Bethel Hosts Second Annual Music Composition Competition 

MISHAWAKA--Bethel University is hosting its second annual 15 Hours of Music competition on Feb. 18 and 19. This year, Emma Hall, Roland Kinsman and Erica Kinsman are planning the event. 

The event is a team competition where groups compose choral and instrumental pieces about three minutes long. The teams will be made on Feb. 18 at 4 p.m. in the Kelly Auditorium. From there, groups will split up and compose their pieces. A clinician will be present to assist groups with the composition. This part of the competition will go on until midnight. 

Participants will return to the Kelly Auditorium at 7:30 a.m. the next day, Feb. 19, to continue working on their arrangements until 1:30 p.m., when the performances begin. During this time there will also be mini games and challenges presented to the participants. 

This year’s event will be judged by Barb Bellefeuille, Ed. D, Robert Ortiz, Keith Ertner and Diane Ertner. 

“This will be super beginner friendly,” Hall said. “Groups will have a mixed ability and experience with music, so don’t worry about not having much experience! Come out to be a part of something different or new!” 

Hall also said that even if you do not participate in the event, you should come out to see the performances, which are free. 

There are posters around campus with a QR code for pre-registration, but this is not required. All participants must do is show up at the Kelly Auditorium at 4 p.m. on Feb. 18 to participate. Participants also do not have to commit to the full 15 hours. Hall said that if someone has a few hours they must miss, it can still work.

Hall, Roland Kinsman and Erica Kinsman are all junior music education majors.

“Roland, Erica and I got involved in planning this because there aren’t really senior music or music education majors this year,” Hall said. “Those that are seniors are student teaching and super busy. So, we’re basically the upperclassmen of the program.” 

The trio also sought advice from the students who hosted the first 15 Hours of Music competition last year.

“We connected with the two alums of the program who started this last year, Rebecca Scott and Ashlynn Townsend,” Hall said. “We asked questions and got information for how they did this. Rebecca even came back a few times to help out.”

This event is open to all Bethel students, whether they are a part of the music department or not.