By Leonna Heuring
leonnah@standard-democrat.com
SIKESTON -- In 2007, a 16-year-old Jon Ginder told the Standard Democrat: "Music is a language, and most can only hear and appreciate it, but I can speak it."
The composer -- who turns 22 on Wednesday -- laughed recalling the comment.
"Maybe back then I was acquiring language," Ginder said. "Now I definitely am more well-versed in musical syntax."
Today the Sikeston High School graduate, who is a senior at Truman State University in Kirksville, is gaining national attention for his work. He recently won top honors in the Music Teachers National Association Young Artist Composition Competition.
"People listen to music because it speaks to them," Ginder said. "It says something, and that's a large part of why I'm so interested in writing it. I take ideas that are hard to put into words and send them out into the world (as music)."
The MTNA Young Artist Composition Competition was judged prior to the 2013 MTNA National Conference, which took place March 9--13, in Anaheim, Calif.
The three-tiered MTNA competitions begin at the state level. First-place winners of each state's competition advance to a division competition. Division winners compete in the national finals.
As competition winner, Ginder received $3,000 provided by the Hal Leonard Corporation. His composition was also performed in the conference winners' recital at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim.
"I couldn't really believe it -- until I was there," said Ginder, who noted he was able to attend through donations made from Truman State alumni and faculty. "I got to actually take nine clarinetists (from Truman State) with me to have the piece performed."
Ginder admitted he's a little bit embarrassed now to give the title of the award-winning music he composed, but he said it anyway: "The piece is called 'Large Angry Chickens.'"
"When you submit a piece and the piece is called 'Large Angry Chickens,' you don't really expect to win," Ginder laughed.
When he wrote the piece, Ginder said he was really doing it for the clarinetists.
"The whole piece is sort of based on a loose story -- a chicken coop scene," Ginder said. "The piece is for nine clarinets, and I use a whole different variety of clarinets."
Basically, Ginder said, he tried to do some things that imitate chicken sounds.
"There are some prominent clucks throughout, and they're also the way all of the different motives and themes overlap," Ginder said. "The way they react to each is very much close to chaotic, and there's definitely some order, too.
He continued: "It's funny because everybody I showed the piece to just instantly said: 'Yes, this is chickens.'"
Ginder said this competition was really the first serious one he's taken part in; the only other competition he'd entered was in the ninth grade. He learned about this national contest from his composition professor at Truman State, Ginder said.
Ginder's award-winning piece will also be performed Wednesday on the Truman State campus.
Ginder, who is the son of Billie and Jason Ginder of Sikeston, began studying violin with Agatha "Gay" French of Sikeston when he was 12 years old. Soon after, he began to write his own music and has since written music for a variety of ensembles including string orchestra, symphonic orchestra and many chamber ensembles.
"Something that happens a lot with composers is they write for a long period of time and learn new things and are constantly growing and looking back on pieces and think: 'Oh my goodness' or 'What was I thinking?' A lot of work I did in high school -- I don't know if I'd claim it," Ginder laughed.
Ginder said he does store his music in one place, but it's not catalogued. He went on to say the total number of pieces he has that he really enjoys listening to and still has is probably 100.
A mathematics and music double major at Truman State University, Ginder said people may not realize how the math and music intertwine.
"We all know math is everywhere in some sense," Ginder said. "We don't always realize how pervasive it is. Music helped me write music, and learning about math has helped me be able to find ways to apply ideas better in my music.
He continued: "Some people have the idea composers just throw music down and they're really passionate people -- and they are," Ginder said. "(As a composer) You put a lot of thought into everything you listen to."
Upon completing his degrees next year, Ginder said he plans to study music composition and theory in graduate school.
"Then, hopefully, I will get a Ph.D. in music composition, and my long-term goal would be to teach music theory and music composition classes at the college level," Ginder said.
And the learning process will continue.
"There are always things to learn (in music)," Ginder said. "The great thing about music is there's so much of it. You can learn something from every piece you hear."