Where Are They Now? spotlights Minnesota Varsity Featured and Showcase Artists from 2011 to 2015.
Louisa Byron from Waseca, Minn., was a Minnesota Varsity 2015 Showcase Composer. She recently got in touch with Classical MPR's Christine Sweet to share her recent news.
Louisa Byron, 2015 Showcase Composer
Age: 17
Hometown: Waseca, Minn.
Attends: Waseca High School
After Minnesota Varsity, I had a busy, musical, summer! I was accepted into the 2015 Curtis Young Artist Program in Philadelphia, and Ocean Currents — a piece I composed for violin, viola, cello, and piano — was premiered there. In the three weeks at Curtis Institute of Music, I not only got to work with great teachers and make lifelong friends, I had the opportunity to work in the same practice rooms as some of the most famous composers that have graduated from Curtis, such as Samuel Barber and Leonard Bernstein. Seeing all the graduation pictures on the walls of the Curtis building inspired me to try my hardest, challenge myself, and continue my pursuits in composition. Also this year I was accepted into the Schubert Club Composer Mentorship program for the 2015-2016 season. I will be writing for the Copper Street Brass Quintet and I will be mentored by Edie Hill and Abbie Betinis.
This year, I have continued studying composition with Dr. Sarah Miller and percussion with Paul Babcock from MacPhail Center of Music. I also will be studying violin with Aaron Janse, a violinist from the Minnesota Orchestra. I am a member of GTCYS (Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies), and ACMS (Artaria Chamber Music School). I am very excited for this year in GTCYS because we will be touring Argentina this summer! I have been studying violin with Burton Kaplan since the fall of 2014. I have attended many workshops at the Magic Mountain Music Farm and I performed Brahms' Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Major in Kaplan's Performance Power series. I continue being active in my hometown with my parish, Sacred Heart Church, and this will be my fourth year being a part of a backup band for a community Christmas show called Christmas Time's A Coming. The show raises money for the local Red Cross. I get to improv and play traditional fiddle music with the band.
Minnesota Varsity prepared me on how to interact with fellow composers and musicians that are playing my pieces. Minnesota Varsity gave me the opportunity to be mentored by Carol Barnett. I learned so much from her — from stylistic ideas to notational concepts — that I am so grateful for. I'd like to thank Minnesota Varsity for giving me the opportunity to have my piece performed by professional musicians and to be able to be in the MPR studios! It was an amazing experience to see how the recording process happened.
In the next years to come, I plan to continue studying violin performance and composition in college. Good luck to all the participants this year!
For information on this year's season of Minnesota Varsity, please visit the Minnesota Varsity homepage.
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