony and accompaniment are what drive the style and mood of the piece.

Wednesday, Nov 18 Listening Party!

• In this Workshop, right before Thanksgiving break, we will learn by listening. Anyone is welcome to submit a piece for the group to listen to; it can be any genre for any grouping of instruments. The only requirement is that there is a score that we can use to follow along as we listen. This is always a lot of fun!

Wednesday, Dec 9 Notation & Revision

• This workshop will focus on the clerical side of composing. How do you make your piece look good on the page? We will go over the editing and revision process.

Wednesday, Dec 16 Independent Work Day

• Rough drafts are due before leaving for Winter Break, so this workshop will be an independent work day so that I can help people in a one-on-one setting.

What is the Composers’ Guild?

The Composers' Guild began as an extension of the Morton High School fine arts department in Morton, Illinois. Founded in 2012 by David Getz, this extra-curricular organization exists for the creation and production of instrumental compositions by MHS students, though it has grown to incorporate students from the greater Peoria area. Since its inception, over 70 student works have been premiered, 3 of them by the Boston String Quartet in May of 2016. The Composers' Guild gives an annual recital each year known as "In Their Own Write." The event has grown to also feature the MHS Drama department which premiers student-written one-act plays as well as productions of student-directed theatre works.

Over the years, the Composers' Guild has partnered with both Illinois Wesleyan University and Illinois State University. Student compositions receive a live performance and professional criticism from experienced faculty members and performers of those elite institutions.