top of page
Mary McDonald
Third prize winner in Ages 12-14 division
Winning composition: Summer Rainstorms
How old were you when you started composing?
8 or 9 years old
What do you love most about composing music?
What I love most about composing music is creating the storylines behind each piece, and plotting out how each instrument will fulfill their role in making it all connect.
Tell us a little about your winning YWCC composition
The story behind my piece is that originally, I was going to create a narrative driven piece, with each instrument having their own personalities. About halfway through, through, I found that I had strayed from my original thought, and was inspired by a beautiful rainstorm that I had gotten caught in (although it wasn't so beautiful at the time)!
What was your process/approach to composing your piece for YWCC?
My process was finding a chord I liked, and then creating a small melody out of that chord. I then just fleshed it out as best I could.
What is your advice to someone who is interested in composing a piece but does not know where to start?
My advice is to listen to music you like and try to pick out why you like it, and then think about how you can take that and play around with it.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself!
I like to take bike trips with my family.
bottom of page