Sage Marshall

Third prize winner in Ages 15-18 division
Winning composition: Snow Lake

How old were you when you started composing?
15

What do you love most about composing music?
It's always so freeing and exciting to compose; it's like work but it's not simultaneously. It is amazing how rewarding it is both for the listener and for the creator!

Tell us a little about your winning YWCC composition
My family has a cottage in the northeastern part of Indiana and has been in the family for quite a number of years now. I have a lot of memories there with my relatives and wanted to make a song to celebrate and express my gratitude for the cottage and the wonderful childhood and adventures it has given me.

What was your process/approach to composing your piece for YWCC?
I started making the piece pretty early in the summer so that I had time to fully process and formulate each section. It was also pretty important that I spent some time in my cottage in Indiana to be able to better understand the feeling I wanted to capture in this composition. Usually I would add anywhere from 5-30 seconds of music onto the piece each day and would ask my dad for his thoughts and ideas as well.

What is your advice to someone who is interested in composing a piece but does not know where to start?
Let loose and don't place too many expectations on yourself. Ironically enough, as a creator of music you'll never create anything original because the pieces you compose are only reflective of the inspirations that came from other mediums like your environment, your favorite musical artists, the media, etc...

Tell us a fun fact about yourself!
I love fashion and sewing